Clean, Drain, and Dry Before Launching

A boat launch check protects the next lake as much as the current trip. Boats, trailers, waders, and other fishing or boating equipment can spread aquatic invasive species unless they are cleaned, dried, or disinfected after use. State law requires boaters to take those steps before launching watercraft, including motor boats, canoes, kayaks, and jet skis, into public waterbodies.

Before leaving an access site, remove plants, mud, fish, animals, and debris; drain live wells and bilges; dry what can be dried; and use a steward or decontamination station when available.

Do the work at takeout, not at the next launch. Some invasive species are too small to notice, so equipment is not ready merely because no plant or animal is easy to see.