Keep Our Rivers Clean

[fisher26]

The snow this morning wouldn't indicate it but as you all know it is officially spring. The annual spring fishing trips are being planned and executed to some lovely trout streams around Alberta. Just a reminder to please (I'm begging you ) keep our rivers clean. This summer and spring there will be more pressure than ever on our beautiful trout streams and lakes, but with that comes the occasional disrespectful fisherman, and as you know garbage around our streams has been building up. Just a quick note: I use to be a typical guy who clipped his tippet and allowed the scraps to fall to the ground. With more and more fishermen I have noticed this become a significant problem (especially for those who like to leave there tangled leaders lying around). This is even more important for those who use floro carbon because it cannot degrade. The floro carbon left on the ground now will exist 1000 years from now, so please use respect.

 

This is a big maybe, and it would take a lot of commitment but we could have a collective garbage bag that we can weigh after the year is out (either that, or post pictures for the amount of garbage picked up in a trip, month etc.). This would raise awareness about the problem and hopefully pass the message on to the thousands of people who read this board and are not members. (For those of you who think someone will pick up after you, grow up. Shame on you, your fishing Karma will suffer!)

 

I have seen this littering problem escalate dramatically on rivers like the crow that use to be pure and pristine. I often get frustrated picking up other peoples garbage but it is never ending and no matter how hard I try it just gets worse. I honestly love our trout streams and I can't stand to watch them deteriorate in front of my eyes. This leads me towards frustration towards fishermen (and flyfishermen are just a guilty) and how much things have changed. It really comes down to the culture now a days in Alberta.(Rant over)

 

Thanks for your co-operation on this matter !

[Busey]

Good post.

[fisher26]

Thanks

[Inconnu]

I second that. I end up with a couple of garbage bags just from our local stocked pond, though this is all from construction projects where the motto seems to be "Just be glad we are here and pick up our mess while you are at it."

I have picked up on many waterways before and I need to carry surgical gloves with me in the future, considering what I am picking up.

I will send pictures of my collection over time if you want.....Kerry

[fisher26]

Ugg... It's an uphill battle but the first step is to stop the few lunatic fishermen who litter. After that hopefully people gain initiative, connect the dots between their enjoyment of the sport and a clean environment, then maybe even pick up the odd piece of garbage. You see it’s a process

 

The crow is just starting to get bad (bad for me is seeing more than three pieces of garbage, never use to see anything – period). Not like the bow, but leader packages and candy rappers are becoming more common. Please don't let these streams go down a slippery slope...

[sirocco]

Thanks for posting this. I picked up most of what I found last year and really, it isn't that difficult to pick it up and dispose of it. Even if you pick stuff up in the remote locations you eventually find your way back to civilization and a dumpster.

[DonAndersen]

Guys,

 

Is there any "refund" on Timmys' cups and those go.....am plastic water bottles. If not - why not.

 

Don

[flyangler]

Case in point. I sent a copy of this to the flyshop in BC where we bought our licenses hoping they would post it along with their "Big Fish" photos. I didn't hear back from them. This was likely angler trash in a fire ring next to the river, though it was on a logging road. Do loggers and miners stop for a cuppa next to the river?

 

I know that sporting goods stores would rather be all about fun and profit, but would it kill 'em to promote responsibility, too? And the fast food places and Timmies- couldn't they do a little better job of coaching people to dispose of trash properly?

 

The reason that I bring this up is that you're preaching to the converted here, I think. We also need to think about how to expand the message of stewardship to that person with miles of wide open space and no trash can in sight, that person who's on the brink and would do the right thing if s/he only knew how (pack it out in the trash bag you carry for that purpose!).

 

Keep in mind that litter attracts litter. Picking up after others, while aggravating, both demonstrates proper behavior to anyone watching, and also may prevent someone from being the next to trash the spot. So keep up the good work!

 

[wongrs]

thanks for the thread. trash sucks. timmies cups suck and cigarette butts suck.

 

if i came across a shop that gave a dang about environmental issues, i'd shop there even if their products cost 1.5 - 2X as much.

[fisher26]

thanks for the thread. trash sucks. timmies cups suck and cigarette butts suck.

 

Fishing a pure stream like the crow and seeing trash is just terrible.

[fisher26]

Bump

[Guest RedWiggler]

Case in point. I sent a copy of this to the flyshop in BC where we bought our licenses hoping they would post it along with their "Big Fish" photos. I didn't hear back from them. This was likely angler trash in a fire ring next to the river, though it was on a logging road. Do loggers and miners stop for a cuppa next to the river?

 

I know that sporting goods stores would rather be all about fun and profit, but would it kill 'em to promote responsibility, too? And the fast food places and Timmies- couldn't they do a little better job of coaching people to dispose of trash properly?

 

The reason that I bring this up is that you're preaching to the converted here, I think. We also need to think about how to expand the message of stewardship to that person with miles of wide open space and no trash can in sight, that person who's on the brink and would do the right thing if s/he only knew how (pack it out in the trash bag you carry for that purpose!).

 

Keep in mind that litter attracts litter. Picking up after others, while aggravating, both demonstrates proper behavior to anyone watching, and also may prevent someone from being the next to trash the spot. So keep up the good work!

 

 

It blows me away that someone could actually walk away from that, I know I couldnt.

[Guest RedWiggler]

There is a particular spot that I fish on the bow and it is fairly clean, I suppose because everytime I fish it I pick up what is there. Here is the disturbing part, last weekend i went for a walk and saw 3 people in the run (flyfishers) and about an hour after that they left and with in 5 minutes there were 4 more guys there (flyfishers/spey guys), I believe I saw a couple of spey rods in this group. Anyways at the end of the day I went back and what I found was really crappy, I did recognize a few people from the forum down there and the others must have been becuase in 2 years I have only met one person on the river that is not on the forum. Between the cigarette butts, broken indies, leader material, tippet, flies, the odd dead fish and just general garbage I was personally offended and disgusted. I used to call this my spot and since someone on the forum got a hold of its location it is now a forum spot/garbage dump. Flyfishers are the only people I see there and i always clean it up (why, is the question I guess?) so I would like to know who is disrespecting the river by leaving there garbage behind? I think we need to stop blaming others for the mess and start calling each other out, geeezzz there were 7 of you down there are you telling me there was not one person in the bunch that gives a crap. Thats my "keep the river clean" story and I could tell one like this every other day.

[fisher26]

Thats my "keep the river clean"

 

 

I started this post to reduce the amount of garbage in and around our streams. I believe a fairly significant portion of garbage does in fact come from fly fishermen, which is absolutely outrageous. There are a few people on this forum who do litter, which is idiotic simply because they enjoy fly-fishing which requires a healthy ecosystem in the first place. The fact that you associate me with the few who do litter is ridiculous, why would I have started this post then?

 

I for one care about out ecosystems, even if you don't.

[Guest RedWiggler]

I started this post to reduce the amount of garbage in and around our streams. I believe a fairly significant portion of garbage does in fact come from fly fishermen, which is absolutely outrageous. There are a few people on this forum who do litter, which is idiotic simply because they enjoy fly-fishing which requires a healthy ecosystem in the first place. The fact that you associate me with the few who do litter is ridiculous, why would I have started this post then?

 

I for one care about out ecosystems, even if you don't.

 

Im totally with you on this one man thats why i posted my story.

[Weedy1]

I think the notion that fly fisherman are anymore responsible than others is ridiculous.

I would be more inclined to believe age has more to do with who is more responsible than their chosen method of fishing.

[markd]

I think the notion that fly fisherman are anymore responsible than others is ridiculous.

I would be more inclined to believe age has more to do with who is more responsible than their chosen method of fishing.

 

There are actually more environmentally conscience young people coming out of schools today then ever seen before...

that is assuming that you are saying young people are responsibe...

if not, disregard this post

[Weedy1]

There are actually more environmentally conscience young people coming out of schools today then ever seen before...

 

Because our young people are coming out of schools more environmentally conscience today doesn't mean they aren't littering our streets and rivers.

When a person was educated has nothing to do with it.

I went to elementary school in the early 70's. We had the "Litterbug" program from grades 1 to 6 which educated us early about the problems associated with littering.

The environmental message is being pounded into our heads everywhere we go. There is no excuse for littering, period.

 

I have a 7-11 at the end of the street I live on. Believe me when I say it's not the old folk who are littering. I haven't had to threaten anyone over the age of 30, yet.

[DonAndersen]

Weedy 1,

 

Ya' gotta get out more.

 

From my experience of picking up @ Beaver Lake. I found my first identifiable piece of FF garbage last year. I usually fill 1>2 grocery sacks of bank garbage consisting of bait containers and beer bottle/cans/timie cups and the odd spin rod. You want to see a real pile of bank trash, go to Bullshead. Sorry to inform you, but FF types seem to be cleaner.

Do recall a guy who owned land along Stauffer creek who told me he sure liked the new regulations of no bait. He hadn't kicked off anyone for garbage throwing or fire-lighting all summer. Used to fill 2 garbage bags each spring prior to the bait ban. Rarely get garbage there now.

Did you ever wonder who drives the trout agenda in Alberta. FF types. Still waiting to see my first worm dunkers trout club doing anything. Whoops - there are no worm dunkers clubs unless you can call the AF&G their representative. Whoops yet again - don't see AF&G doing spit either.

Wished that the worm dunkers would step up. Sure, some do - not a lot.

 

Don

[Weedy1]

Weedy 1,

 

Ya' gotta get out more.

 

From my experience of picking up @ Beaver Lake. I found my first identifiable piece of FF garbage last year. I usually fill 1>2 grocery sacks of bank garbage consisting of bait containers and beer bottle/cans/timie cups and the odd spin rod. You want to see a real pile of bank trash, go to Bullshead. Sorry to inform you, but FF types seem to be cleaner.

Do recall a guy who owned land along Stauffer creek who told me he sure liked the new regulations of no bait. He hadn't kicked off anyone for garbage throwing or fire-lighting all summer. Used to fill 2 garbage bags each spring prior to the bait ban. Rarely get garbage there now.

Did you ever wonder who drives the trout agenda in Alberta. FF types. Still waiting to see my first worm dunkers trout club doing anything. Whoops - there are no worm dunkers clubs unless you can call the AF&G their representative. Whoops yet again - don't see AF&G doing spit either.

Wished that the worm dunkers would step up. Sure, some do - not a lot.

 

Don

 

Don, I wasn't comparing fly fisherman to bait chuckers. Didn't say that at all. What I said was I think the notion that fly fisherman are any more responsible than others is ridiculous. They may litter less when they are fly fishing and outdoors but I don't buy that they litter any less when outside of their FF environment than the average Joe because they are fly fisherman.

 

However in regards to the garbage left at lakes I agree that the spin casters and bait chuckers tend to leave more trash. I fish Muir a great deal and have cleaned up more bait containers than any FF related items. Sad fact considering it shouldn't be used in the first place. I also use my boat to clean the shoreline of pallets used for making docks the poachers use. I do my share, believe it. The sad fact is I see very few other fly fisherman ever cleaning up at Muir or any of the other lakes for that matter.