When I'm wade fishing, I have a pocket in my vest just for trash, cigarette butts, etc., both my own and whatever trash I find on the river. When I'm float tubing on lakes, my boat also has a pocket for trash. Littering is SO 1970s, wake up, people!...and it's not just bait fishermen, I find lots of leader ziplocks and tippet spools everywhere I go too.
DANBOB
It's been said SO many times, but I'll say it again.....
Just take out a little bit more than you take in!
Sad that we have to do this, but some people just don't get the message, so those of us who DO care have to clean up after them if we want our surroundings to remain enjoyable.
Mike
FAOL..All about caring, sharing, & good friends!!
i keep a box of those big black 30 gallon trash bags in my suv. some times (i'm planning a trip this afternoon) i go to my favorite spot and don't even fish. i just clean up. i think it is a good trade off. most of what is there isn't from fishermen. there are the obvious signs of what i assume to be high school kids just there to get together and drink beer. so i don't feel like i am really cleaning up after the fishermen (though some of it is). besides, if i spend three hours cleaning today i can get three hours of satisified fishing tomorrow. i might even buy a trash can to leave down there in hopes of some of them catching on (i'm hesitant because i don't think it will do anything but cost me a trash can).
Oh boy, this is a good one that happened to me a couple years back, in a small colorado town we'll call "Unpleasantville." We came back to Unpleasantville after a 5 day camping trip with 5 big bags of trash from the remote (non forest-service) campsite we stayed at. One half bag was ours, the rest was other people's trash we picked up at the site on our way out.
We stuck all the bags in the local grocery store's dumpster, then went in to buy snacks and smokes for the long drive home. The owner met us at the checkout aisle, red-faced, and told us that it was illegal to dump our trash in their dumpster, they pay for pickup, etc. We explained we'd cleaned up a remote campsite. He started to yell, said we needed to take it to the county dump ($15 fee, and 60 miles away). so we left. When we walked out of the store, the Sheriff was just pulling up. And the game warden. And then another Sheriff.
We finally worked it out and deputies were very friendly. The deputies at one point told the store owner to shut up and go inside the store, or they would haul him off to jail. However, needless to say, we don't patronize the local grocery store in Unpleasantville, CO anymore.
DANBOB
"In the midst of global crises such as pollution, wars and famine, kindness may too easily be dismissed as a ?soft issue,? or a luxury to be addressed after the urgent problems are solved. But kindness is the greatest need in all those areas ? kindness toward the environment, toward other nations, toward the needs of people who are suffering. Until we reflect basic kindness in everything we do, our political gestures will be fleeting and fragile. Simple kindness may be the most vital key to the riddle of how human beings can live with each other in peace, and care properly for this planet we all share."
Author:Bo Lozoff
Jonezee;
"Simple Kindness!" It realy is that easy you know, does wonders! Thanks for the reminder.
In my local River Derwent in Derbyshire, UK, I sometimes pull out old ceramic bottles. Some of them are over 100years old and quite beautiful. If only new garbage could be called that! Sadly not
As already suggested, people's capacity to litter usually comes down to their education both formal and social. Those that litter can come from any sector of the angling community. Much of the trash found on and in the waterways, results from non-anglers with no concept of the issues of conservation.
A colleague of mine has been writing about this kind of issue for some time now and his latest article (http://www.flyfishersrepublic.com/en...ation/cleanup/) gives an interesting insight into what some of us are up against here in the UK. It's quite unbelievable what finds its way into the river!
I use a spinning rod also and never touch a live bait container. Why cast all "spin fisherman" a certain way?
spinning
I spin-fish also, and use live bait at times. It just depends on what kind of mood I'm in. There is no bad way to fish. I am also very guilty of using cane poles and live bait.
I think the problem is one of attitude, or philosophy, more than the type of equipment someone uses. I think that people that have the more 'ME' attutude, that requires instant gratification, with little or no sense of responsibility gravitate towards spin, and spin-cast gear due to it's greater ease and speed of learning. These are the people that leave worm boxes, and cans of corn laying about on the stream-side and in the water after they've gone, along with fast food wrappers, coke cans, cigarette buts, etc....
They do not constitute the majority of spin-fishers, but they do give a bad rap to them.
Gig
Littering is just one of people's bad habits.
I was raised to respect my surroundings. Other people don't respect themselves, so respecting ANYTHING is probably out of the question.
The best advice I've seen at FAOL is to take a trash bag with you, when you go fishing.
THAT is the only way that is going to have a impact on our environment.
The question IS, how much time am I going to spend being mad at someone who is selfish and self centered? I've got better things to do.
Doug
Enjoying the joys of others and suffering with them- these are the best guides for man. A.E.
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