How to clean the snails off?

[Bruce Berman]

So, I'm probably gonna go with felt with studs on my new boots after reading how lame rubber soles are. Because I don't live in NorCal, I can't take my waders and boots home after fishing each river and toss 'em in the freezer. What's the latest treatment for killing invasives on boots and waders? A few years ago, I heard that 409 cleaner can be sprayed on. I'm looking for something that won't hurt the waterproofing on my waders, of course.

[amoeba]

-scrub the shoes completely at the stream you just fished at after taking them off (a small stiff bristle brush is fine).

-rinse the gear with hot water when you get home. Hang the waders till dry, don't store them in a box or plastic bag.

- I would stay away from any chemicals (salt, cleaners, bleach); perhaps dilute soap occasionally is OK (check manufacturer's reccs.) but that is more for mildew/mold than invasive spread.

-do not fish Putah Creek.

[amoeba]

And good luck finding boots with studded felt - especially in the Simms -great boots.

[joshfish]

also remember when cleaning your boots to pull the laces out and clean them very good. when the laces are out scrub all the folds and crevaces of your boots. same thing with the waders. scrub the gravel guards very good.

[jack_salmon99]

FYI - a few years ago, the formulation changed and 409 no longer contains the ingredient that kills mud snails.

[Bruce Berman]

Dang, what a royal pain, especially for those of us who occasionally camp and move from river to river. Guess two suits of armor are called for.

[East Bay Ed]

You can always put them in a plastic bag and let them sit in the freezer overnight. No chemicals and a lot easier to make sure you don't miss anything.

[Jet]

Bruce,
Do a search on this site as Ralph Cutter has posted many times with the proper solutions and strengths. You may want to e-mail him as he may have data on how long the solution will remain effective. I guess you could have a 5 gallon bucket with a lid that you could soak your boots one at a time. If I recall it only takes 15 mins to treat. Do people treat their lines and reels?

Jet

[Scott V]

Do people treat their lines and reels?

Jet

Do people treat their waders or any other part of their clothing that touches the water? My guess would be less than 2%.

[amoeba]

Do people treat their waders or any other part of their clothing that touches the water? My guess would be less than 2%.

I don't know anyone who treats/cleans wading shoes, no less other equipment/boats used for freshwater.

I'm not even sure freezing/thawing repeatedly is a real good idea for shoe materials.

I'd say your best off brushing the shoes, and either pressure washing with water or rinsing in hot water as the best line of defense.

Again, Didymo is a native species; algae has various ways to get around via waterways and mobile animals (birds, mammals, etc.) and stay damp at least when it rains and fogs. So this big dealeo on felt ban is nonsense. It is as if it the State had legalized marijuana....wait a minute....OK....there is dumb and then there is dumber.....

If it results in some sort of sole product made of rubber that doesn't absorb water and provides traction - then this debate will be a good thing. Hey!!!! why not dip some felt in rubber and stick it to a shoe? How about rubberized brillo pads?