How to Protect Your Boat from Zebra Mussels in Texas
Zebra mussels – a small muscle that is believed to have arrived in Texas from Asia in the 1980s – have quickly become an epidemic in Texas lakes.
These small creatures attach themselves to boats and trailers that are in an invested lake, and then hitch a ride to new locations to spread. One tiny mussel has the capability to produce up to 1 million larvae! As a foreign creature to Texas, they are destructive to the natural ecosystem, killing off aquatic life, wrecking havoc on our water supply, and even damaging your boat and trailer! Here a few ways Buxton Marine Lewisville recommends you can protect your boat and our Texas lakes from zebra mussels:
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Clean Everything
It may surprise you to know that if there is water trapped somewhere in your boat, the zebra mussels can live for days in it! This is why it's imperative that everything gets cleaned after each and every trip to the lake: boat, gear, trailer, etc.
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Drain Everything
In addition to cleaning the boat thoroughly, it’s important that each place water is stored is properly drained. This includes the bait buckets, live wells, motor, and bilge. Be sure to drain everything before you ever leave the lake you are in as it's Texas law.
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Dry Everything
It is recommended that your boat spend a week out of the water between lakes to ensure everything is fully dried out and no signs of zebra mussel life can remain active. Sometimes it’s just not possible to take that much time out of the water, in which case, use a pressure wash and hot, soapy water to get a thorough cleaning then dry to the best of your ability. If you suspect zebra mussels have invested your boat or trailer and you don’t think you have removed them all, call Buxton Marine Lewisville and ask us about a high powered, high temperature pressure wash to completely cleanse your boat of zebra mussels and protect from future damage to your boat – and our Texas lakes. Lake Lewisville is known to have an epidemic of zebra mussels, so it's imperative that you clean each and every time you visit the lake.