I picked up some goodies at the recent sportsman
show in Seattle from the Washington Dept. of Fish
and Game’s booth. They had some excellent
information for kids and fishing. (we’ve posted
a schedule of Kids Fishing Days in Washington on
the Bulletin Board - and if your state or community
has these events please post them too.) One of the
‘handouts’ was a little booklet, Youth Sportfishing
in Washington which contains lots of good information,
including pictures of fish, fishing methods, (showing
all the various lures, spoons, jigs and even artificial
flies), explanations of rods and reels and hooks,
with a hook chart, knots, where to fish, and even
what to do if the fish aren’t biting. This really
is a dandy little book. The booklet is part of the
Go Play Outside program and receives financial
assistance from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and
Pure Fishing. A tip of the FAOL hat for a job well done!
There is always some area in fly fishing where one could
start a bar fight. One of the areas where there is
almost always an argument of one kind or another is
about leaders, tippets - not just which is better,
stronger, more invisible (can that be?) but the newer
fluorocarbon stuff in particular seems to be a detriment
to the environment. Well, that’s not exactly true.
Another goodie I picked up is a litter bag, again part
of the Go Play Outside program. The graphics
on the bag speak for themselves.
LITTER IS UGLY (AND DEADLY!)
Here are some typical times for materials to decay, or “biodegrade.”
Paper . . .2-4 months
Orange Peel . . .6 months
Wool Sock . . .1-5 years
Waxed Paper Cup . . .5 years
Cigarette Filter . . .10-12 years
Disposable Diaper . . .10-20 years
Leather Shoe . . .25-40 years
Nylon Fabric . . .30-40 years
Sneaker Sole . . .50-80 years
Tin Can . . .80-100 years
Aluminum Can, Tab . . .200-400 years
Plastic Six-Pack Holder . . .450 years
Glass Bottle . . .1 million years
Monofilament Fishing Line . . .Indefinite
Styrofoam . . .Indefinite
Plastic Bottle . . .Indefinite
So if monofilament lasts “indefinitely,” and fluorocarbon
lasts “forever” the message seems to be don’t be careless
with either. There simply isn’t any excuse for leaving
anything behind.
Sometimes it takes a little reminder to all of us.
Cut off pieces of tippet go in a pocket. As a smoker,
cigarette butts go in my pocket until I get home and
can dispose of them properly. If we pack it in for
whatever reason, we pack it out. No excuses.
It is absolutely disgusting to see the amount of garbage
and litter left everywhere in this country.
It’s not just on the streams. It’s in our cities and
parks and highways. It is a glorious example of what
some Americans think of their country. No doubt the
same Americans who blame everyone else for their problems
and behavior. ‘Not my fault’ and ‘I’m not responsible’
is their battle cry. It’s a lie.
If you see it happening, say something. No, you aren’t
responsible for their behavior either - BUT you can
help stop it. Lastly, take a litter bag with you
when you travel and when you fish. On your way back
to your vehicle, get the bag out, and pick up what
you can. If there isn’t a trash container where
you’ve parked, take it home and dispose of it properly.
Thanks to the folks at the Washington Department of Fish and
Game booth for the goodies and the reminders. See, it
even got to everyone on FAOL! ~ The LadyFisher
If you would like to comment on this or any other article please feel free to
post your views on the FAOL
Originally published March 24th, 2003 on Fly Anglers Online by Deanna Lee Birkholm.