Pack it in pack it out

[JohnW]

Went to one of my pike fishing spots today to try my luck again. I fished for a few hours and got skunked which was ok I guess lol. What got under my skin was all the garbage along the shore. I was brought up on the modo "you pack it in, you pack it out" I just can't believe how many other people/anglers out there just leave all their crap on the bank where they were fishing. I always carry a couple grocery bags in my backpack so I pulled them out and tried to change my fishing karma by picking up everything I could cram into them. It only took me a few minutes between casts and while walking down the shoreline to my next spot to clean up what I could. I'm not trying to be the pollution police by any means, I just hope I inspire at least one other person/angler out there to do the same at one of their fishing spots. With the pike season closing here in zone16 on Mar31 I'm going to try my luck again tomorrow (fingers crossed) but I think this time I'll take 3 bags just in case. Tight lines & pike on!

 

[Stick]

Without opening another can of worms, this is why many river rats have a hard time when spots are broadcast all over the internet. We've lived through this shit more than once. The water I fish is a big part of who I am and I'm lucky enough to have known a lot of the landowners for decades. The biggest reason they post their land is because of the lack of respect to where they call home.

 

[Red Hering]

Went to one of my pike fishing spots today to try my luck again. I fished for a few hours and got skunked which was ok I guess lol. What got under my skin was all the garbage along the shore. I was brought up on the modo "you pack it in, you pack it out" I just can't believe how many other people/anglers out there just leave all their crap on the bank where they were fishing. I always carry a couple grocery bags in my backpack so I pulled them out and tried to change my fishing karma by picking up everything I could cram into them. It only took me a few minutes between casts and while walking down the shoreline to my next spot to clean up what I could. I'm not trying to be the pollution police by any means, I just hope I inspire at least one other person/angler out there to do the same at one of their fishing spots. With the pike season closing here in zone16 on Mar31 I'm going to try my luck again tomorrow (fingers crossed) but I think this time I'll take 3 bags just in case. Tight lines & pike on!

Good job @JohnW!! I just cleaned up a portion of the Thames River where I was walleye fishing there recently while walking my dog’s,and every year it’s the same thing about the garbage being left behind.Bringing extra shopping/garbage bags along on any fishing trip is now part of the fishing gear.Litter on the Ice while I was on some recent ice fishing trip’s this past winter,was also a big problem!! ?? On a good note,good luck pike fishing,and I am also looking forward to getting out pike fishing before the season closes.????

 

[Cam Reeves]

Just a thought. I have been thinking about this since the warm weather came around, and that our forum has a large amount of caring members. Maybe we should organize a river clean up day/days spread throughout the warm season (preferably on weeknights so we can still get some fishing in on the weekends). Take donations for different water ways, pick up trash, and possibly plant trees. I know my family would be definately up for it and we will be doing it no matter if an event gets planned or not.
I have noticed the trash,fishing line, empties etc spread all along the thames. Especially in the areas that got the heavy flooding this year.

 

[the General]

thank you to you people who care about our environment and make the effort to clean up other people's short comings.
I try and do the same when I am boating and see floating debris in the water. kudos to all who care.

 

[jeweller]

Just a thought. I have been thinking about this since the warm weather came around, and that our forum has a large amount of caring members. Maybe we should organize a river clean up day/days spread throughout the warm season (preferably on weeknights so we can still get some fishing in on the weekends). Take donations for different water ways, pick up trash, and possibly plant trees. I know my family would be definately up for it and we will be doing it no matter if an event gets planned or not.
I have noticed the trash,fishing line, empties etc spread all along the thames. Especially in the areas that got the heavy flooding this year.

Good ideal. Start a new thread. Pick a day and a river/stream. See what sort of support you get.

 

[Wave Runner]

Good for you @JohnW for caring.
I believe most on here feel the same way and those who don't care we don't want as friends.

 

[JohnW]

@Cam Reeves I think I'm going to do that, I have this Thursday off and I might take my utility trailer with me because there is a tonn more that needs to be removed including a mattress that must weigh 500lbs soaking wet and a couple grocery bags won't do it.

 

[Cam Reeves]

I would join you thursday but i am heading home for the traditional good friday/easter fish fry with the family. Once it warms up a bit more (so my daughter wont complain the whole time) ill make a post and try and do a river clean up.

 

[Red Hering]

I have now been volunteering for the Thames River Clean Up for the last 19 years,and they are always looking for more groups to clean up portions of the Thames river.Just check out their website if interested under: The Thames River Clean Up. if anyone might want to volunteer in the many groups or to form a new group in an area where you might want to volunteer and clean the river.They will even supply the gloves and garbage bags,plus you may enter your name in a canoe draw,donated by Nova Craft Canoes,just for volunteering a few hours of your time.This Years Thames River clean up is on April 21/18. Lets all volunteer and keep our Heritage River Clean!! ??

 

[can't miss]

Just some advise from past experience. Check with your twsp on how what you collect can be disposed. Those in larger established clean up's are probably good, but if your working just on your own or a couple of budd's, it adds up quick as per volume.
Live here in a large bush area, gravell road, dump it city?
Tv's, fridges, tire dumps,couches, ect, can usually get them cleaned up in a couple of weeks, with a few calls to the twsp, a few?
Add I get they have a lot of roads to keep, to do, get that?
Here's the bitch, couple of yrs ago I took it upon myself to clean the ditches say a quarer mile each way? House hold waste, batteries, oil cans ect, Tims cups and Mc d bags.
And I get the twsp can't pick up every ciggerete butt.
8 well sealed feed bags full, took 3 months to get picked up??
Not happy with the twsp, but what the F&%%, problem falls on those who dump.

 

[angler]

The stuff "fishermen" leave behind drives me nuts. It is one of the reasons I'm not for opening up streams like the Lynne for steelheaders.
I have a bag that is always full when I leave. Someone said -the only thing I leave behind is footsteps.

 

[JohnW]

As they should be the only thing left behind!

 

[JohnW]

So as I had said, I had Thursday off and was going to take my trailer down to clean up more of the banks where I was pike fishing. Well...the rain and other stuff in life put that on the back burner Thursday but I still had some time and good intentions to try and do it this weekend. So off to Hamilton i went this afternoon to meet up with @Loonietoon to pick up some much needed trolling spoons and wading boots he had for sale. On my way home I called my fishing partner and said let's go fishing. So off we went to our spot that I had just cleaned up on Sunday....TRASH everywhere? I didn't bring my trailer with us but I wish I had. We each had about 4 bags of trash picked up in an hour or so. We had only made about a half dozen casts before we both looked at each other put our gear down and started cleaning up. All in all it was a good day met a good guy @Loonietoon and had some laughs with my buddy. So I'm hoping to finally spend the whole day fishing tomorrow and not cleaning up everybody else's garbage because it the last day for pike season here in zone 16 and with all that I have done this week I hope it pays off with a whopper!!!
Tight Lines and PIKE ON!!!