What would you do?

I believe the wash station at Wabasha’s public launch site is free, but I have never seen anyone using it.

^ I stopped at that thing once. It’s not really pressurized in any way. It was just a passive flow of water that trickled out.

The local car wash makes a mint because the city, DNR, or whoever cannot set that thing up correctly

To the OP, I’d flag the guy down if in an urban area. If he didn’t care or was a jerk, I’d call him in. Give him a chance to be made aware first.

Thankfully 90% of my recreating is in places that are full of AIS and I’m not likely to do any harm going to the same places repeatedly. Regardless, I try to do my part by always tilting my motor all the way down, parking on a sloping side street while I put my tie downs and crap on/away, traveling without my plug, and checking everything twice for weeds. If there’s algae everywhere I either run through the car wash or hit it with the hot pressure washer at home in the driveway

Jimmy Jones wrote:

I believe the wash station at Wabasha’s public launch site is free, but I have never seen anyone using it.

never seen anything there. maybe put a sign that boaters can see? i actually would pay a couple bucks to pressure wash my boat and trailer if it was available. hell even a garden hose would suffice. it would take under a minute to spray the crap off a boat or trailer.

It’s not that hard.
I clean mine after every time too. Spray bottle of water and spot remover.
The longer you leave it on the worse it is to remove. A “tool” and a “jewel” it’s worth the 15 mins of time to me.
Always drain the motor, travel with the plug out – don’t use the livewells except in Canada but drain them at the landing. Checking for weeds is simple.
NO WAY he did not notice them if he has a pre and and post water routine.
Point is out at a light – – depending on his response. I send the info in.
They must be cleaned before you leave the launch

So if he was to tell him at the stoplight is he supposed to turn around and go back to the landing he came from to clean them off?

If he was “advised” about it, maybe he’d do something, maybe he won’t –

…but he will know people are watching.

Don’t forget to snitch on all the people that don’t empty out their minnow buckets too. You’d stay plenty busy at most ramps. Better get the CO on speed dial.

Seems like some of you should volunteer to be an AIS inspectors.

I’d bet a lot of people trailer lights don’t work when they are leaving the ramp. Call the sheriff!

I have to agree. Does it suck that some idiot did not at least attempt to clean a bunch of weeds of the trailer, yeah it does and would not hurt to mention it. I try to make sure mine is clean, but not sliding under it to get one weed. Also if I did not add lake water to my Engel, bet your ass I’m not draining it and loosing my bait. If someone is poaching or doing something more serious I have no problem calling them in, otherwise its a watch your own bobber for this guy.

TH wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Don Meier wrote:</div>
Not an answer , invasives are still coming in the US via ballast water of ocean going ships . Until that is addressed this will never be fixed .

This is exactly right. Ships are supposed to rinse the ballast tanks with salt water to kill fresh water species. If they don’t, I believe its a few thousand dollar fine for dumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of water. And who would ever get caught. What is my fine for not removing my drain plug? I might have an ounce of water in my boat.

As far as what to do, follow your gut but probably nothing will happen to the violator.

WRONG! Those boats may have carried the pests to port, but beyond that it’s your boat and mine transporting them inland. Using your same logic would have us all ignore laws, all laws, just because somebody else violated them without penalty. By definition, that’s anarchy. Anyone too lazy to do a cursory check of his boat upon leaving the landing, in my not so humble opinion, should forfeit his privileges to use our shared resources. He can go out and buy his own private land-locked lake to exploit and infest to his heart’s desire.

I guess I would follow the advice an uncle gave me many moons ago ….. “if you don’t stick your nose in someone elses business, they probably won’t punch you in it.”

That advise has served me well and IMO, we would all be better off if more people followed it. Like the mobsters say in the movies, Snitches get stitches.

Whatever happened to “just follow the rules”?
It’s not that complicated.

Required Actions—It’s the Law!
Most anglers and boaters follow Minnesota’s Clean, Drain, Dispose
laws to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species:
Clean all visible aquatic plants, zebra mussels and other
prohibited invasive species from watercraft, trailers and other
water-related equipment before leaving any water access or
shoreland.
• It is illegal to transport prohibited invasive species—including
zebra mussels—whether dead or alive.
• You can find a complete list of prohibited invasive species by visiting dnr.state.
mn.us/invasives/laws.html#prohibited
Drain water-related equipment (boat, ballast tanks, portable bait container, motor)
and drain bilge, livewell and baitwell by removing drain plugs before leaving any water
access or shoreland property.
• Keep drain plugs out and water-draining devices open while transporting watercraft.
Dispose of unwanted bait, including minnows, leeches and worms, in the trash.
• It is illegal to release bait into a waterbody or release aquatic animals from one
waterbody to another.
• It is illegal to release worms in the state; worms are not native to Minnesota.
• If you want to keep your live bait, on shore before leaving, you must always drain all
water from your bait container and refill it with bottled or dechlorinated tap water.
Recommended Actions—Protect Your Waters
To further decontaminate your watercraft and equipment, it’s important to spray, rinse
or dry everything before going to another waterbody, especially if your boat has been
in the water or moored for more than 24 hours—or if you have recently been in zebra
mussel or spiny waterflea infested waters. Do one or more of the following:
• Dry for at least five days.
• Spray with high-pressure water.
• Rinse with very hot water. To reduce the risk of spreading zebra mussels, use water
that is 120 °F at the point of contact and spray each area for at least two minutes, or
use 140 °F water for at least 10 seconds on each area.
Lakes and Rivers Listed as “Infested”
What do I need to do when I visit a lake or river on the infested waters list?
You should follow the same aquatic invasive species regulations: Clean, Drain, Dispose—
every time you visit any lake or river, infested or not.
• If you are harvesting bait, commercial fishing, or diverting or taking water, you
need to follow special regulations in infested waters. See regulations for bait on
pages 30-31.
How do I know which waters are listed as infested?
• For the most complete and current infested waters list, visit mndnr.gov/AIS or
request a copy from [email protected] or call 651-259-5100.
• You can use LakeFinder to find out if a particular lake is listed as infested:
mndnr.gov/lakefind.
• Infested waters are posted with orange Invasive Species Alert signs at the
public access.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

Whatever happened to “just follow the rules”?
It’s not that complicated.

We should all follow the AIS rules. But that’s not the subject of the thread.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

Whatever happened to “just follow the rules”?
It’s not that complicated.

Required Actions—It’s the Law!
Most anglers and boaters follow Minnesota’s Clean, Drain, Dispose
laws to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species:
Clean all visible aquatic plants, zebra mussels and other
prohibited invasive species from watercraft, trailers and other
water-related equipment before leaving any water access or
shoreland.
• It is illegal to transport prohibited invasive species—including
zebra mussels—whether dead or alive.
• You can find a complete list of prohibited invasive species by visiting dnr.state.
mn.us/invasives/laws.html#prohibited
Drain water-related equipment (boat, ballast tanks, portable bait container, motor)
and drain bilge, livewell and baitwell by removing drain plugs before leaving any water
access or shoreland property.
• Keep drain plugs out and water-draining devices open while transporting watercraft.
Dispose of unwanted bait, including minnows, leeches and worms, in the trash.
• It is illegal to release bait into a waterbody or release aquatic animals from one
waterbody to another.
• It is illegal to release worms in the state; worms are not native to Minnesota.
• If you want to keep your live bait, on shore before leaving, you must always drain all
water from your bait container and refill it with bottled or dechlorinated tap water.
Recommended Actions—Protect Your Waters
To further decontaminate your watercraft and equipment, it’s important to spray, rinse
or dry everything before going to another waterbody, especially if your boat has been
in the water or moored for more than 24 hours—or if you have recently been in zebra
mussel or spiny waterflea infested waters. Do one or more of the following:
• Dry for at least five days.
• Spray with high-pressure water.
• Rinse with very hot water. To reduce the risk of spreading zebra mussels, use water
that is 120 °F at the point of contact and spray each area for at least two minutes, or
use 140 °F water for at least 10 seconds on each area.
Lakes and Rivers Listed as “Infested”
What do I need to do when I visit a lake or river on the infested waters list?
You should follow the same aquatic invasive species regulations: Clean, Drain, Dispose—
every time you visit any lake or river, infested or not.
• If you are harvesting bait, commercial fishing, or diverting or taking water, you
need to follow special regulations in infested waters. See regulations for bait on
pages 30-31.
How do I know which waters are listed as infested?
• For the most complete and current infested waters list, visit mndnr.gov/AIS or
request a copy from [email protected] or call 651-259-5100.
• You can use LakeFinder to find out if a particular lake is listed as infested:
mndnr.gov/lakefind.
• Infested waters are posted with orange Invasive Species Alert signs at the
public access.

Maybe the irony is hitting me in the face and Im not picking up. “Just follow the rules, its not that hard” and then proceed to copy a 10 page checklist of rules.

I had an AIS inspector tell me to drain my spottails at the access as I was leaving. My next lake was going to be that same lake as I told him. He said it’s the rules. I told him to take my license plate. It’s ok to break dumb rules. But you have to be prepared for the consequences as well.

ganderpike wrote:

I had an AIS inspector tell me to drain my spottails at the access as I was leaving. My next lake was going to be that same lake as I told him. He said it’s the rules. I told him to take my license plate. It’s ok to break dumb rules. But you have to be prepared for the consequences as well.

Your blatant admission and violation of the rules is no better or worse than the example given by the OP. Rules are rules. You don’t get to decide which ones you think are dumb or not, point the finger at one person, and then break another one yourself. That is the definition of hypocrisy. Its quite possible that the individual that had weeds hanging from his trailer simply didn’t know they were there.

Gimruis always delivers the dad lecture. Common sense be damned.

I got home from the lake last night and I I immediately noticed the kid and I over looked a weed on my side bunk carpet. It kind of blended in but was visible from the front of my truck. I must have missed it while I was going around my fender. Hoping no one saw me and took my pics, I don’t want fishing and hunting to die off because of this. I also kept my minnows that were in and never left my bait bucket.

You rebel!! I am dialing the TIP line as I type this.

Dang. Glad I didn’t do this until Sunday… The access I launched from on mille lacs had the wind blowing in to it. When I loaded up, my trailer was FULL of weeds. I wasn’t going to crawl under the trailer in a gravel lot to pull weeds off. I drove 2 miles over to a public access on mille lacs and used the weed grabber thing. It’s a really long tongs that you can pick weeds off with.

Sue me I guess. I also didn’t dump the water out of my leeches, because that’s insane!

rjthehunter wrote:

It’s a really long tongs that you can pick weeds off with.

You know, that’s actually not a bad idea. Give one of those things to every AIS inspector/surveyor out there. Reaching down under the trailer sucks and one of those would be really handy at times.

gim wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>rjthehunter wrote:</div>
It’s a really long tongs that you can pick weeds off with.

You know, that’s actually not a bad idea. Give one of those things to every AIS inspector/surveyor out there. Reaching down under the trailer sucks and one of those would be really handy at times.

A lot of the inspectors have them. But I was at a private access and there was no one there. So I drive with a trailer full of weeds over to a public access and cleaned it off.

If they’re going to demand that the water gets switched out in bait buckets, they should provide a well with cold water at each access…

We need a thread on all the rules we bend in the outdoors just to see where people stand on things lol

rjthehunter wrote:

A lot of the inspectors have them.

I’ve literally never seen them with one. Not once. Its a good idea though.

Based on the comments here I’m lead to believe that; just like there are hunters, and there are shooters; in this case, there are fishermen, and there are guys in boats with fishing poles.
On the changing of water in the minnows, in WI, if the minnow bucket doesn’t get lake water in in, there’s no need to dump or change it. Same with leeches.

I believe I read this on one of these forums and turned out to be a good idea. Took a old fishing pole and cut a coat hanger up and made some small hooks on the end. Better than laying under for me.

You can buy the long tong grabber things for like 5 bucks.
Emptying my small leach container of water is absurd.

Question for the live bait guys. Are you emptying your bait buckets and containers that I assume have cold bait shop water and filling them with urine warm lake water? With the temps and water already being so warm, I would expect the live bait to stay a lot fresher and livelier if it was kept in colder water as opposed to filling it with warm lake water.

I’m slightly confused by the rule on this too. If you don’t ever add any lake water to the container, bait bucket, etc, are you still supposed to dump out the water already in there from the bait shop when you arrived? If you never added any water from the lake while you were there, I don’t see the harm. You showed up with bait shop water, and left with that same water.

Filling a live well, ballast, or other large containment vessel with lake water and then transporting it without draining it is completely different.

How does draining my livewell in my driveway thats 20 miles from any lake hurt anything?

JEREMY wrote:

How does draining my livewell in my driveway thats 20 miles from any lake hurt anything?

Because it’s a lot easier for the DNR to just make one rule for everyone than every little exception known to man. How would any agent know where you live, or believe that you have no plans of hitting another body of water on the way home.