Originally from Asia and European countries, Zebra mussels came to Minnesota through the Great Lakes by attaching themselves to foreign ships departing with coal and iron ore pellets. They eventually worked their way into the Mississippi River and are now in Lake Minnetonka!
Danger lurks Beneath the Water
Wayzata Bay is the first to be infected. So what does this mean for Dick Osgood, executive director of the Lake Minnetonka Association and the residents living on the lake?
Home owners along Lake Minnetonka’s shoreline have the luxury of leaving their boats under the protection of a canopy. A convenience for many and sportsman’s paradise for others. A boat resting in the water is the breeding grounds for the infestive activities of the Zebra Mussel. They will attach to the hull and lower unit of boats and quickly be transported to other parts of the lake! As boats race across the lake they will dislodge and soon infest other bays. Your best course of action…Remove your boat from the lake!
Right now, everyone should remove and inspect their boats thoroughly! Lift your boat entirely out of the water and leave your boat out to prevent Zebra Mussels from spreading and destroying the lake we love!
I understand this may be an unrealistic request — But is it? Think about the efforts that lay ahead for the DNR to eliminate Zebra Mussels from Lake Minnetonka. I can’t help to think that the removal of all boats and a thorough inspection wouldn’t help excel our chances of eliminating Zebra Mussels. Once they become well-established within a waterbody, it is difficult or impossible to remove! Let’s at least start with the boats in Wayzata and Grays bay!
How to Kill Zebra Mussels?
On your boat, Zebra Mussels can live out of water for several days! This is why it’s so important to inspect and remove all aquatic plant life and mud that clings to the hull and trailer.
- Drain water from your boat, livewell and bait containers.
- Dispose of bait in the trash.
- Dry everything for 5 days
If you find Zebra Mussels, note the exact location and keep a specimen in a sealed plastic bag. Call the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Invasive Species Program in Saint Paul, 651-296-6157
If not removed, these tiny clusters will soon grow into massive colonies that will choke out and destroy the natural ecosystem our native fish depend on!
FML Outdoors.com 
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