TO SPREAD OR NOT TO SPREAD It’s not for me to complain, when the outfitters have lost thousands of dollars on cancelled river trips due to the extremely high water in a large number of western rivers. Now that it’s nearing the middle of August and summer is all but over, the rivers leave flood stage and the fishing begins.
The Salmon River runs through some of the prettiest country in the Rockies, and support populations of two species of salmon (chinook, sockeye), rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, steelhead, and other species of coldwater fish including large sturgeon. The Salmon is the longest undammed river in the United States flowing over 400 miles till it reaches the Snake River below Hell’s Canyon.
The Salmon River historically produced 45% percent of all the steelhead (salmon) and 45 percent of all the spring and summer chinook salmon in the entire Columbia River Basin. The Salmon River basin contains most (up to 70 percent) of the remaining salmon and steelhead habitat in the Columbia River Basin. Despite the abundant salmon habitat in the river, these fish have been declining, in large part because of the effects of four federal reservoirs and dams on the lower Snake and Columbia rivers.
But the fishing has been good the last few weeks and the fishing pressure on the river between the Persimaroy River and the city of Salmon keeps growing daily. With this many anglers the chance of contamination grows in purporting to the angling numbers.
Most are now aware of Zebra mussels and that type of invasive species but there is one major problem that is now worldwide and growing, whirling disease.
Whirling disease is a parasitic infection caused by the non-native microscopic parasite, Myxobolus cerebralis. Its common name comes from the characteristic swimming behavior that results from the disease. Affected fish suffer reduced mobility and fertility, posing a risk to population health. It attacks juvenile trout and salmon.
But wait – no I’m not going to double the order or pay for shipping, but I do like to use felt soles on my wading boots. There are several surveys telling us that felt boot soles are one of the ways the disease is spread from one stream to another. And, to make the point further several states have banned the use of felt bottoms for wading boots and I was told the Simms Company took felt bottomed boots out of their line.
However, after visiting with Sam Houser with the KORKERS Company I learned that basically the felt soul agenda is mostly a “witch hunt” and with proper care felt bottoms are as safe as anything now being used. Care must be taken of course but they are safe never less.
Sam also was very direct as to their product KORKERS in relation to wade fishing footwear. As it happens I use their product and can recommend it highly. My wading boots are what Korkers named their “MUDDER DUCKER” Fishing Boot. This company makes the only fishing boot with adaptable traction. Offering interchangeable soles for their line of fishing boots accomplishes this. They offer 5 snap-on soles for wading boots. Changing can also be done while in the water with their snap on designs.
KORKERS supports the Clean River Angling Pledge which if followed will prevent the spread of all pathogens and invasive species.
For more information go to www.korkers.com or call 800-524-8899.
If you have comments or questions about this Blog Jim’s Email is JimF06@gmail.com
