New laws- no baitfish transportation.

[Mainehazmt]

Maine has banned imported bait for years!   if it's local bait your all set    then on the other hand   trap your own   its fun anyway   Im going on 5 months now Ive been trapping them    have 650 plus minnows all for myself!for winter  it's easy!  saves bucks too!   more for gas and beer

[pinche]

well I don't know if any of you remember but there was a larger spring die off here locally than prior years. It turns out that the same virus that caused the minnow ban is the same thing that caused the die off. It also appears that the commercial shipping industry is the a big cause of introducing exotic species and diseases into the Great Lakes. Now I don't expect the govt. to do much about it unless there is some pressure from the people. "what can I do?" You ask . Well here are some links about the virus and one about the ships and the lack of cleaning required currently. All  that I ask is that you take the time to read the articles and if you feel need be write your local congress man (woman) and ask them what there doing to help control the issue.



http://www.trca.on.ca/latestnews/?articleID=1064
If you read the article , on the bottom there is a link that says "whole story " , hit that link and on the new page enter VHS in there search bar. A couple of other articles will pop up.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060921/SPORTS10/609210380/1058
This is the link about the commercial shipping vessels and there current impact on the Great lakes. On the bottom of this article there is a link where you can contact your local congress . Again if you feel this is an important issue write em a letter and just ask them what there doing to help save our fisheries.


Thanks Pinche

[BUCKSKI]

Man this would really blow, I do like most the bait shops in WNY and Big Catch did a great job at case lake tourney last year. This is there main source of income not overpriced goods in the shop. I know the owners personally and they are really good people just trying to make a living.

WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH MORE REGULATIONS LIKE THIS?

 One might suggest that they examine the true source of invasive fish, and diseases?international shipments and the water they carry in their ballasts??

Scott this is no good!~

[pinche]

Man this would really blow, I do like most the bait shops in WNY and Big Catch did a great job at case lake tourney last year. This is there main source of income not overpriced goods in the shop. I know the owners personally and they are really good people just trying to make a living.

WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH MORE REGULATIONS LIKE THIS?

 One might suggest that they examine the true source of invasive fish, and diseases?international shipments and the water they carry in their ballasts??

Scott this is no good!~

Yes buckski , the issue really isnt the minnow transport ban or the fact that the ban may rise the cost of live bait . The real issue is the shipping industry , Im glad to see another member show concearn. If you could take a couple minutes and write a letter to your local govt. and ask what there doing about this.?
Thanks again I truely believe if we all took the time to do something we could put a little pressure on em !

[Gary_602z]

Hello All!

New member here! Maybe I can help out a little here.
There was a meeting in Brooklyn,MI with most of the larger bait wholesalers present from most of the affected states. Basically it comes down to us (the bait and aquaculture industry being blindsided by this ruling. Also this ruling can be added/subtracted to as far as states and/or species of fish. We should know a little more in the next few days what direction APHIS is leaning towards if any. There was also to be a meeting in Washington yesterday and rumor was that something might be coming out of that.

If you have any questions just ask!

Gary
Wendells Wholesale Bait and Tackle
Woodland ,MI

[pinche]

Hello All!

New member here! Maybe I can help out a little here.
There was a meeting in Brooklyn,MI with most of the larger bait wholesalers present from most of the affected states. Basically it comes down to us (the bait and aquaculture industry being blindsided by this ruling. Also this ruling can be added/subtracted to as far as states and/or species of fish. We should know a little more in the next few days what direction APHIS is leaning towards if any. There was also to be a meeting in Washington yesterday and rumor was that something might be coming out of that.

If you have any questions just ask!

Gary
Wendells Wholesale Bait and Tackle
Woodland ,MI

Thanks Gary and welcome to the site there is allot of good stuff here .

As far as the whole VHS stuff , yes please keep us posted as far as the outcome. I talked a bit with Ron from hook Line and sinker and he will be passing along the info from the washington meeting.
Also let us know if there is anything we as sportsman can do to help with the situation.
Thanks again and welcome aboard.

Check out the Michigan part of the board for the local stuff. ( you will need 5 posts to view the reports)

[Gary_602z]

Also there was an article in the Detroit Fee Press today about the meeting.

Gary

[pinche]

Thanks heres the link.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061102/SPORTS10/611020333/1058

Pinche

[pinche]

Here are a few quotes from the article........

"Like alewives, zebra mussels and about 150 other organisms, VHS is an exotic species that entered lakes from outside, probably in the ballast water of ocean-going ships. Before the Lake St. Clair musky die-off last spring, it was known only in a few saltwater species."

That caused us to issue the emergency order to stop the movement of fish from (Ontario and Quebec) and the states where the disease has been found," including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. And after VHS was found in Conesus Lake, which is near Lake Ontario but has no direct connection to it, New York State banned the movement of the affected species within its borders.

[flockshot]

pinche..thanks for making this issue grind into peoples minds...far to many so called sportsman groan and grumble, rant and rave but do absolutly nothing. it just bugs me to know that they will blame everything but their own inaction when one day the great outdoors is gone.  ill be writting my state congressman that ive gotten good corospondances from. thanks again pinche for taking a stand when most people could care less.

[Gary_602z]

Another thing that we can do as sportmen is to support our local ma & pa bait shops. Sure they may not have the variety of selection as a Walmart but I bet they can tell you where the fish are biting or what the hot ice-jigs are! Sadly to say this American Heritage is dropping by the wayside.

Gary

[Gary_602z]

Maine has banned imported bait for years!   if it's local bait your all set    then on the other hand   trap your own   its fun anyway   Im going on 5 months now Ive been trapping them    have 650 plus minnows all for myself!for winter  it's easy!  saves bucks too!   more for gas and beer

Hey Mainehazmt!
I probably supply more bait to more stores then anybody else in Michigan and I have to agree with you! Trap your own bait or go pick a few nightcrawlers. But do NOT forget to take your kids/grandchildren/nephews or nieces with you! These are the ones we need to keep this way of life alive. In todays society with everything on a fast pace and high tech we need to think about who is going to our watchdogs of the future.

Gary

[vipercat64]

Sure they may not have the variety of selection as a Walmart

I can't find CRAP at WalMart for ice gear...the jigs are all generic and the same...no variety.  I tried their salted minnows, and they seemed to be freeze dried.  Way to stiff, and broke apart when I tried to put them on a hook.  Not a single hit on them, ended up chucking them and going home.

I always go to the local baitshop for minnows, live or salted...the salteds cost more, but they get bites.

Normal stuff not for ice fishing, okay...I like to save a buck(I am a cheap b*****d after all...)

[Mainehazmt]

Hey Mainehazmt!
I probably supply more bait to more stores then anybody else in Michigan and I have to agree with you! Trap your own bait or go pick a few nightcrawlers. But do NOT forget to take your kids/grandchildren/nephews or nieces with you! These are the ones we need to keep this way of life alive. In todays society with everything on a fast pace and high tech we need to think about who is going to our watchdogs of the future.

Gary

Oh I do with the grandson He loves it when we go check the traps daily for the "fishies" I take him all the time this will be his 3rd season on the ice this year (wife and I are raising him) wife works as an  rn  so if I wanna go fishing he goes 2    days of a dollar and a half an hr for a sitter are way over   damn!

[pembroke]

As of right now you can ship bait in the state it was dipped. Are biggest fear here in New York is the state will step in and ban all dipping for minnows in any waters found to have vhs in it. The reason behind this would be to stop the spread into unaffected waters.
Larry Ditzel
Pembroke Bait

[Mainehazmt]

As of right now you can ship bait in the state it was dipped. Are biggest fear here in New York is the state will step in and ban all dipping for minnows in any waters found to have vhs in it. The reason behind this would be to stop the spread into unaffected waters.
Larry Ditzel
Pembroke Bait

and ? is that wrong?

[Gary_602z]

The thing is that once the virus is here you can not stop it! New York has already stopped the in state transfers unlike the other 7 states. All waters connected to the great lakes will get the virus if mother nature lets it. Which means the whole mississippi watershed.  Did we stop the zebra mussels? No. Did we stop the gobies? No. Here in Mich. we have the emerald ash borer, an we stop it? No.
  I think you get my point.

If anybody is interested a good book on the fish industry in the early 1900's in the Great Lakes region (mainly MI.) is "Pity the fish and then Man" good reading if you can find a copy.

Gary

[Ray4852]

The best way to control this virus is don’t use bait at all. What I understand Lake Erie is already infected with the virus. That means if you buy minnows at a buffalo bait shop and bring them to an inland lake, that lake is going to get the virus too. I heard Conesus Lake is already infected with the virus. I wonder how that virus got into that lake. A fisherman brought the virus in from the outside. New York state bait laws are too liberal. Its time we ban all outside bait all together.

[molsonport]

ray , putting a ban on bait is not going to stop the problem, that is not the only way that the virus is spread. the people that have boats in the affected water and go to another body have to clean the livewell,bilge pumps, any mud or foreign matter on the boat or trailer or the vehicle for that matter? at least what the DEC is saying at this point and time, don't forget the birds that transport bait and water on them.education is the answer that will help slow down the problem imo it is to late to stop it for now.

[Semper Fi]

Good point, Molsonport. A long time ago I had a pond put in a remote area of my farm. It was spring fed and I wanted a bass pond only. Well I trapped shiners and hand sorted them to be sure no bluegills were added to the pond. After two years I added the bass to the minnows. When I went out there to fish the next year, I started catching these big bluegills.... I was furious that someone had 'snuck in' and polluted my 'pristine' bass pond. Of course nobody brought them in........ the ducks did. They fed on the eggs in other ponds and got them on their feathers, and when they landed on my pond, some of them dropped off and hatched. These new regs might slow the progression of VHS down, but it's too late to stop it. Given enough time, nature will handle it.... she always does.

IMHO,
SF

[vipercat64]

Exactly Semper Fi,  any new pond will have fish in it eventually(barring over pollution of course) if it is big enough.  Birds are natures way of spreading the fish wealth!!!!(or in this case poverty... )

[walleyeslayer]

Good point, Molsonport. A long time ago I had a pond put in a remote area of my farm. It was spring fed and I wanted a bass pond only. Well I trapped shiners and hand sorted them to be sure no bluegills were added to the pond. After two years I added the bass to the minnows. When I went out there to fish the next year, I started catching these big bluegills.... I was furious that someone had 'snuck in' and polluted my 'pristine' bass pond. Of course nobody brought them in........ the ducks did. They fed on the eggs in other ponds and got them on their feathers, and when they landed on my pond, some of them dropped off and hatched. These new regs might slow the progression of VHS down, but it's too late to stop it. Given enough time, nature will handle it.... she always does.

IMHO,
SF

woulda been nice of the ducks while they were at it, to bring in some perch or walleye eh?  8)

[pinche]

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061109/SPORTS10/611090385/1058