I like to fish.

Whether fly fishing, bait casting or trolling, you can help.

Whenever you head out to wet your line, make sure your boat and fishing gear are Clean, Drained, & Dry. That includes hip waders, fishing tackle, live wells, and anything else that comes in contact with the water.

Invasive hitchhikers can attach themselves to your gear and can be unintentionally transported from one lake or stream to another. Most of the time they are easy to see and remove, but there are some that are too small to see with the naked eye and are best removed by draining and drying your equipment.

Prevent the spread of AIS by following these three small, simple steps:

• Clean – After each trip, inspect your gear and equipment and look for attached mud, plants and debris. Remove and dispose of anything found.
• Drain – Identify any standing water in boat compartments, bilge tanks or buckets and drain the water from them.
• Dry – Let your gear and equipment dry completely for at least 48 hours, but ideally 5 days, before your next trip.

Planning to use live bait? Make sure not to transport wild bait or fish from one water body to another. Use certified bait from a local dealer or collect the bait from the lake or river you are fishing in and release it back into the same waterbody at the end of your trip. Unused earth worms or nightcrawlers should be disposed of in the trash.

One of the quickest and easiest ways to ensure your fishing boat and equipment are Clean, Drained, & Dry is to stop by one of the free boat wash stations in the Adirondacks. You can find the nearest wash station at adkcleanboats.com.

There are also wader washing stations along some of the more popular trout fishing streams to help you prevent the spread of invasive species.

Photo credit © Sean Platt