I fished a stretch of the Allegheny River in Coudersport, Pennsylvania on Thursday evening. It is such a shame how the folks in that town treat that river. In one hole there was an air conditioner, a couple of tires, watermelon rinds, a large realty sign, multiple broken beer and wine bottles, many soda bottles, pieces of foam cups (probably from coffee). And of course, lots of empty bait containers, hook packs, etc from slob bait fishermen.
Nothing sadder than watching a pair of trout sip spinners above a sunken air conditioner.
And ANOTHER reason I’m all for public caning ( beating the hell out of a perp using a cane). I understand this works well in some Asian countries and is doled out for “crimes” such as throwing used chewing gum on a sidewalk.
I understand this is very effective in “treating” other crimes also.
Mark
PS: Of course the ACLU would also have to be caned
Truely a sad thing to see, and one I’ve witnessed too many times, in many areas. Wonder what those folks would do at a landfill? Apparently, this message is lost on them:
One stretch of smallmouth water I fish is under a bridge that is on a road that leads out of shall we say, an area that has a little less espect for the law than others. The bridge appears to be a convenient dump for stolen goods. Stereo equipment, bikes, many other things. I usually lift stuff out, and at least carry it to the bank. Though there are a couple of bikes that were tangled in some tree branches, that I couldn’t move last year. The ice must have taken them out this year. Metal doesn’t bother me as much as some of the chemicals that leach out of some of the electronics, or stuff like your A/C unit.
Probably more from the greenhorns they get flooded with every weekend from our larger urban areas. I find it hard to believe that the local folks of Coudersport would do such a thing though nothing is impossible.
I see these city type natives launch their overloaded S.U.V. assault on the rural counties every weekend in the summer. Winter is a real relief for us as it drives them indoors except for the ones that come out long enough to shoot at “blaze orange” deer. These are the same types that have trashed such towns as Eagles Mere, Sonestown, Mansfield, Blossburg, Williamsport and so on.
Hey, I don’t mind sharing the great outdoors with the urban types or locals for that matter. However, I despise anyone that defiles our natural resources no matter where they are from.
We used to have a camp on the Allegheny at Kennerdell, Pa. Beautiful river and a great fishery.
I have recently fished a stream that I haven’t fish in about 30 years. And to my dismay saw four old tires in the stream. There were small chubs around these tires. Shallow stream, warm water. thought of going back to remove tires. BUT Am I doing the right thing? There are no large rocks or stumps in this section. Are the chubs feed for the trout? Not sure if I should take tires out or not. Would be very easy to do, I have flat bottom boat. But am I messing up the food chain?
Reminds me of the day I fished the storied “Little J” in PA ~~ I looked forward to that trip for months. But the garbage on the bank almost ruined it. My first brown trout saved the day. Sometimes you just wonder ~~ what in the world are people thinking.
Once in Norway a few years ago, we were talking with a young lady about littering and said that there was a fine in the U.S.for throwing trash along a road. She said; “There’s no fine in Norway for throwing trash along the road, but why would anyone want to throw trash along the road?” Good question isn’t it?
when was the last time you saw an anti-littering poster contest at your local school?
passed a group of bird watchers with a lecturer/leader on Spring Creek in late April this year as we hiked up to the top to fish. was surprised to see the coffee cups on the trail as we went back down to lunch. No one, not even a supposedly aware group of folks, is immune to the Inconsiderate Virus! and as for the major dumpers…oh, well, if the colonists had always dumped their trash in a hole and buried it, instead of throwing it out the window or down a well (?), my archeologist friends tell me their job would be harder.
my daughter says good karma comes from doing small invisible good deeds, so there is always a trash sack in my vest. it must help the catching–usually i do better than Best Fishing Buddy.
Today my litter patrol was xtra special! I picked up shoes, cans, bottles, firework leftovers, 1 blanket, and 2 dimes, 1 nickel and 4 pennies. It took me almost 3 hrs to pick up all the trash today. I found the blanket where there had been a drunken party. 5 empty bottles of salad dressing, beer bottles and cans. I don’t mind picking up firework leftovers, but the other garbage I don’t appreciate. After picking up trash every day for eight months, I believe that some people were never taught to throw their trash in the trash can. One day I was picking up a pile of cig butts and this little boy leaned out his second floor window and told me his Mommy did that! I think that pretty well sums up why people litter.
Doug
It seems to me that littering is a nearly universal plague. Almost everywhere I go I can find trash with little effort. This spring before the yearly (should be at least weekly) cleanup I could easily fill a 5 gallon bucket by just picking up the trash at my fishing spots at the local lake. And yet the water at the lake has continued improving year by year and the bass fishing this year has been good. The water quality if good enough that some trout stocked in March are still surviving here in July. I can only dream how good it would be if everybody truly cared and did everything they could to make it better.
Phil,
I have had an affect on the kids! Yesterday I was sitting on the porch and I saw this little kid with plastic gloves and a black plastic bag. I asked him what he was doing? He said “I am doing what you do!”
My neighbor threw a quarter on the ground and we pointed it out to him. Kids just need leadership!
Doug
Although I never miss a chance to take a shot at “mupears,” I really think this is the locals doing this. The area I was fishing is devoid of camps for quite a way, but there are many houses and a few businesses. It is as close to urban fishing as you can get in Potter County.
It seems that the people who use streams here in Ark are 2 polar opposite types: Those who wouldn’t think of leaving trash and those who think nothing of it. It is absolutely the locals who do 90% of it. In AR its a state law on all streams to have no glass containers, all cans in a “coozie”, a mesh trash bag tied to the boat, no loose trash in the bottom of the boat and the ice chest lid lockable or secured w/ bungee. Game wardens will ring you up if you are not compliant. It has helped a lot, but some people are just irredeemable - and they are allowed to breed.
NY, IL, PA, MAINE, OR, Your certainly not alone. I have seen a lot of our Nation over the years and living in Washington State I believe that we have a great deal of beauty to offer. We also have that % that attempts to destroy her beauty by littering. I was taught as a young boy that if you pack it in you pack it out and I have instilled this in my two sons as well. We do our part and I only wish there were a few more that would. I am reminded of a commercial long ago with a Native American Indian, Iron Eyes Cody with tears falling from an eye as he looked upon his land. A very strong impact indeed and this should be our National Poster.
If it doesn’t belong there–pick it up.
Not to get political, but for adults…the worst offenders seem to be immigrants.
In our area it’s the Bosnians…although all minorities seem to keep everything they catch…when it comes to litter they stand alone.
I donno…maybe the fact that they fish specifically for carp evens it out some.
