I know alot of you have read, posted and probably been relieved that the topic of Viral Hemorrhagic septicemia has not come up in awhile. We have a few new members and its the height of ice fishing season. If I reach just one person that did not know about this, then I've not wasted my time.
I'm cutting to the chace, and there's techinicalitys that are redundant, so I'm skipping over some of it.
VHS is a virus that has entered the great lake presumably by ocean going vessels. The reason this is a hot topic is the mortality rate among some fish that get infected. I cannot put a number on it, but it's beyond our imagination just how many fish has been taken already.
The Federal govenment placed a order stopping transport of live fish from the great lakes without first passing viral testing, and the DEC placed emergency baitfish regulations stopping the harvest of baitfish from Lake Erie, Lake Ontario and the St.Lawrance, placed the same guildlines for testing, put a 100 minnow limit on baitfish possesion. Also, if you catch your own baitfish, you are restricted to using them in the same waters cought. The 100 limit is wether you catch your own buy them, or if the minnows are dead or alive.
Using bait from the Niagra river, lake Erie, Lake Ontario or the St. Lawrance river in inland lakes and waterways is a big time NO-NO. Don't do it, please.
Spring is around the corner, please if you fish the above waters, please wash your live well out, and disinfect it with a 10 to 20% solution of bleach/water. Allow to air dry.
Drain your boat at the launch you are leaving. Please be aware of weeds , mud, ect on your trailer.
Who's watching?, Who's going to catch you ? Probably nobody. Its you , me, everyone who fishes or uses the waters we fish in that has to be aware, think twice before you leave that spring fishing hole, and do the right thing.
