Connor Leagjeld, left, of Ideal Township, told Jonathon Newkirk, a Crow Wing County watercraft inspector at the Lower Hay Lake public access Friday, June 24, that after he saw a boat from Lake Ossawinnamakee that was covered in zebra mussels, he now pressure washes and acid cleans his boat every time he takes it out of a lake.

Pull the drain plug on the boat. Check.

Drain the water from the live well and bait bucket. Hmmmm.

Anglers are becoming more vigilant about checking for vegetation on their boats and trailers as well as pulling the boat's drain plug when leaving area lakes to help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) to new lakes.

However, compliance is lacking when it comes to a new state law that requires water in bait buckets to be emptied between lakes.

"People have been very reluctant to drain their bait containers," said Nikki Shoutz, area DNR conservation officer. "They want to save their minnows."

But the law requires that all portable containers be drained when leaving a lake - even a lake that isn't designated as infested with AIS. Anglers who want to keep leftover bait alive should bring fresh water to replace existing water in bait containers.

"They can't transfer water from bait buckets and live wells to a new lake," said Chris Pence, land services supervisor with the Crow Wing County Land Services Department.

Whether it be through the DNR, counties or lake associations, watercraft inspectors are out in full force at area public accesses to educate the public about such laws designed to prevent the spread of AIS.

Each year, AIS - plants or animals that have been introduced into a body of water where they do not naturally occur - are being found in more lakes. AIS such as Eurasian water milfoil, curly leaf pondweed, spiny water fleas and zebra mussels are able to reproduce rapidly and out-compete native species, which can alter the ecological balance of the lake.

Zebra mussels were found in Gull Lake in the fall of 2010. Once in a lake, AIS are impossible to eradicate. That's why so much is being done to prevent the further spread of AIS from lake to lake.

"Compliance is getting better but it's still a long way from perfect," said Tim Collette, area DNR conservation officer who has worked with Gull Lake.

Collette reiterated that all water must be drained from any bait bucket, whether it be minnows, leeches or something else.

And boaters who pull drain plugs must not put them right back in, he said.

Collette said watercraft inspectors at Gull Lake landings are being much more accepted.

Last Friday, June 24, Jonathon Newkirk, one of two Crow Wing County watercraft inspectors on the Whitefish Chain this summer, was at the Lower Hay Lake public access.

He, too, said anglers are cognizant of the need to remove vegetation and pull boat drain plugs, but many are unaware of the need to drain bait buckets. So far this month he also has been stationed at the three public accesses on Cross Lake as well as accesses on Big Trout and Kimball lakes.

Newkirk and another county watercraft inspector are working on the Whitefish Chain through a partnership with Crow Wing County and the Whitefish Area Property Owners Association (WAPOA). WAPOA also is working with the DNR to provide two inspectors, and has recruited volunteers to monitor lake accesses.

"As WAPOA, we're very concerned about the spread of aquatic invasive species," said Dave Fischer, WAPOA president. "We worked with the DNR and the county to more than double the number of inspectors on the Whitefish Chain and area lakes this summer."

Other area lake associations also are doing what they can to monitor lake accesses and educate the boating public to contain the spread of AIS.