Didymo on the West Branch
I am surprised to find a complete lack of signage there. Anglers should be alerted to what this is. I spoke to anglers who did not know what the stuff was.... oh boy. The one sing we saw was well hidden under a tree. Also, I look at websites that deal with those rivers and no one mentions it. They are ignoring it. This is a serious threat to out rivers. The carpets are on the Upper West Branch as well. There should be signs everywhere telling people about this problem. It might not help much but it would make people aware and it would be the right thing to do. Thumbs down to the NYDEC on this one. The problem is that EVERYONE fishes the WB. They should all be aware that they need to clean their gear.
Re: Didymo on the West Branch
Unless EVERYBODY disinfects EVERY piece of equipment that comes in contact with this stuff it will eventually spread to every favorable location on the globe - That ain't gonna happen, we cant even get people to stop littering.
The inevitable is well under way.
Re: Didymo on the West Branch
I washed my stuff last night. Maybe I will do a video showing what the stuff lokks like when I am in AR. Then I will show disinfecting my gear.
About the signage. I called NYDEC today. I told them about the removed signs. They called me back right away. The officer stated that they have new signs and will go put them up today. Also, they will be going to the local shops and having them putting up signs. I talked to a few people on the river that didn't even know what the stuff is at all. I hope it's cyclical in nature and comes and goes.
Re: Didymo on the West Branch
I realize YOU wash your stuff, buy YOU were not the only guy fishing that river yesterday.
They can put up all the signs they want, MOST people will not disinfect ALL their equipment (Waders, boots, gravel guards, flies, leader knots, boats, nets, anchors, ropes...).
It's inevitable. I'm not an alarmist, just a realist. It will spread to every watershed it can tolerate. It will not wipe out our fisheries, it will wipe out some plants, some insects will perish, others will benefit. C'est la vie (I think)
Re: Didymo on the West Branch
Yeah the didymo is pretty depressing. I was real hard to fish the south holston when it was covered and the didymo on the WB didn't even bloom yet. It just looks like silt on the rocks. Its pathetic that signs were actually taken down, like Aaron said, only one was left up and its was covered by brush. The spred of didymo is gunna happen, where are people gunna go after they get skunked on the WB, the Beaverkill. Oh well. The West Branch could be far better than it is, but between the water flows and the didymo who knows what it is gunna do. The flies needed to be cleaned on almost every cast.
Re: Didymo on the West Branch
What I don't understand is that there has been didymo in Europe for a while. I have read that there have been few effects on their cold water fisheries. This is crazy optimism, but maybe it won't be so bad.
Re: Didymo on the West Branch
I agree with Eddie, I'm just praying for the best
