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
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/environment/restoration/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?
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 
I kdon’t like these discussions and I have figured out why. It is not a question of spin vs. bait vs. fly. One of my good fishing buddy’s is the cleanest most conciencious fishermen I know, and he, as I do not like this split.
I think the real issue is new vs. seasoned fishermen. Those who have fished for a while are generally more conciencious than those who are new to the sport. All fishermen go through a similar transformation where we come to a place where we decide to take some ownership over our waters. Because more fishermen start out as spin or bait fishermen they tend to be less concious of the effect of their actions. As we grow into our sport we also take on the responsibilities associated with it.
Thats my take on the subject.
jed
Doug is right, just pick some up and take it with you. I’ve seen all kinds of fisherman from bait to flies unconsciously tossing things on the ground around them while preparing to or during fishing. Some seasoned, some not.
I can’t sit here and say I’ve never littered as a fisherman because that would be a lie. But it has been a long long time since I have and it goes to education. It just took with me but I know with those that I see littering along the river or stream or at the side of the lake that even though they’ve had the education it just didn’t take. I’d go on but what for. Just might as well be part of the solution.
I do like the idea of picking up a sack full near people fishing. That has to look like a stop sign.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
Someone mention previously, that there were at least three benefits from picking up others trash.
- You don’t have to look at it anymore.
2.If others SEE what your doing, it could help someone change their habits. - Have a better chance to get access to private waters, if the owner knows what you are willing to do.
You have to be determined that your going to make a difference.
Doug
- It just plain makes you feel better.
#5. If you don’t pick it up, It’s really hard to complain about the folks who leave it. But, if you pick up even any, away ya go!
- If you walk around picking things up where fly fishers park, you’ll find all sorts of useful things…I’ve found new spools of tippet I don’t know how many times !
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
I average 80-90 miles a month walking and I have seen a lot of trash. I’m approaching the anniversary of the day that I was stopped in my tracks, with a disbelieving look on my face. It was about 4:00 pm on Christmas day and I was walking on a road that usually is barren of litter. There was two main pieces in front of me, the DEEP FAT FRYER and the box it used to be in!
Somebody didn’t like their gift and had chucked it out the window going 45 miles an hour.
So they must have been pretty mad to do that, since they could have returned it!
Except for cigarette butts, the roads are really clean.
There was ONE piece of trash I felt sorry for and had to take home and that is a old Ford Fender (trolling spinner)that some thoughtless person ran over with their car! 
I don’t think fishing tackle should be treated that way! Our old fishing stuff is a part of who we are. I guess some of the old stuff I have is priceless to me.
Doug
- Like I said earlier, if the littering has been going on long enough, you might even pick up the odd valuable antique! (Maybe you need to be on the east side of the Atlantic for this one?)
Sign me up killipso ! I’ve found various assorted landing nets of the trout kind, wading staffs, one a Thomas and Thomas, jackets, sunglasses, clippers, knives, fly flotant, split shot, tapered leaders in the wrapper, forceps, flies, tippet material, hats, money, a Land Rover floor mat, a full tackle box many years ago, a spinning rod with a Quick spinning reel and my latest finds were a near new pair of Simms I think guide weight neoprene waders and finally, a Sage 7wt XP I think it was, with a Ross reel of some description. That’s the only item I’ve ever found an owner for and that’s only because of the internet and a bulletin board, the rest I’ve had to keep. All of these items were laying on the ground so at an young age I found it to my advantage to look around !
Oh, I even found a boat buried in the mud and a gun nearby. I’m always on the lookout for few things since I’ve yet to find a loaded vest or a decent pair of boots in my size.
Cheers,
MontanaMoose
This is a topic that gets me fired up at times. Most of the garbage I find is from spin fishing but I have also found my share of litter left behind by fly fishers too. Hunters, and I hunt too, are just as bad.
I carry a couple of shopping bags with me. They are cheap and can be stuffed into the smallest of pockets. Pick up the trash I see and carry it to the nearest receptacle. The Rangers at Little Buffalo State Park all know me. All of them have thanked me many times for helping to keep the park clean. They even let me park in areas that are closed for the season because I “Make their job easier”.