Lake/Pond Trash

[Les]

I am fairly new at this and am currently content to fish some of the local ponds/lakes in the Crofton/Bowie area of Maryland. What I have noticed is that at some of these ponds there is evidence that other fishermen have been there.

Discounting some of the mono caught in tree branches, I see discarded blister packs, plastic containers, soda cans, water bottles, paper bags, rags, broken tackle etc.  The reason I am bringing this up is that if the powers to be get complaints that fishermen are leaving there trash behind, they could take appropriate action (access fees, closing the pond down etc).

I have seen this almost happen on Long Island where I am originally from. Some beaches were being used a dumps and they were looking at the divers that dived off the beach. (I have been diving for 36 years and a lot of my dives were off the beaches of LI). We as divers knew that in order for us to stay in the good gracis of the local politicians, we cleaned up after ourselves (always brought a trash bag). The politicians liked it, and the locals like it.

Don't get me wrong, I am not one of those environmental fanatics, I just like to fish an area that is relatively trash free so I can continue fishing there.

Comments/Opinions

[the ohh face]

i try to pack out what i pack in but ive been guilty off tossing the odd plastic bottle back into the bushes

[flechero]

For the most part, the best you can do is clean up after your self and make a habit of grabbing some extra trash on each trip.  I started to do this a few years back and it has caught on with a some of my friends.  I try to keep a few trash bags in the boat and truck in case I see a bunch of trash or cans/bottles in an area.

I figure it's the least we can do and it only takes a minute or two to collect.  

[CrazedL.IFisherman]

Thats a great idea by all of you guys who have posted, i do the same, why should a few careless anglers ruin it for the majority of us, i clean up after them and do get frustrated sometimes but i look at it this way, im not cleaning up for them but for the wildlife that could get harmed by this garbage espcially the fishing line, its for the love of the game that we keep these beautiful waters the way we found them.

[Shrike]

I always pick up trash from the boat ramps and floating trash and fishing line. If we all tossed trash here and there our lakes/ponds would look like dumps. I hate picking up trash but I hate to look at it even more.

[Raul]

I am not one of those environmental fanatics

There 's nothing wrong or fanatical about not liking to see trash where you fish, it only means that you are not a swine and don 't like living in a pig pen, aside from the looks, it 's infuriating to see for example a dead heron just because the animal never stood a chance from escaping just because it had a bunch of mono line attached to it 's feet. I don 't mind seeing cardboard, it may not look pretty but being cardboard it 's going to degrade and dissapear with time but plastic.......man that thing is going to be there for ever.  >

[burleytog]

I always try to pick up a plastic grocery bag of trash every time I'm on the water.  I could easily fill my boat up just about every time I'm out.

One good thing about carrying a net is being able to net all the floating beer bottles in the summer.

[Fish Chris]

I don't know what's worse.... the trash we find littering our favorite outdoor places, or "the trash that threw it down in the first place" !!! Probably the latter, as they are usually too big to pick up and shove into a trash can !

Seriously though, I totally agree with those that mention picking up a little bit of trash that "is not yours" each time you go out. I always do this, and I like to think it might even bring me some good fish catching karma :-)

Plus, I feel that by actually doing something to better the situation, it gives me some room to talk about those filthy idiots that are causing these problems to begin with !!!

Deep breath.......

Fish

[Grey Wolf]

I've got the same problem at the lakes I fish. plastic containers , fishing line , plastic bags. I police the area's some of the time when it gets real bad. It's a shame because there are large dumpsters at most of the lakes I fish.

[YankeesWin]

Picking up trash is a thing we as "outdoors men" must always try and do.  What I would like to do is catch the litering blankatyblanks in action.  Nip it in the bud so to speak.

Get this... My fine State of Iowa, a fiew years ago, decided that it would be much more cost effective to put up signs at the entrance of our state parks that say "There are no trash cans provided here... please carry out your own trash"   or something like that.  "carry in, carry out" I think was the slogan.  They thought they could save money by not having to maintain trash cans.  Imagine what this brought on.

 Shortly after this went into effect the amount of trash found in public areas was atrocious.  I'm sure the state saved a bit on the budget, but there are just too many people who can't (or WON'T) take care of them selves.  It's amazing.  Have YOU guys seen legislation like this in your states?

When I was young, I can remember getting chewed out for throwing a gum wrapper out of the car window.  Believe me, I will never forget the speach I got about that.  It has stuck with me and I think we need to teach our kids to have the same respect for the outdoors.

[Tom Bass]

Today I picked up trash at the boat ramp and in the water that I traveled. I always pick up trash wherever I see it at the lake bank and on the water. Many times the trash is a result of wind taking it out of a boat without anyone noticing but often it's just tossed by careless and ignorant fools on the banks and in the water. I despise them but I do pick up their trash. Most times, it's not much but it really aggravates me.

I am not not a left-leaning tree-hugging enviro-wienie BUT I am sick of the ignorant "people" that frequent the public fishing areas and lakes that we all pay for through tax dollars.

Okay....Rant Over....I'll do my part and clean up. If no one is looking and I catch a guy messing the place up perhaps I'll make sure he gets medical attentio.....er, uh, maybe I'll make sure he understands what those funny silver upright receptacles are that have openings in the top and plastic embryo looking things down in 'em are.

I swear! I would really like to get Medieval on some people...Maybe they'd like a monofilament enema

[Guest the_muddy_man]

bring a small market plastic bag ( like a walmart one0 fill it with stuff the slobs leave behind and throw it in a trash can ITS A GOOD FEELING  Ive been doin this for a while

[pondhopper]

My favorite small pond is a trash magnet due to the prevailing winds and the location of a strip mall. A couple of times a year I take a big heffty bag along and spiff the place up a bit.

Floating reffuse makes a poor bass battling backdrop.

[RobDar]

there is no excuse for leaving garbage behind. If you brought it in...take it out! It is just that simple!

[burleytog]

there is no excuse for leaving garbage behind. If you brought it in...take it out! It is just that simple!

No there isn't an excuse for it.  Pure and simple laziness.  If you carried that foam carton of nightcrawlers down the river with you, take it back with you.  Same goes for that can of pop or bottle of Mad Dog.

My workplace is situated right on a river.  During the summer we have a lot of people wade by.  They are constantly leaving pop cans, bottles, worm cartons, etc. lying everywhere.  I saw 3 teenagers out one evening, kept an eye on them.  They left, I went out to check the area they were fishing.  They had sunk 5 or 6 pop cans in the middle of the river.  Never mind that we have a huge trash dumpster sitting just 30 yards away.

I just cannot comprehend the mindset of people that throw garbage everywhere.

[fishingrulz]

Long Island is terrbile with this stuff. I hate it. I pick up what I can. What gets me is these people take a garbage can and put it there. Then noone ever comes to empty it! what good does it do?

[MALTESE FALCON]

I LIVE ON THE WATER AND I'M FORCED TO PICK UP TRASH IF I DON'T WANT MY YARD TO LOOK LIKE A GARBAGE DUMP.

IT INFURIATES ME TO SEE PEOPLE THROW BOTTLES AND CANS AND OTHER TRASH OUT OF THEIR BOAT.

EVERY SPRING, AFTER THE ICE THAWS, MY WIFE AND I CAN FILL A COUPLE GARBAGE BAGS WITH EMPTY BAIT CONTAINERS, POP CANS AND LIQUOR BOTTLES FLOATING IN OUR CANAL.

SOME PEOPLE ARE JUST PIGS!!!

[JiggaMan512]

I hear you Les. I feel guilty even trimming a jig skirt over the water. Then ill see guys fishing and throwing more beer cans in the lake than lines and lures. its sad that a selfish few are not as enviromentally aware as the rest of us.