[Al]

I recently attended a VCTU meeting and picked up some posters and pocket cards on Didymo. I'll have some for distribution at the Dec 6th SRTU meeting. SRTU will also undertake the project of tacking some of the large weather resistant posters adjacent to the access points along the Smith River.

These materials were a joint effort of TU, VDGIF, USFS and DCR

In meantime I have scanned the front and back of one of the little pocket size cards and will post it here: (Mods this might be one for a sticky)

[wilhelm]

Al,

Didymo is something that has struck my interest and raised my concern. Fortunately, I am not aware of any instances in NC. Are you?

Speaking with one of the biologists last spring, they are keeping their eyes out for it. If I can recall our conversation correctly, they are beginning to believe that a form of Didymo exists naturally everywhere although I don't know that they have a reason for the outbreaks. They also suspect that our freestones streams in NC may not be as receptive or support it as well as those streams that have more limestone in them. Nevertheless it is a problem in some of the streams we fish in neighboring states and we all need to remain on our guard by following certain routines with our equipment.

wilhelm

[Al]

Originally Posted by wilhelm

Al,

Didymo is something that has struck my interest and raised my concern. Fortunately, I am not aware of any instances in NC. Are you?

I have no personal knowledge of it spreading to NC streams yet - but it is in VA and TN tailwaters so it is probably only a matter of time.

A VA biologist told me he thinks it is very temperature sensitive and only thrives in a very narrow temp range. This may explain why this summer it was real thick up near the Philpott Dam but appeared to recede in the Spec Reg and lower river of the Smith. If it comes back in those areas this winter his theory will certainly have credence.

[Irish]

Lots more information on the FFF website including the first symposium in Bozeman, MT in 2006.

Lots of reading on this stuff. It appears to be a native and is impacting tailwaters. We sent it to New Zealand and it is wrecking havoc there. I did think that the Northern California council FFF had some doing an experiemtn to kill it but may be wrong. I will email to find out.

I have posted in the past about Diddy mo and a search may turn up more inofrmation.

The links on the side of the referenced page has a weath of information about this stuff. I had the dvd at the Charlotte fly fishing Show last year. In particular the EPA Link shows a distribution map of N america and the symposium link has a description of locations and other stuff. Get it to your fisheries folks.

Irish

http://www.fedflyfishers.org/Default.aspx?tabid=4381

[myelton]

Just got back from New Zealand and that Didymo is some knarley stuff. We fished one stream that had it bad and it would get on your fly and you had to stop and get it off almost every other cast.. And this was with a dry fly, I didn't even mess with a nymph. It seems to me that on tailwaters it not so bad because it get flushed out (South Holston). But I tell you, if it starts getting into our free flowing streams we will be in trouble. Felt boots seem to harbor this stuff if you don't clean your boots and let them dry before going to a new stream. If it's time for you to buy new boots, get rubber sole boots like aquasleath. I also heard you can kill didymo by putting your boots in the freezer. PLease don't take lightly This stuff is Serious..

[Split Shot]

Yelton you eat didymo dont you?

[Chris B.]

I hear it's good fried with a little ketchup.

In all seriousness though who in VA is working on this. Just curious.....wouldn't mind having a chat with them to see if I can get some samples to look at.

Cheers,

Chris

[OldDominionAngler]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4634027a7693.html

[trtman75]

How well are these non felt river shoes and wading boots traction wise in comparison to felt? I haven't tried any, and would appreciate any input.

[rdalew2543]

I agree this stuff is bad and everything should be done to stop/limit it's spread, but one question I have is how do we stop birds from transporting it from one stream to another via their feet, feathers, etc.? I assume they have contact with it as the thrash around streams and then fly away to other streams.