Felt soles

Hi guys,
    Hate to bring up a sore subject or one that could cost us all a few bucks but here goes.
      Have heard from time to time about States forbidding the use of felt soles on waders due to the ability of felt to trap bad little things and the fear that those things could be passed from waterway to waterway. A friend just told me that he believes Vermont to be making such a law- don't know how true it is but it brings the subject to the forefront .
      We all have a story and mine is that my waders NEVER leave my place in Richland and are only used in the SR and its tribs. My Ct stuff stays in CT. To replace the several pairs of boot foot and boots for my stocking foot waders would be around a thousand bucks. I keep stuff there for family and friends as well as a few alternatives for myself.
    Have heard one can grind off the felt but upon inspecting my stuff it would seem an unlikely alternative, especially on my studded felt soles. Now I know we all have to do our part for the environment but after reading things about commercial fishing and such in the Great Lakes and the invasive species involved therein it seems like we fishermen are low hanging fruit for those who feel they must do 'something'.
    I fear we are pretty much alone in this possible debate cause all our friends in the various industries and businesses surrounding our sport will certainly smell $$$$ in these hard financial times and their support would be questionable or minimal or quite possibly "tongue in cheek" at best.
      Mucho business  for all the supply places would more likely garner their support as they can easily say its for the 'greater good'.
     Guess its one of those things where talking about birds spreading those little nasties and boats and other means of passing them around will be meaningless cause they will say 'we all have to do our part' and be somewhat correct.
  I noticed a show recently about Snakehead fish in The US and they spoke about a Snakehead fish farm that flooded over and how the invasives were washed out and then spread. NO MENTION of any action against the sloppy business guy and so it goes with other contributing people and businesses--little to no enforcement. That wont be the way with us 'low hangers'- we would get fined and face loss of liscence, I'm sure.-
   Hate to bring up negative stuff here but have to fact the facts of life as they seem to be coming our way sooner or later on this one.
    If anyone has any real alternatives for how to alter our felt bottoms please forward it to this post cause it may be that most all of us can benefit. Would also be real interested in any info on this subject especially legislation  NY may be looking at.
  Thanks guys
    
 

Buy rubber soles with carbide spikes,I just did at LLbean for $117,then you don't have that concern.

I have several pair of like new felt soled wading shoes.

I WILL GRIND off the felt and use a pair of Korker Sandals with spikes over them..

I'll be darned if I go out and buy new shoes to comply with this BS reg banning felts..

They better ban the shoe laces, the threads in the shoes, the seams in the waders, ducks,geese and other critters than can spread the didymo around.

IT IS A $ MAKING SCHEME IMO..

I'm not buying a ticket for this train !!!!

p.s. - the straps on my Korker Sandals (not made of felt) will probably hold millions of them microscopic critters..

They better ban Korkers too and make me wade barefoot !!

BS

BS

BS

I was think about this also. What about the rubber type dips. Dip the felt part in to cover all the felt and add studs. Just a thought, might not really work.

     Would hope that if this ever becomes a reality- as it may well be in some other places first- that some enterprising business will  come up with a way to redo  stuff.
  The only issue then may be what is considered legal and what isn't.
    If any of my  stuff needs replacing even before such a law is seriously considered-it will be carbide studded rubber bottom boots- just in case.
   Would also suspect that the business world will be ahead of the curve and we may see more 'felt free' stuff  on the shelves in the near future. If I ran a SR shop I would be featuring it- specially if nearby Vt passes the law as my friend believes they are about to do.
     Agree with DRAKE however it may  be that if we wanna fish we will have to change over at some future point.
     One may be wary of 'sales' on felt bottoms in the next season or two. The good deal you get may not be that great in the long run.

Benjamin is a grand old sole.

RT:

you were too gentle on TU

*******

TU has turned into nothing more than a bunch of High-Paid Suits in DC catering to rich landowners in places like Montana.

I wouldn't be surprised if they fish the Dream Waters owned by Donny Beaver - far away from us "unwashed masses".

Kudos to the local chapters that actually do stream restoration work, but my understandin is many(most) of them are upset with the direction that the National Boys are taking them.


As far as the Suits - I wouldn't pee on them if they caught fire - never mind donate $ to "Their Cause"...

    There is a Sunday Outdoor writer in our local paper who did a story today on Rock Snot and the fact that its been found in a major trout river here in Ct.The headwaters of that river are far North of Ct in another state but Felts here are mentioned in the article.
   They are talking about a National law to eliminate felt now.
  I wonder if there is any bird poop or stuff under duck feathers mentioned anywhere in the entire debate over felt. You know it just takes one little bit of snot or anything else introduced into a place and then it simply multiplies. To take ONE way of transferring this stuff and then costing the 'little guy' lots of money is dopy.
    The bottom line is in fact the bottom line $$$$$$ -we got enough to make big profits for a lot of people and cause we love our sport we will spend it- wether we can really afford it or not- If they were really serious about "invasives" each and every 'pet store' with all the tropical fish , snakes and spiders would have been the first to go- but ooops- they pay taxes and make $$$$$ so letem be and pick on the fishermen.
  Was having a nice day till now too-  Freakin Greenies.

Hey, got an idea that will test my theory on the $$$$$ involved in this issue.
Ok- so- all the fishermen and ladies get rid of their felts (by law) cause of all the little thingies that get spread around. We pay an aggregate of many millions of $ in doing so Nationwide.  Business it GOOD. Greenies are HAPPY.
NOW_ something else gets into a waterway---hmm -not felt we got rid of that-- gee what happened?
When they find out how and WHO make them pay as much as we all did--all put together. Bet if its a business like the shipping industry  (again) they wont pay more than a fraction...if anything at all.
We low hanging fruit  always get picked. BUT if this happens ( and it will) we will absolutely have the 'number' of all involved. I personally will  boycott them all. Dont care how many fishing stores they own or how much in quality fishing  goods they produce.
  By picking out this issue TU has shown it no longer represents ME in any way whatsoever.