Bait shop owners in the Winnebago Waterways System area are taking steps to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species in Wisconsin lakes.

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are non-native plants and animals that threaten Wisconsin’s lakes and river systems. AIS are a problem because they harm native species and decrease the economic value of the state’s bodies of water.

In lake communities, like around the Winnebago System, AIS have the potential to harm the local economy by decreasing revenue from tourism and fishing which can directly affect local businesses. Bait shops in the Winnebago Waterways System area recognize the importance of working together to keep invasive species under control and will be working to share that message with their customers.

Local bait shops have agreed to feature AIS educational materials in their stores and answer customer questions about aquatic invasive species. Two bait shops joined the effort in 2019; Fremont Bait and Tackle and Chico’s Landing in Fremont. They join these other bait shops around the Winnebago System who joined the effort in 2017 and 2018; Critters Sports in Winneconne, Fish Tales and Fox River Bait & Tackle in Oshkosh, Dutch’s Trading Post and River Haus in Fond du Lac, Rippn-Lips Tackle Company in Stockbridge, and The Reel Shot and the Sportsman in Appleton.

Bait shop owners and employees are in a unique position to share information about invasive species because they interact with boaters and anglers who use area lakes on a daily basis. Moreover, many people often consider bait shop owners to be a trusted source of information especially when it comes to the lakes nearby.

Winnebago System area bait shops team up with the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance, University of Wisconsin-Extension, University of Wisconsin Department of Life Sciences Communication and the Department of Natural Resources to share information with boaters and anglers about the threats of invasive species in Wisconsin lakes.

“We are very fortunate to have local bait shops involved and applaud their efforts,” says Chris Acy, Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator for the Winnebago Waterways Program. Chris provides aquatic invasive species outreach, prevention, and monitoring Calumet, Fond du Lac, and Winnebago counties.

As one bait shop owner put it, “we are all responsible for protecting our lakes. It’s important that we all do our part to make sure the lakes stay clean for future generations.”

If you’re a bait shop owner or employee who would like to join this effort, or if you know a bait shop that may be willing to help, contact Chris Acy at chris@fwwa.org or (920) 460-3674. Chris is the Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator for the Winnebago Waterways Program at the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance.

Follow the Fox Wolf Watershed Alliance’s Winnebago Waterways Program on our Winnebago Waterways Facebook page or @WinnWaterways on Twitter! You can also sign-up for email updates at WinnebagoWaterways.org.

Questions? Comments? Contact Chris Acy, the AIS Coordinator for the Winnebago Waterways Program covering Fond du Lac, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties at (920) 460-3674 or chris@fwwa.org!

Winnebago Waterways is a Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance program. The Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance is an independent nonprofit organization that identifies and advocates effective policies and actions that protect, restore, and sustain water resources in the Fox-Wolf River Basin.