Felt soled boots banned from streams in Maryland, Vermont and Alaska.

If you haven't seen this, I thought I would let you know, many states may follow suit as well. Probably will not apply to most but those who hike in the areas that have streams near by and caught with felt liners in boots could get into trouble if the foot police catch you.Anyway my 2 cents.

Maryland is about to become the first state to enforce a ban on a type of foot gear the organism uses to hitchhike from stream to stream: felt-soled fishing boots.Similar bans will take effect April 1 in Vermont and next year in Alaska.

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/natio...s#ixzz1EaK0hk10


Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/natio...s#ixzz1EaJqV3YP


http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/nation/2011/02/md-enforce-ban-boots-blamed-stream-ills

I have been fishing using two pairs of waders for the last couple of years in VT. I fish a major river with my regular waders and felt soled wading boots and when I go to smaller streams and brooks, I use seperate pair of boot foot hip waders. I want to try to do as much as I can to try to prevent the spread of Didymo, or rock snot, to multiple rivers.

I was thinking about buying a new pair of the rubber soled wading boots this year anyway, now the ban just basically forces me to do so. This may allow me to use one pair of boots and waders in all rivers and streams. Washing your boots should still be done though from river to river using a solution of either dish soap or bleach in water. The rubber soled boots make this much easier to do between rivers.

What about the boot upper though and your waders? They shouldn't be that hard to clean and also should not be ignored, but how do you know you are really thoroughly cleaning your boots. Two pairs of waders and boots may still be the way to go if you are moving between multiple bodies of water in a day and do not have the time for your gear to completely dry.

Rocksnot is a no kidding threat- I've seen some smaller streams lose a lot of the fish and frog population in the past few years due to that junk. I'm afriad we've waited too long and enforcement will be less than stellar for budgetary reasons- just like milfoil.

I don't think anyone cares if you felt insoles to keep your feet warm, but I would ask you to wash them before you put them in my rivers, thank you. And your socks. Foot fungus bad. :P

Although if you are fishing in only your socks you'll probably get fined for it, and told not to try to be cute.