Fisherman's Trash

[Big C]

This evening I went fishing at a local park pond, it's not the usual park pond it's pretty rural.  But I haven't been there for a couple months, and it was littered with a ton of tangled line and torn soft plastics.  I have never seen that much litter from just fishermen.  I have seen trash stations strictly for tangled line and torn plastics in an FLW magazine, and thought about putting one up by the boat ramp.  I have a pretty good idea on how to make it using a five gallon bucket, some stakes, and a sign, but I do have a few questions about it before I do it.

 

Will it work?

Can I get in trouble? (If I get it up before anybody sees me how can I, right?)

What should the sign hanging above it say?

Have you seen or used one?

How would you make one if you were so inclined?

 

Any feedback would be much appreciated.

[J Francho]

Are you going to empty the trash bin you set out? If not, then it too is litter. It's probably best to gather up a few friends and clean up the spot before making a fishing trip out of it.

[Big C]

Are you going to empty the trash bin you set out? If not, then it too is litter. It's probably best to gather up a few friends and clean up the spot before making a fishing trip out of it.

 

Yeah I fish there all the time during the summer so I would periodically empty it.

[Phelptwan]

We set one up at a local lake that is no motor.  We emptied it a few times when we visited, then MiDNR pulled it down and put some notice up about permanent fixtures.  We just made it out of some 6" PVC pipe.  Top section could be pulled off and the bottom section emptied easily.

[Dogmatic]

"PACK OUT MORE THAN YOU PACK IN!"

[SirSnookalot]

Plenty of trash cans and line disposal containers here in Florida, still the worst state I have fished for trash on the ground.  

[Bankbeater]

I would check with your DNR first. 

[BrownBear]

I feel you on the trash thing, I ranted about it before. Your probably going to be the only one that will be cleaning up this area, because obviously no one else is (i.e. DNR, community service, etc.) Like Bankbeater said check with local DNR to see if they have a cleaning rotation for this area, if not, inquire about your idea. You may also check with the local community government to see if they have a cleaning schedule for this area as well. Best of luck to you!

[Oregon Native]

On non tourney days I routinely pick up trash while in the boat.  Carry several trash bags just for the purpose.  Spring time high water has a bunch and you can pick up a ton of bottles while going down the lake.

[Catch 22]

The road to hell is paved with good intentions . Nothing personal there ,but what I have found is that,if the DNR didn`t think of it, it isn`t valid.They probably don`t have funding to take on a trash day there.

 

Before you know it people will bring household ,or car trash for you to dispose of.

 

It is disgusting  to see that kind of thing.It is truly amazing what slobs the general population can be.

 

Another something to think about is the nature of the trash. Needles, illegal drugs, happy ending eels[condoms].

All stuff you don`t want to be in possession of.

 

I will engage a club or DNR clean up, but not on a personal basis.

 

C22

[nascar2428]

As a bank fisherman, I believe that it is my civic duty to always leave the area in better condition than I found it. Most of the places I fish are public land. I would hate to see the government begin to shut down bank fishing because of the litter problem. Everywhere I fish has someone else's litter on it.

[A-Jay]

Like many of us the feeling I get arriving to a spot I like to find a mess makes me angry & disappointed. 

 

I recommend using the time & effort to simply clean up the areas you feel need it.

 

When an area looks uncared for chances are it will remain that way or get worse.

 

A cleaner spot may reduce but probably not eliminate the acts of the selfish & lazy.

 

I carry a few trash bags in the truck so I can pick up what I can.  I particularly enjoy doing it right in front of other humans who may already be there and doing nothing about it. It really get's interesting when the refuse is obviously from them.

 

A-Jay

[Big C]

Yeah I always pick some up, and thinking twice it seems like more of a pain than it's worth to set up a bin.  I just don't want to see that pond be closed because of litter.  It gives fishermen a bad name. 

[Master Bait'r]

I'd just sit and watch until you see someone leave their crap behind, then brutally murder them with the claw side of a framing hammer.  

 

 

 

That'll learn 'em.  

[A-Jay]

I'd just sit and watch until you see someone leave their crap behind, then brutally murder them with the claw side of a framing hammer.  

 

 

 

That'll learn 'em.  

 

Man, you obviously have some strong feelings regarding littering.

 

A-Jay

[Master Bait'r]

Man, you obviously have some strong feelings regarding littering.

A-Jay

I'm just kidding.

It does make my blood boil, but I always feel better rising above it and just cleaning up even more rather than sinking to their level and making it something worse.

You know- turning the eyesore that bothers me into the reason I develop a habit and clean an entire riverside. Much better than bludgeoning some derelict anyways

[zeth]

i'd say just clean it up yourslef or try to orgainze a cleanup. post flyers etc. I live in the Bay Area California and all of the small reservoirs around here are completely trashed with line. We have people that go out tie line to sticks with liver on the end and big sinkers and then just leave it there when they don't catch anything. I'ee seen quite a few birds hurt because of this. Had to do some minor surgery hook removal on a goose last year. It;s sadening and sickening. One day I was out and some idiots had strung all their beer cans together and hung them in a tree.

Anyways I just pick up what I can while I'm out.

[RB 77]

I have actually filled a five gallon trash bag a few times at a little grove pond I used to fish quite a bit, only to come back time after time again to it being progressively worse each time. It can get a little disheartening, but that is the nature of the beast. I have picked up trash at the beach and local ponds and lakes for years. It’s important to me to take pride in sportsmanship and I look at it as a civic duty in a sense. With how many people litter I'm glad I can help out. Even if it’s just a little bit, every bit counts.

[jbw252]

I always pack out my own trash, as well as some other peoples trash.  You would think that fishermen & fisherwomen would tend to be more cognizant of the environment.  I would say that the majority of us try to do the right thing.  But then again, there are stupid folk in all walks of life.  And we all know that you can't fix stupid.

[Fishing Cowgirl]

Best trash pick up I found was a large nearly new Coleman Cooler floating in the reeds. That took a ride home with us after the tournament. (Nothing in it..lol) We've collected boat bumpers, small coolers, hats, floating sunglasses, along with yards and yards of line.

[bass_masster]

I'd just sit and watch until you see someone leave their crap behind, then brutally murder them with the claw side of a framing hammer.  

 

 

 

That'll learn 'em.  

HA! I like the cut of your jib

[RoLo]

We've collected boat bumpers, small coolers, hats, floating sunglasses, along with yards and yards of line.

 

You said a mouthful.

Is it only me, or does everyone remove their prop after every 3rd or 4th outing to extract wads of mono &/or braid?

I now keep a breaker bar and wooden block in my starboard locker  

 

Roger

[F14A-B]

It sure is a problem, I can't even tell you how many poor ducks I've rescued from mono.. It's a chore, been seeing more braid issues lately too.

If it makes you feel any better I caught a can of spam in a creek in the 70's.. Thought it was a big ole rock bass, nope just spam.. We opened it up, it was good & green.. Hook grabbed the finger pull and that's the truth.. What's the chances of that? Anyway, it's the only can of spam I ever caught! Litter is so lame, even city officials at louisville ( funny but sad ) a couple weeks ago the Ohio river flooded then receded ( normal ) but, they were down on the banks shoving all debris right back into the river! I lost it, ( laughing )

I thought ok.. Trees, wood, but this was tires, playground swings.. I mean just about anything you can imagine back in the river. Philosophy was it came from the river, back into the river it goes.

Money.... Can't afford to dispose in the land fills or burn. Louisville & some of southern ind. gets water from the Ohio river! I have never seen such a ridiculous action as that one.. Simply stupendous, IMO goverment at it's finest...

[wuchr20]

If you empty the trash out every time you go there, it should be fine.  

[fish devil]

We have about 30 clubs in the SJBCA(South Jersey Bass Club Association).  Many of them, including the club I fish with, adopted lakes that get cleaned up yearly.  We have two trash pick-ups a year at our lake(Rainbow) after the tournament.