Whirling Disease in E-Lake

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]More bad news on the fish disease front. Whirling disease has been confirmed in Electric Lake.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][url "http://www.sltrib.com/outdoors/ci_4833542"]LINK TO ARTICLE[/url][/#0000ff]
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[fuzzyfisher]

that sucks [unsure].
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Hey, don't shoot the messenger. I din't do it.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Although that might explain why TubeBabe was spinning around in her tube the last time we were there.[/#0000ff]
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[HighLakesDrifter]

Saw that. I know I'm a part of the spreading. I've be-bopped from one water to another up there quite a bit. According to my records, the last time I was up there (July 1), I went from tubing Electric to tubing at Gooseberry. I typically wash waders and stuff when I get home, but not between bodies of water if I'm up for a multi-water day.
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[Flycasting]

hmmm.. Too bad. []
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]One of the things in the article that got me thinking was the minnow issue. Since the cutts have scarfed up the shiners in Strawberry a lot of guys go to E-lake for the plentiful supply still available there. I have a bunch in my freezer from E-Lake. Now I'm wondering if I should just trash them. Of course I can keep them for cats and wipers, but I like chubs better for them anyway.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Another thought I had was "What about the Minnow Man?" Where does he get his shiners, now that he doesn't get them from Da Berry anymore? If he gets them from E-Lake then DWR better confiscate his stash and pull them from any shelves where he sells them. I know that his minnows are used all over the state...in many ponds that are currently free of WD.[/#0000ff]
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[HighLakesDrifter]

Thus begging the answer to the question, "Can whirling disease spores survive being frozen/freeze-dried, and if so, for how long?" Maybe I'll watch Jeopardy tonight in case that one comes up! You might just be OK with those shiners. There were seemingly zillions of them in the shallows when I was there last July.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]I had heard that the spores for whirling disease were virtually indestructible...that they would survive freezing, living for years in dried mud, etc. Just to verify that I did some research (web surfing). Here is a [url "http://www.whirling-disease.org/infolinks.htm"]LINK TO WEBSITE[/url] that provides some solid and scary info.[/#0000ff]
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[PBH]

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Thus begging the answer to the question, "Can whirling disease spores survive being frozen/freeze-dried, and if so, for how long?" [/reply]

You're damn right it can!! I only wish that the spores were something we could rid our state of. However, those buggers are pretty hardy.

Here's some info: [url "http://www.whirling-disease.org/infolinks.htm"]http://www.whirling-disease.org/infolinks.htm[/url]

"Therein lies the gravity of the whirling disease problem. M. cerebralis is virtually indestructible -- the spore can withstand freezing and desiccation, and can survive in a stream for 20 to 30 years."


highlakes -- since you openly admit you are part of the problem, I would advise you to do a little homework, and start to become a part of the solution: [url "http://www.whirling-disease.org/files/wd_prevention.pdf"]http://www.whirling-disease.org/files/wd_prevention.pdf[/url]

anyone ever wonder about how wonderful their felt-sole wading shoes are? Talk about a safe-haven for WD...
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[RuttCrazed]

This is bad news. I remember telling my brother when the story about the creek came out that whirling disease would be in E-Lake before the end of the year. Pretty hard to stop the spread.

Rut
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[cat_man]

Only a chemical such as a bleach solution will kill those buggers.
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