Putah Creek Invasive Species Reminder. Do not be a Super Spreader!

[Fin]

Hello,

This winter, I have been driving by Putah Creek heading to Lake Berryessa. I have seen several anglers fly fishing along the creek. There seems to be more pressure since the fires cleared areas around the creek.

Are there signs warning anglers about the invasive specie New Zealand Mud Snail & precautions to prevent the spread? I have also seen several websites from fishing guides reporting on Putah Creek. There is no mention cautioning anglers about invasive species on this creek. I assume they discuss this w/ their clients; however, those anglers that decide to go based on the internet fishing report postings may not get this information.

If you fish Putah Creek, you need to thoroughly ‘disinfect’ your wading equipment! Here is what you can do to prevent the spread of NZMS:

After leaving a body of water, inspect all gear including waders, boots and float tubes. Also inspect boats and trailers. Remove visible debris with a stiff brush and rinse on site.
Freeze waders and other gear overnight (for a minimum of six hours) or dry completely between use.
Use additional waders and boots in infested waters and store them separately.
Never transport live fish or other aquatic animals or plants from one waterbody to another.
For more information on NZMS visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/NZMS

Thanks for being a responsible angler!

[PV_Premier]

Hello,

This winter, I have been driving by Putah Creek heading to Lake Berryessa. I have seen several anglers fly fishing along the creek. There seems to be more pressure since the fires cleared areas around the creek.

Are there signs warning anglers about the invasive specie New Zealand Mud Snail & precautions to prevent the spread? I have also seen several websites from fishing guides reporting on Putah Creek. There is no mention cautioning anglers about invasive species on this creek. I assume they discuss this w/ their clients; however, those anglers that decide to go based on the internet fishing report postings may not get this information.

If you fish Putah Creek, you need to thoroughly ‘disinfect’ your wading equipment! Here is what you can do to prevent the spread of NZMS:

After leaving a body of water, inspect all gear including waders, boots and float tubes. Also inspect boats and trailers. Remove visible debris with a stiff brush and rinse on site.
Freeze waders and other gear overnight (for a minimum of six hours) or dry completely between use.
Use additional waders and boots in infested waters and store them separately.
Never transport live fish or other aquatic animals or plants from one waterbody to another.
For more information on NZMS visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/NZMS

Thanks for being a responsible angler!

Good reminders -- I think there are signs near a couple of the access points about NZMS, but not all of them.

Now, cue the band to flog the dead horse about fishing Putah in the winter, as we have not had that discussion in a few months.

[Rossflyguy]

Hello,

This winter, I have been driving by Putah Creek heading to Lake Berryessa. I have seen several anglers fly fishing along the creek. There seems to be more pressure since the fires cleared areas around the creek.

Are there signs warning anglers about the invasive specie New Zealand Mud Snail & precautions to prevent the spread? I have also seen several websites from fishing guides reporting on Putah Creek. There is no mention cautioning anglers about invasive species on this creek. I assume they discuss this w/ their clients; however, those anglers that decide to go based on the internet fishing report postings may not get this information.

If you fish Putah Creek, you need to thoroughly ‘disinfect’ your wading equipment! Here is what you can do to prevent the spread of NZMS:

After leaving a body of water, inspect all gear including waders, boots and float tubes. Also inspect boats and trailers. Remove visible debris with a stiff brush and rinse on site.
Freeze waders and other gear overnight (for a minimum of six hours) or dry completely between use.
Use additional waders and boots in infested waters and store them separately.
Never transport live fish or other aquatic animals or plants from one waterbody to another.
For more information on NZMS visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/NZMS

Thanks for being a responsible angler!

There’s already NZ mud snails in PC. Have been for several years.

[Rossflyguy]

Good reminders -- I think there are signs near a couple of the access points about NZMS, but not all of them.

Now, cue the band to flog the dead horse about fishing Putah in the winter, as we have not had that discussion in a few months.


The spawn is way over. I hiked the creek and didn’t see any active spawners in January. Feb-March is usually a good time to get back on.

[Clayton]

Great points Fin! I do inform all guests & friends of the snails and mitigation measures to take post trip. That said, given the digital age we live in now, a little online awareness to a not often addressed issue wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. I try to keep the social media stuff, especially around Putah, to a minimum but that’s a good message to share.

Ross - that’s great to hear, I personally stay away till March just to be safe but have been worried we would get a major storm causing a mud/silt dump mid spawn from the fires similar to what happened after the Wragg fire. Hopefully the little alevins mature enough to clear the redds before/if that happens. Lord knows we need the rain and snow here.

[Fin]

There’s already NZ mud snails in PC. Have been for several years.

...and now you know why invasive species get introduced into other waterways.

Ross, if your not a robot, then this is a prime example of a failed education system in the USA. Ross, FYI , this is not a compliment.

[PV_Premier]

BRB, getting popcorn

[Rossflyguy]

...and now you know why invasive species get introduced into other waterways.

Ross, if your not a robot, then this is a prime example of a failed education system in the USA. Ross, FYI , this is not a compliment.

Awwwww you hurt my feelings. Guess you just decided to try fishing due to covid and feel the need to remind us what we’ve all known since NZ mud snail showed up. Thanks for catching us up. Might want to leave your ego at the next fly fishing club you joined too.

[Bkane]

Have the snails had a demonstrable impact on the fish?

[Rossflyguy]

Have the snails had a demonstrable impact on the fish?

If you check DFG electro shocking numbers and fish the entire body of water I’d say definitely not. I’m no biologist though but Fin apparently needs to name call people for something he knows very little about. The uneducated resort to those tactics.

[John Sv]

Have the snails had a demonstrable impact on the fish?

I asked this very question when my organization and The Nature Conservancy took over management of Independence Lake. I was told that it has less to do with the fish, although there is some concern about the food chain base getting screwy and affecting fish that way. IT is more that it clogs water delivery infrastructure and gets costly to fix.

[Ralph]

I asked this very question when my organization and The Nature Conservancy took over management of Independence Lake. I was told that it has less to do with the fish, although there is some concern about the food chain base getting screwy and affecting fish that way. IT is more that it clogs water delivery infrastructure and gets costly to fix.

John, I believe the concern over clogged water delivery systems is more about invasive mussels than snails. It appears that in most instances the threat of what NZMS could do, wasn't nearly as bad as the long term outcomes have realized. Like mitten crabs, that were going to take over the City of Stockton, but didn't (I haven't even seen one in a while), NZMS seem to have reached an equilibrium within their new found eco systems. This doesn't, in any way, mean we should let our guard down. Invasive species (plants and animals) have wreaked billions of dollars in damage to our native flora and fauna. No telling when the next one will be truly horrible. Think star thistles.

What are your predictions for Weber this summer? I predict mosquitoes June into July with some breezy afternoons to keep them at bay.

[John Sv]

Yep pretty sure you are correct. Quaggas thats it! Thanks for the correction.

The fishing has been great until mid july, then deep trolling is the only way until early October, then it is bananas. Now that lcts are the only fish getting planted the fishery is changing around. For a few years it seemed they just wouldnt look up, but they have been more. Streamers and sheep creeks make em bitey. And they are growing for sure. Hoping for some more water this winter. It got low and warm last year.
In the old hotel lobby there is a 50(ish) year old framed needlepoint that is a mosquito and under it says “so many campers, so little time”. But those breezes sure are nice. Those weeks you reference are gnarly, but before and after that are all good.

You should see the old hotel. We lifted it up and put a foundation under it to keep it from deteriorating any more. Just shoved two huge i beams through the front windows and lifted it up. Crazy. We had to pull the siding because a lot of it was installed in the 50s and by that time the hotel had sunk. Now that its plumb(ish) the siding all buckled. Underneath the siding is basically giant 1860s lincoln logs. We are going to leave the interior bare so people can see the construction.

[Ralph]

Yep pretty sure you are correct. Quaggas thats it! Thanks for the correction.

The fishing has been great until mid july, then deep trolling is the only way until early October, then it is bananas. Now that lcts are the only fish getting planted the fishery is changing around. For a few years it seemed they just wouldnt look up, but they have been more. Streamers and sheep creeks make em bitey. And they are growing for sure. Hoping for some more water this winter. It got low and warm last year.
In the old hotel lobby there is a 50(ish) year old framed needlepoint that is a mosquito and under it says “so many campers, so little time”. But those breezes sure are nice. Those weeks you reference are gnarly, but before and after that are all good.

You should see the old hotel. We lifted it up and put a foundation under it to keep it from deteriorating any more. Just shoved two huge i beams through the front windows and lifted it up. Crazy. We had to pull the siding because a lot of it was installed in the 50s and by that time the hotel had sunk. Now that its plumb(ish) the siding all buckled. Underneath the siding is basically giant 1860s lincoln logs. We are going to leave the interior bare so people can see the construction.

Can't wait!

[Fly Guy Dave]

If you check DFG electro shocking numbers and fish the entire body of water I’d say definitely not.

I volunteered with the CADFW a few years back to help with an electro shocking fish count on Putah. We only did one section of the creek, pretty much 100 yards downstream from the highway bridge. The biologists did the shocking and the volunteers did the netting and carrying the container of the caught fish. After that was the counting and measuring and then releasing of the trout. In that one section we caught well over 300 trout. Most were pretty small, but there were some nice sized ones and plenty more that got away from us. I think the DFW folks were pleased by the results.

[Bob Loblaw]

Have the snails had a demonstrable impact on the fish?


When NZ mudsnails move into a system they generally have a huge explosion in numbers and a significant negative impact on other fauna including fish. After several years their numbers begin to decline and some form of equilibrium returns and fish numbers begin to recover.

[Greg Vinci]

Providing reminders about what anglers can do to mitigate invasive species is a good thing and your effort is appreciated. That being said, the NZMS has been in PC for many years, as has Whirling Disease and other pathogens. At this point in time the NZMS, have spread to almost every water where people fish in the state with no apparent negative results. I may be mistaken, but I believe that's true. Good hygiene is always the best policy particularly if you travel to other states or countries where the presence of NZMS may possibly have a more deleterious effect. For example in the state of California, where Whirling Disease was originally found, the fish have developed an immunity though in other states like Montana it caused a major problem some years ago. Though I personally believe that NZMS is no longer anything to worry about within the state of CA, there may be other pathogens in various waters in the state, that can be mitigated by sterilizing waders and boots. Good post.