Harps Posted January 11, 2011 Posted January 11, 2011 The plan is to ban the use of felt boots in Montana by 2012. Not passed into leg yet, but I don't doubt that it will be soon. If you fish Montana and don't want to buy a another new pair of boots between now and then, you might want to only consider rubber (our Korkers if you like them- I don't). Boots recently discussed here.... http://flyfishcalgary.com/board/index.php?showtopic=14184 Quote
bcrules Posted January 11, 2011 Posted January 11, 2011 The plan is to ban the use of felt boots in Montana by 2012. Not passed into leg yet, but I don't doubt that it will be soon. If you fish Montana and don't want to buy a another new pair of boots between now and then, you might want to only consider rubber (our Korkers if you like them- I don't). Boots recently discussed here.... http://flyfishcalgary.com/board/index.php?showtopic=14184 Oh boy. Even the stuff you provided (if the other thread) does not answer the questions about ANS being transmitted ONLY by felt. I'm with Jayhad - the only way to stop the spread of ANS is to ban anglers from wading. If the regs go through it will be just like the regs we put in down here in EK - SIGs using environmental protection to profit. Quote
Harps Posted January 11, 2011 Author Posted January 11, 2011 Patagonia and Simms have been working on non-porus materials to reduce invasive transport. In their experiments felt soled boots that were examined 5 hours after use in infested waters contained nearly 3,000 times more live didymo cells than rubber soles (11,000 on felt vs. 3.9 on rubber). At 36 hours, a second careful cleaning yielded significant numbers of live cells from the felt soles and no live or dead cells from the rubber soles (290 on felt vs. 0 on rubber). We should note here that both leather shoe uppers and neoprene materials also held live cells at 36 hours but at much lower levels than the felt. Mud should always be removed when travelling between watersheds and water should never be transfered (bilge, etc). Equipment should also be cleaned and dried. Eliminating felt is eliminating the majority of transport media. It is a good and strong step that goes a long ways. The issues is extremely threatening to watersheds in Montans where an angler can fish on the Bow and be fishing the Missouri or Madison the next day (or even the same day). While one or two anglers might not cause a successful introduction, the favourable fishing in Alberta will draw more and more to the north (Dave Brown Outfitters offers a Montana/Alberta guided trip where they fish the Missouri and the Bow. This will also protect our waters from invasives coming from the south. Quote
tgo Posted January 11, 2011 Posted January 11, 2011 I've heard rumblings about this forever, glad I chose rubber soled again. On a side note, Montana has some of the most slippery wading I've ever experienced so I'd be interested to see how well this is recieved by anglers whose swear by felt. I don't want to get into the debate because I just don't know enough of the science behind, let alone the latest research) But...if felt is a problem, I'm glad western states like Montana are banning felt because it might protect our waters as well when they come up here. I thought Maryland, Vermont and Alaska did as well. And New Zealand? Quote
CTownTBoyz Posted January 11, 2011 Posted January 11, 2011 This is a very intelligent move by Montana F & G; it makes me think of some of their pro-active and progressive decisions in the past such as limiting fishing during times of excessive water temperature. There is no arguement that felt is not the only source of dangerous inoculants, however, it is a source and one that is difficult to sterilize by even some of the best mechanisms; a step in the right direction no doubt. Quote
Harps Posted January 11, 2011 Author Posted January 11, 2011 I think the Vermont ban comes into effect this spring, Alaska and Maryland later this year, and Missouri is on the books to ban them too. NY is considering banning felt in watersource areas (Catskills) to protect NYC's watersupply. I've heard talk about the Pacific NW, but its just rumors as far as I know. They also are considering bans in some Scandinavian countries. They've been banned in NZ for a few years. Read the whole article if you have the time... its good. http://www.stopans.org/Science_of_felt.php Quote
FraserN Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 It is a good, forward thinking move. If they did not do this (ban the felt), invasives like didymo would inevitably contaminate their best trout fisheries, such as the Missouri, Bighorn and Madison rivers. We only have to look at the Bow up here in the Northwest to see how extensive didymo can get. It dominates this stretch, and I doubt there is a rock on the bottom of this stretch of the Bow without some of this awful stuff stuck on it. Quote
tgo Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 It is a good, forward thinking move. If they did not do this (ban the felt), invasives like didymo would inevitably contaminate their best trout fisheries, such as the Missouri, Bighorn and Madison rivers. We only have to look at the Bow up here in the Northwest to see how extensive didymo can get. It dominates this stretch, and I doubt there is a rock on the bottom of this stretch of the Bow without some of this awful stuff stuck on it. Yeah, the didymo in my favourite fishing holes is much worse than the didymo I have found downstream. I am not sure why the didymo has not made it way downstream into the lower Bow (or has it?), but I'm sure glad it hasn't. I found it was particularly bad this year, especially during that week or two of floating weeds in the fall. The river was absolutely unfishable in the NW for a few days because it would coat your leader, tippet, fly, etc. on every cast! It is a major reason why I don't bother nymphing even at the best of times and prefer to focus on the hatches or toss streamers. Quote
FlYiNGuY Posted January 18, 2011 Posted January 18, 2011 By the sounds of things its a good thing!, Anyone have first hand recommendations for non-felt sole boots? Quote
Locke Posted January 18, 2011 Posted January 18, 2011 Simms Vibram. Stud them if you're not likely to be in a drift boat or pontoon and spend time on rivers with lots of slippery *hit. Plus they dont have the flaws of the Korkers where the soles never quite go in the same way after the first change. Quote
Taco Posted January 18, 2011 Posted January 18, 2011 X2 on the Simms. I've had a studded pair for a season now and I like them. However if you're the type that obsesses about forced change then you ain't gonna like them, the grip varies on different type surfaces and is not the same as felt. Quote
Timo Posted January 18, 2011 Posted January 18, 2011 I picked up the "new" Korker Chromes they have the improved replacable soles that now cover the whole sole area. It looks like it will be a workable option for me and I found the soles easy to put on and off with no deviation in fit. Only time will tell on durability. But take what I say with a grain of salt as my fishing footware has consisted of size 10 runners since jebus rode horseback Quote
seanbritt Posted January 18, 2011 Posted January 18, 2011 Good reviews on the latest version of Korkers, especially the aspect that Badcaster mentioned whereby the soles are WAY easier to change, don't have the issue of coming out of its grooves, and span the entire width of the boot. Other improvements include a multiplier in the BOA system so it doesn't take as long to lace. Also, they are fitting more "true" to size, therefore if you are a size 8 in shoe you'll likely be a size 8 in the boot. The higher end boots come made of a whitewater raft type material, so perhaps this will help with permeability and help reduce transfer even further. Best part, price for ALL models have come down! Quote
Harps Posted January 18, 2011 Author Posted January 18, 2011 How do you guys deal with the Boa lace system in freezing temperatures?? Quote
seanbritt Posted January 18, 2011 Posted January 18, 2011 Easy, they're the best off-season boots I've ever owned. Just unclick and step out of boot. No freezing laces (the boa system is mostly internal). Quote
ÜberFly Posted January 18, 2011 Posted January 18, 2011 A non-issue (thus far)... P How do you guys deal with the Boa lace system in freezing temperatures?? Quote
Harps Posted January 18, 2011 Author Posted January 18, 2011 Fished a couple of weeks ago with a guy with boa laces... took some time in front of a campfire before they would click to loosen. Maybe fishing below -15 is just stupid? Quote
Jayhad Posted January 18, 2011 Posted January 18, 2011 How do you guys deal with the Boa lace system in freezing temperatures?? I've been out with a few buddies that have had frozen Boas.... I've seen three methods of melting: 1) hot coffee on feet 2) Peeing on feet 3) whining in the car until the heater thaws the feet. If you are looking for a good boot for winter Chota SLTs with cleats.... they have a slip on/off feature but the boot still stays tight for any amount of hiking. Quote
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