The Northern California Fly Fishing Board

New Zealand Mud Snails have made landfall in the Lower American where they have been positively ID'd near the Sunrise Bridge. If you frequently fish the American, Putah, Owens, or other places with NZMS, consider having a dedicated set of wading gear to use only on those waters.
For more information on these bastards go to http://flyline.com/environmental/nzms/

I was at the Sunrise Bridge this past Sunday and noticed the sign. I wasn't surprised since there are the NZ mud snails on Putah and most likely other valley rivers.

Sorry to be so negative on this subject, but fishing in CA is definately on a downhill spiral. If its not water availability issues, then it seems to be a oil spill in the bay. What next.
Doesn't seem to be anyone at home.

Good news, the Hatchery opened up on NOV 8, to start taking salmon. The raceway seemed to pretty full with more trying to come in. The closed the access gate just before the raceway to keep down the number of fish.

The coastal streams should be getting interesting now, though my favorite is still the Klamath just below the Scott at thanksgiving. Just an old favorite.

grnwtrs wrote:
Sorry to be so negative on this subject, but fishing in CA is definately on a downhill spiral. If its not water availability issues, then it seems to be a oil spill in the bay.

Just to keep things in perspective, the fuel oil spill that took place in the bay last week had nothing to do with oil exploration, oil drilling, oil transportation, or oil refining. Please send the bill for the damage and clean up to the world's greatest polluter...Red @#$%^&*ing China.

Paul

As disapointed as I am by this, I realize now what I had always thought when fishing the American...it was only a matter of time before they showed up.

This truly is a very disapointing and alarming setback, not simply because they appeared on the American (that was simply a matter of when and where), but because the American is an urbanized and heavily utilized river with a HUGE potential to spread these guys elsewhere. Now, not only do we have to worry about anglers moving these things, but we also have to think about swimmers, boaters, dogs, birdlife, ect as serious potential vectors for displacement. Once these guys move to more populated rivers, such as the American, I think the battle is essentially lost. They were once restricted to somewhat isolated trout streams, with limited traffic...but now....who knows?

pgw wrote:

the world's greatest polluter...Red @#$%^&*ing China.

Paul[/quote]

Gee Paul, how do you really feel about Mainland China?

I've got to agree about having a mud snail waters only set up is the way to go. I did the 409 treatment a couple of times and it is amazing how much 409 is required and how much time it takes... it also amazing how many snails are present in the water! I was over at Putah this week and I was having a slow day, but I saw lots of very small BWOs or midges (I think the latter) coming off, so I decided to seine the water. While I didn't get any good samples of the bugs hatching, I got quite a few mud snails! No rocks were turned over, just flowing water.

Silent Reader wrote:
Gee Paul, how do you really feel about Mainland China?

I support General MacArthur's plan that was rejected by President Truman.

Paul

Is there any way to treat your gear that works? I don't have two sets of wading gear.

Take a look at this website....Granite Bay Fly Casters. It has a good write-up on treating your gear.

http://www...0Cleaning%20Protocol.htm

Ralph wrote:
...consider having a dedicated set of wading gear to use only on those waters...

I think it's getting to the point where changing any water, even signifcantly upstream on the same water, gear should be decontaminated. Up until seeing this thread, I would have used my 'clean' set for the American You just can't guarantee what's in the water where you're fishing.

Ralph Cutter's site as some nice concise info and a more complete pdf:

http://www....com/environmental/nzms/

I think you can also search the board archives and I remember there being info at the DFG's site (but I don't have a link for it).