Don’t let hitchhikers ruin our great waterways! 

Foreign species of plant and marine life are becoming more and more prevalent in some of our favorite fisheries.  Unfortunately, these critters can affect the fish populations, putting a damper on our fishing experience! 

We all need to do our part to help prevent their spread, and it only takes a few short minutes to ensure your boat and trailer are clean.  Here are some tips:

• Remove any visible plant matter, animals, mud, and dirt from your boat, trailer, boots, waders, decoys, and all equipment that was exposed to the water. Even plant fragments and dirt may contain tiny hitchhikers.

• Empty water from motors, jet drives, live wells, boat hulls, canoes and kayaks, scuba tanks and regulators, boots, waders, bait buckets, etc. Please do this before you leave. If you wait until you get home to empty water, it is likely to run down the gutter into a storm drain, which could contaminate local waters.

• Do not release unused bait into the waters you are fishing. Dump any unused bait into a trashcan or on land far away from any water body. Be aware of any bait regulations, and do not use live bait in waters where it is prohibited.

>> More information on this important topic can be found at www.protectyourwaters.net