cigarette butts

[mspgh]

Seems to me the penalties have to be stronger, the education more visible. tt's not just anglers with boats. The shoreline is littered with styrofoam crawler containers and beer cans. I think education programs and strict penalties are the way to go. Perhaps a Q and A test to complete before acquiring a fishing license is a start?

[fishmaster176]

I do believe that teaching the youngster will do more good than anything else. It may be time to require our young folks to spend a little classroom time learning about the effects of pollution on our waterways. This isn't only about the litterbug. It might be something to do through the schools. God knows you don't have to be a biologist to explain the adverse effects of littering. I know by the responses on this thread that every person that posted could pass a valuable message on to the kids. And do already. The older people? Well, getting nailed with a heavy fine might help. Just a thought.

[Shake-n-Bake]

I can still remember all the trash along the roads when I was a kid. Fines, signage and education helped reduce the problem but we still have the 1% (I am being kind) that could care less. Maybe signage at access points is a start. It is hard to fix stupid...

[Surprise]

It took me a while to find. It seemed appropriate

This pic is from a post in 2011 but this is from a couple members "they know who they are " actively cleaning the lake of a mess.



Can't wait to get back out Cleaning.......

[Thorny]

I know who they are too! They cannot hide!

[edthehook]

Maybe if one is caught littering, his/her fishing license should be suspended. That would raise some eyebrows!

[Capt Kirk]

not to be "Debbie Downer" but the problem with education is that you end up spending money "preaching to the Choir" Here we are discussing this issue with a bunch of like minded people, how do you reach the uneducated, ignorant and i hope few, that take advantage of our resources? I applaud Tuck and encourage others to follow his example. If everyone, who cares, takes this matter in to their own hands simply by taking 5 minutes to pick up trash and more importantly policing ourselves. I bet a fellow fisherman who is confronted by another fisherman versus F&W or police will feel more compelled to change their ways. Judgement by Peers. Plus there is more of US then law enforcement.

Don't JERSEY Vermont!

[fishingmachine]

that is an amazing picture,in all my years on LC I have never seen a mess like that salmon fishing,especially one that looks as fresh as that one! Over on the salmon river(NY) I have seen them 4 feet in diameter ,but that's on the big river and more common there,although very sad,too.Of all the places I have been fishing,I think the big salmon fishermen are the worst I have seen when it comes to leaving trash behind,,part of that could be just the sheer numbers of them,however.

[karl]

As a state parole officer, I could quickly judge a neighborhood by what was or wasn't on the sidewalk.

Bad sign: chicken bones and tampon inserters and used condoms...

There is a certain demographic who are just slobs, on land or water.

[Fish Hound]

Is there a possibility to have a seminar tied into the Boat Show or the Yankee Sportsman Show? Both great venues with a fishing interest. I consider myself a fisherman, first and foremost, then a cold water species fisherman, mostly because I still haven't caught a Salmon. Still trying. This WILL be the year. Maybe a booth at the show with a strong theme being a clean lake and environmental preservation along with the cold water species fishing theme. I get so pissed every time I see litter in the water, so I support any action to help get the message out.

I can't help with a booth but I can help with a seminar slot. I do multiple seminars every year at the classic and we could easily work something out with John and frank. However I would need some volunteers to Help. Between the Ice Team booth I'm in charge of, the guide service booth and the seminars I have a lot on my plate already, so I can either work on getting us a seminar slot or we could use the first or last 15 minutes of my current slots usually 2 a day to bring awareness or whatever we come up with. Any thoughts or volunteers?

[mudchuck]

"you can't fix stupid"...
So the other saying is "20% do the work of the other 80%" when it comes to things such as cleaning up after others
I just make a habit of trying to police the area I'm fishing and do my little part in picking up after those that don't seem to care about leaving their trash around, whether on ice, water or on land.
Granted, I don't pick up every little thing I see, but I do try hard to either fill a bucket or grocery bag that I take with me where ever I go.
If everyone did this it would be a help, but we know everyone won't, and there are more out there that litter than there are those that clean up, so I'm all for something more than a slap on the wrist when caught in the act.
For what this is worth, a bonus to what picking up after others is that sometimes you come across something that is worth keeping, like this past weekend I retrieved a nice bibbet frozen in the ice under a beer can left on the lake, I've also salvaged broken rods that were left behind and refurbished them into very nice ice fishing rigs.

[raz]

I once picked up an entire kitchen counter-top (minus the sink) at the Converse launch. I wanna say it was after the big flood of 103 ft.

[Matt]

Looking out my window, it looks like a house got washed away in this high water with all the wood and misc items floating. Plus the random trash all over. The claw on the side of the dam has pulled out so many odd things...the latest being an old safe! Too bad it was open already so whatever was in it is gone now,