UPDATE: Despite the Wisconsin Supreme Court overturning Governor Ever’s extended stay-at-home order, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources advises groups to suspend Clean Boats, Clean Waters activities until June 1st and adhere to the practices and limitations found in the Badger Bounce Back Plan. The DNR is using the phases of the Badger Bounce Back Plan to create recommendations on how to best carry out CBCW activities, which they anticipate being able to share early next week. For the latest updates, please visit the UW Extension Lakes site.

With the weather warming up, housebound anglers are getting restless. Fret not, summer will come and the fish will be waiting. Unfortunately, Covid-19 is causing some changes to Clean Boats, Clean Waters; Wisconsin’s annual summer campaign that reminds anglers and boaters to drain all lake and river water, clean equipment, and check watercraft for aquatic invasive species. Drain Campaign, normally held in early June, is being merged with Landing Blitz, which is normally held the week of Independence Day. This year, the campaigns will be combined and run from June 28th to July 5th, the same week as the Great Lakes Regional Landing Blitz that includes boat launches in every state and Canadian province in the Great Lakes Basin.

During the week, Clean Boats, Clean Waters staff and volunteers will give away over 5,500 hard-sided ice packs to anglers. Each ice pack is stamped with the reminder to drain lake and river water from fishing buckets and live wells. Any natural freshwater added to your catch or bait bucket might carry disease or microscopic invasive animals, such as the larvae of zebra mussels. Draining your catch, boat, and any other gear that takes on water is important for keeping our waters healthy.

Clean Boats, Clean Waters staff and volunteers will also give away over 10,000 of the very popular Stop Aquatic Hitchhikers! towels. Use the towels to wipe down your watercraft while you remove any easily seen plants from your boat and trailer before leaving a launch.

Each boat owner will receive one ice pack or towel while supplies last. Approximately 300 launches in Wisconsin are participating. No matter where you launch, always remember to:

  • Inspect boats, trailers and equipment for attached aquatic plants or animals.
  • Remove all attached plants or animals
  • Drain all water from boats, motors, livewells and other equipment
  • Never move live fish away from a waterbody
  • Dispose of unwanted bait in the trash
  • Buy minnows from a Wisconsin bait dealer
  • Only use leftover minnows when either 1) fishing with them on the same body of water or 2) on other waters if no lake/river water or other fish have been added to the container.

This article was updated May 15, 2020. DNR recommendations may have changed since this article was published. For the latest updates on CBCW program recommendations, visit the UW Extension Lakes site.