Trash on Ice

[swampbuckster]

Do you know what really disgusts me? I cannot stand when I see people out fishing on the ice, and when they leave, they leave trash behind them. Propane tanks, pop bottles, chip bags, etc. Do these people realize that after the ice melts, the trash either floats around for a lifetime, or sinks to the bottom? Would these same people actually just throw the trash right over the side of the boat during the summer months? It really upsets me that people have absolutely no respect. They don't realize that lakes are eternal dumping grounds. What goes down will never come back up. Do you want to fish in a trash pit? I certainly don't. Just yesterday, MLK day, I noticed that the sun set, people left the ice, just for me to come out there today and look at the leftover wasteland. I found a open can of Spaghettios, 2 pop bottles, a propane tank, a broken bobber, a half a sandwich IN the ziploc bag still, a rag, the bottom plastic piece of a propane tank, a bacon package, and some other odd piece of plastic. That was one day on a lake that is 150 acres or less. It sounds like a little, but it adds up quickly. To me, that is taking advantage of, and abusing one hell of a priviledge. I hope that anyone who reads this that has done this before, or is still doing it will stop and think for a moment. Take care of our natural pleasures or we won't have any to take care of us.

[Cook078]

People like that should be banned from all hunting/fishing privilages.  The real sad part is it sounds like theere was kids there.  It's too bad that the parents would influence their own kids in that way....Hopefully they grow up to NOT be like their parents, or whoever took them out....
Mike

[Dante83R]

    I know the feeling.  Last Saturday my kids let their sandwich bag go in the wind on the lake.  I made em chase it down all the way to the other side.  I have a simple rule for my kids and anyone fishing or hunting with me has to follow, Leave it looking better than when you got there. It means, don't dump your minnows on the ice, put your cigarette butts in a pop can and take it with you, and pick up your empties(wrappers, bags, shotshells, etc.).

[hali-man]

I agree , and take it a step further. If I see trash while hunting or fishing I pick it up.
As sportsmen it is our duty to the land not only to wisely conserve what is available to us, but to make it better. Trout Unlimited is a very good example of this.
I do not hesitate to confront some roach I see littering, IT IS THAT IMPORTANT.

[swampbuckster]

Trust me, after a heavy fishing day, I make the rounds on my snowmobile with a five gallon pale in my hand. Fill it up halfway almost every time.

[cid]

I see that too, cigi butts cans all kinds of #@*%& ! laying all over the place. We try to pick up extra too when we leave. It is so sensless, plus it gives the people who live on the lakes a bad taste in their mouths about the people who come to ice fish.
And hey if lived on a lake I would feel the same way

[the Wizard]

GOOD SUBJECT: I left Silver tonight just about dark, and I see the guy that left before me threw his propane canaster out on the ice and left it...
 Well I hope you read this because it's SCUMBAGS like you that ruin it for everyone else, If I would have been watching and seen you leaving I would have chased you down and handed it back to you.
Look just pick up you own crap so they don't make more new laws or rules!!! IF YOU BRING IT WITH YOU TAKE IT WITH YOU!!!!!!!!!

[swampbuckster]

Sometimes, I'm half tempted to just get a bunch of Rubbermaid barrels and sort them out around shanty areas like a god dang school cafeteria. Thats what it reminds me of- a bunch of kids! And being 21 myself, seeing older people doing that just rreally bursts my bubble. I don't care who they are, I will speak my mind to them or get the h@## off the lake.

[Fat Boy]

This is all common sense and most folks have it but some don't.  Some people think that cigarette butts are biodegradible.  Yeah, right, over how many eons.  It's not just on the ice, but out the car door or anywhere that they finish their cancer sticks.  Get with the program people and clean anything up that you've left behind including your cigarette butts.  This means you!

Good thread Swampy.  People need to take heed because we're all tired of it.  Always good to post how we feel about this because some day the meat heads will get it.  I just wanna stuff them down a 6" hole some times.

[swampbuckster]

You know, about stuffing them down a six inch hole, what about a roughly chopped spudded hole about 3 inches.....that sounds a little more painful

[Fat Boy]

It was late last night and I was a bit grumpy...

I'll tone it down some.  If anyone that fishes with me wants me to help them pick up I'll gladly help, as long as they don't make me do it all.  Keeping the ice clean is a teamwork thing too.  I think that some folks do it and don't see that it is a problem.  We can also gently remind them, and I usually do.  I don't have to stuff anyone down a hole although sometimes the thought runs through my head every now and then.

[fishmann]

If you bring it in, bring it back out. Bring more out than you brought in if you find stuff. It's not that hard, but it would be nice if everyone were a little more thoughtful out there. I smoke, but I never throw my butts in the lake or on the ice. Instead I knock the fire off the end and put the butt in a pocket. Only time it's ever a problem is if I'm out for a tournament or a full day of fishing and end up with 20 butts with loose tobbaco in the pocket and forget to clean it out. My wife usually has a few choice words for me when it all comes out in the washing machine!!  

[llcoolnel]

Is it really bad to leave dead minnows on the ice?  I've done that because I figured the crows have to eat too...


??

[BASSandICE65]

Maybe call the environmental police littering is still illegal I hate those dam pigs they ruin it for everyone else. Write down their license plate and report them. We as sportsmen need to approach these idiots and ask them to pick it up this kind of stuff needs to stop. I personally don't want my lake to become a garbage pit.  

And llcoolnel leaving dead minnows is not bad for the environment

[wisicefishinnut]

I hate it when people do this. It really pi$$es me off. When I see ANY crap on the lake I pick it up.  If I do see any cylinders that are in good condition, I save and refill them.  We also have a middle aged women who rides around on her snowmobile checking and fishing for a little bit w/ everbody she knows.  She attatched a 5 gal. pail to the back of her sled and picks upall the garbage she sees.  she is a huge help.

[outdoorwally]

I take an empty backpack with me when im going places where alot of people fish.ice or not.
Imagine their houses probably look the same.

[kenelz]

I agree, we have got to police ourselves. Pick up anything some slob has left.

[JIMMY FISHTRAP]

last year i was fishing buckly dunton and i saw some touch hole throw all his garbage into a fire he built in the woods on shore including a propane bottle that was shooting flames about 10 ft. in the air.

[pot-belly-perch]

My wife  & I go to the lake & pick stuff up  
\

& I know this lady who lives by lake morraine & does it day by day picks it up & puts it in a neat pile buy the wood post she has been doing that for years

if you take it in you take it out  

[maine-ly backward]

Trust me, after a heavy fishing day, I make the rounds on my snowmobile with a five gallon pale in my hand. Fill it up halfway almost every time.

Do you really do this? I do and I have always felt like such a smuck doing it. Are'nt we just shovelling sh**t against the tide?

[Mr.Seaguar]

I like to pick up trash at the end of the day too. Its also something to do keep busy when the fish arent hitting. I dont get too upset about organic material like banana peels or minnows cause that will either get eaten or rot away.

[Tricky]

I am totally heartened to hear that people feel as strongly about trash on the the ice as I do. Some folks don't care and some just don't think. I grew up in a big dirty city where people threw trash around without a thought and then we all had to live with it. I truly appreciate the natural places, even if it is just my local lake in Minneapolis. Some just take it for granted. They don't know what they have and one day, if we are not vigilant, it will be gone.

Maybe we should have a "Do you leave trash on the ice?" conversation with everyone we know so that word gets around the ice fishing community. And, if you see someone tossing trash, call them on it.

Tricky

[raleigh]

went to vega a few weeks ago and there was a half drinken 2 liter bottle of pop and a empty cig pack.... I am a smoker but i always make sure i take all my butts with me.....People that leave there trash on the ice have no respect for fishing in the first place. I think that is somthing that park rangers need to start cracking down on a little harder.

[Fish Monger]

They have in Maine, that's why more and more laws are prohibiting motorized equipment and such on lakes.

[woodyvt]

This topic always stikes a nerve with me.  For the so called sportsman who leave their crap behind really arent sportsman at all.

I always seem to be picking up after someone.  

Well at least I have the guts to approach the folks that leave crap and say something to them.  Whether it sinks in or not I cant control.  At the very least when you say "hey you must have forgotten some things"  they seem to say uh uh oh yeah my hands were full and they go back and get their crap.

I think if we all take those extra steps and confront the losers who dont care we will all be better off in the long run.

The guy who litters and then is told later on he cant fish there anymore will be the first to complain there is nowhere to fish!!!!!

I really hope we can fix this problem because it will cause more restrictions and sooner than later there will be no access to some of our favorite places!!!

[jimfish]

I can't stand fishing in a garbage pit. We almost all have those plastic bags from the store, put your garbage in them.
In Boyscout we learned to ALWAYS leave the campsite cleaner than we found it. I still practice that today and am teaching it to my kids.

[alaskanman]

there are morons here that will leave their trash at the fishing sites.  that really sucks.

[swampbuckster]

Do you really do this? I do and I have always felt like such a smuck doing it. Are'nt we just shovelling sh**t against the tide?

Yeah, I really do that. I just hope the guy that was out there the night before who left his crap sees me and maybe he'll think "Hmm, People do care about what I throw on the ice" But that will probably prompt him to throw more trash on the ice! But, actually, I would rather pick it up than let it sink to the bottom or float around the lake for a few years. Maybe it is because I swim in the same lake too.

[edfalc]

just yesterday i finally cleaned out my ford explorer after a solid 10 of 14 possible days fishing on the ice...my buddies make fun of me and call it "the garbage truck"  but i would rather spend that hour at the recycle center dumpster tossing all the beer cans and other stuff than see one floating in the spring......i smoke too , and there's no reason not to toss that butt in a empty can