Inspection Time For The Captain and Downrigger Dale
By angelamontana

Posted: April 14, 2016
By Downrigger Dale: Tuesday April 14th, 2016 at Clearwater Junction, MT
This week the Captain and I did what all folks must do every time they are traveling with a watercraft this time of year and pulled into a watercraft inspection station. We were coming back from our recent trout fishing trip on Holter Reservoir this week and pulled into the watercraft inspection station at Clearwater Junction on Highway 200 near Seeley Lake, MT. Pictured above are FWP Watercraft Inspectors Katelyn Lewis (kneeling next to the Captain and his boat) and Jeff Lacey (looking on). Watercraft inspection stations serve to inform the public of the threat of AIS (Aquatic Invasive Species) and to physically inspect vessels for aquatic invasive species. This includes watercraft that originate both in-state and out-of-state. These inspection stations are generally manned by two trained inspectors. The inspection consists of a boater interview, a watercraft inspection and decontamination (if necessary). The interview consists of questions relating to boater origin and movement, water user type, live bait usage, knowledge of AIS, cleaning methods, cleaning frequency, and number of launches per year.
These two inspectors did a great job and like all FWP Watercraft Inspectors they are on the front lines in FWP’s Watercraft inspection program designed to eliminate the potential to spread of AIS and to decontaminate watercraft (if necessary) before launching into Montana waters, an extremely important job to keep our waterways free of those nasty critters that could be very harmful to our lakes, rivers, streams and reservoirs all across our great State. For those of you that think stopping at these inspection stations will be a pain I have great news for you. These folks are great to deal with and they are super fast. Remember that the information they gather from you will help us all be able to enjoy healthy waters all over Montana so please answer the few brief questions they ask. The next time you are reeling in that huge fish at your favorite fishing spot you will be glad you did.
Also pictured below, is the Captain showing off the trailer at the inspection station that was provided by Bretz RV & Marine. The trailer gives the watercraft inspectors an extremely comfortable place to work so they can enter all the data they collect into the FWP data base. Inspectors Lewis and Lacey were very appreciative of Bretz RV & Marine for providing them such a great place to get their job done and of course the Captain and I were as well as that saves all sportsman money as the FWP doesn’t have to raise fees from us to provide it. Thanks Bretz!
inspection2
New Podcast!

Riley's Meats - Butte Wild Game Processing