I challenge all fishermen and fisher women

[flint guy]

I post a challenge to everybody who gets out anywhere.



Take more garbage out than you take in.



I was sickened today at my usual edmonton river spot, as I noticed about 100 ft of braided line, in two seperate lumps, 3 timmies cups, 2 worm cans, 3 minnow cans, 4 bags of smelts and/or sardines, two gulp bait packs, 5 empty pickeral rig pouches, 3 fishing hole bags, one grocery store bag, an empty pack of smokes and probaly 15 butts, 3 brands for a toatal of 5 beer cans. I carried out two of my own grocery bags FULL of other peoples garbage. This all came from a 30x20 foot area.

[waterninja]

I know exactly where your coming from. I see it all the time. Sad.

[Bigwoodsman]

I accept that challenge. Was cleaning up at Brownlowes yesterday. Cigarette butts are the worst.

BW

[dalesilvertip]

I take up the challenge, have done it many times. I just can't believe some people have so little respect. Thanks to all who clean up everywhere.

[safcforever]

The worst place I've ever seen for it would be the SSR at the bottom of Redcliff. It looks like people use it as a dumping ground. I spend my first 20 minutes picking the trash up around where I'm casting and it's still all along the bank

[bushnell]

Sorry don't need the challenge. Have been picking up garbage for years

[WildCats]

Gull was a pig pen over the weekend. Bottles, cans, minnow containers ect. My 3 year old even knows better.....

WC

[Speckle55]

yep I have been cleaning up for over 40 years

every trip I pick up something

Thanks for sharing

David

[flint guy]

I know you fish the area ninja, i witnessed sone drunks tear a fish shaped plank with measure drawn on it, light it on fire and sent it down stream where I was then, and yesterday. Ill continue to clean that trail system and riverbank.

Bigwoodsman, getting down to the cig butts is dedication thankyou.

Dalesilvertip, youre right. Mind boggling the lack of respect, for our common outdoor spaces and people around us. Nobody would treat there home in this manner, I guess we need sime social engeneering to help encompass the city, province and country as home also.

Safcforever, I dont get to fish south but Im glad you guys who do care enough to help keep it as awesome as it always was. It would be great to see it as you remember it, and how you maintain it when I get there.

bushnell I know not everybody needs the challenge. Perhaps you can pose this challenge to others. We need more people to spread the word and educate the masses.

Wildcats i believe your three year old knew better a year ago. Well said. Its a shame our children have better manners than so many adults. The toddler will grow up to be a fine canadian outdoorsman.

Speckle, way to pay it forward. I appreciate your efforts, even if we may never fish, hike or hunt the same space its good to know you have been taking care of it. Thankyou.

I would be a liar if I said I filled a bag every single time. I dont mean to be self righteous, I just want to propose that when you can do so, come home with more than you came out with. Others who may not will be more inclined to follow your lead. I am not from Alberta, infact I have lived in a few provinces. Sometimes it takes leaving a place and returning to it to appreciate what it is, to miss what it was. I guess in my rant, I hope to keep us all from being complacent, and accept that litter is normal.
Change is inevitable, but it does not have to be for the worse. We all look good as fisher people when the space most used by us is the cleanest most desireable place to be. The little girl and her family building inukchucks from river ice i spoke with probably never set a line on that point. I bet any amount of money that youth will return and enjoy herself again, not having to be concerned about playing around dangerous filth. I feel really good about that. I feel better for seeing the response to my challenge.
Thankyou, from myself, from my son, and from everybody who may not get the chance to thank you themself.

[Stryker2]

I take the challenge too! I was at North Buck and picked up one half full beer can 2 empty ones, 1 small empty propane bottle and one hat! This is a relatively unpopulated lake! So I can just imagine how the more busy lakes are! It has become a "ITS ALL ABOUT ME" world!! Garbage everywhere! They can take it out there but somehow can't bring it home!

[Moonwalker]

We've taught our kids this as well. We fished yesterday and picked up a bunch of beer cans that were left on the ice. It's discusting!

[drhook]

I pick up what I can. There was once where I gathered up a bunch of empty beer cans and a CO came and checked me out. He tried to give me crap for drinking while I was fishing, when I told him I would just throw the cans all around the spot again he was a little embarrassed.

[Cory1]

Last year cleaning up someone's garbage I found a Tim's roll up the rim cup that won a $100 gift card. It was an added bonus!

[NEWB]

I took up that challange a while ago!

When I am in the boat I am keeping an eye out for floating garbage debris. When I see them I make it a sport to see how quick I can get there, pick it up and continue on.

I usually pick up pop cans, beer cans on the water. By best score yet was a large happy birthday Ballon on Wabamun last summer. It had me worried for a bit as when I spotted it and the distance I was, it looked like someone just floating in a yellow PFD and not moving.. No one else was around so the imagination was going. I was sure happy to see it was just a very large balloon and not a body!

[flint guy]

Karma is great cory1

[The Fisherman Guy]

Originally Posted by bushnell

Sorry don't need the challenge. Have been picking up garbage for years

x2. It's part of good stewardship for our sports.

[fish gunner]

Leave it better or as you found it. Filling grocery bags with garbage since 96 at popular spots . The dam on gleniffer is a pig stye of slobs. Keep up the good work folks ..as no one else will it would appear and the reason I dont fish the bow more than once a year.

[pinelakeperch]

I've always done this, I hope it catches on.

[CenterPin]

Sadly the people who need to read this probably are not a member of the forum

[flint guy]

Glad to report in 5 outings since starting this thread I have no garbage to report! A new lake to me, a summer fav new to me in winter, the river here in edm, al trout pond west, all clean from shore through trails to parking lot.

Sadly no fish were caught either.

Starting new license season (april 1st) I am going to take before and after photos of all the messy places I go, and clean up. Sort of a photo log to help remind others to clean up, to let those who do clean up not feel alone, and to shame those who litter into ceasing.

Anybody interested? A tally at the end of a year would be interesting, to see just how much we did pick up as a whole.

[Stryker2]

I think it's a great idea! Every little bit we can do to encourage people to care about our environment is a step in the right direction! Even if it means that we may at times have to resort to shaming them into positive action. Unfortunately it's a family inherited disease not to care, and the cycle can be difficult to break.
So count me in, I will take the before clean up pics too! We should start a garbage pics thread just like the Derby thread! Would be fun!

[KUDUHNTR]

Yes I agree!

We all need to clean up after ourselves, and after all other thoughtless peoples
who choose not to carry out their garbage. I bet these people don't litter and pollute their own yard/house, or maybe they do. Time and time again I have carried out trash from others, come on polluters..........clean up after yourselves!

[Wild&Free]

one of the reasons I head out less and less living here. sickens me how little respect people have in their own back yard.

[58thecat]

This goes for all everywhere, pick it up, put it in a container etc. whether you are in the woods by a lake or in a town/city pick up, clean up and stop being slobs!

[Evil69]

Been doing it for years. I always carry a few extra bags while hunting and fishing just because I know I will find something.

[Gerv]

Everytime i go to fish Iosegun Lake i leave with half a garbage bag full of fireworks and beer cans. Theres a few camps around the lake and im assuming they go there for a few beers and dont want to take the evidence back to the dry camp but what gets me is there are two big dumpsters both at the boat launch and the beach. considered putting up trail cams but chances are they would just be stolen.

[iYearn]

My 12 year old son and I started ice fishing this year.

We created an "equipment checklist" to make sure that we don't forget anything that could ruin our time on the ice once we get there.

First thing on our list: garbage bags: and a whole roll of them!

[barbless]

Have been doing it, still do it and will continue to do it. Now that the 4th generation of campers and fishers are here, they will carry-on to keep our woods, waters and shore-lines as clean as we can and as we go. Even our dogs pitch in when we put the saddle bags on them. Nobody gets a free ride LOL

[LG2000]

Not only outdoors, saw some messy places in town, McDonald's, Tim's... Trash left on tables while workers too busy/laz not able to clean quick.. Everyone do his part good will get us all a much much better future.

[trigger7mm]

I always pick up a bunch of junk every trip it seems. I just cannot understand what is wrong with some people. Just bald assed laziness I guess.