Have you ever noticed...

[Carver_OR]

I'm a die hard bait flinger but enjoy the take of a steelhead on a fly the most...even more than a springer eating my eggs. One thing that I've noticed over the last 50 years on the water is how trashed a bait and hardware river is compared to a river that caters to fly fishing. Are fly fishermen cleaner? Do they care about the rivers more than a bait chucker? I just don't get it. If you go to the Deschutes or Metolius the banks are clean with out much garbage to pick up..I pick up any garbage I see on all rivers, it's just to easy not to.

Sharp hooks,
Pat nullweb page

[Pete]

I guess fly retailers just need to learn how to individually bubble pack each fly, huh?

[Hoosier Daddy]

Some areas of the Deschutes and Metolius rivers are decidely NOT how you describe. However, you may have a point.

[Carver_OR]

chnookie...I don't and have not fished the upper Deschutes above Maupin with all the rafters. The times that I'm on the lower 25 miles of the Deschutes and the rafters float through in big numbers there is more garbage but its not the fishermen. I'll pick up rafters trash also, I'm not particular of who's trash it is. When I've been on the Metolius I've seen very little trash if any. Maybe I'm going to the wrong places on both of these rivers to see the trash. I think fly fishermen over all have a better attitude towards keeping a river clean of trash.

Sharp hooks,
Pat

[Phish_on]

Fly fishers are simply much better people.
[img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Really I suspect the trash-gatherers just outnumber the trash-throwers in certain places.

I tend to litter the trees with flies on those rivers [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

[ol tuna skipper]

In defense of a few rafters. I raft the deschuttes every year and we never leave trash behind. I also fish and camp on the metolius and have packed out a fair share of other peoples garbage whenever I leave. Garbage bags are alwys in my trucks for this reason.

There are people that leave trash where ever they go. Rafters, fisherpeople, and boaters as well as campers etc. Lets not bash a particular recreation or generalize about any group that shares our rivers. I always pick up other peoples trash wether camping, fishing, floating or boating. There are some piggy's out there who need their mamma's to clean up after them unfortunatly.

Last weekend I was at the fairgrounds for a softball tournament. After the games were over at 9:30 PM most people left the fields and a lot of trash on the ground, even though the garbage can was only ten feet away.

Without any prompting, the team that won the tournament started picking up trash since they were the last to leave the fields. My wife and I stuck around with the kids to clean up also.

It is a given that some of us care a lot more about our environment and pristine parks and rivers than others. By being stewards of the lands mabey we can emberass some of the litterbugs to clean up after themselves.

Lead by example.

[FishinMission]

Well said Skip!!

Good 'tude Pat. Thanks for your cleanup efforts. If you dont' have plans aready, consider joining several of us for fishing summer steelhead in the Wilson with jigs, or flies or bait, and picking up trash with gloves and bags Mark got from the 'Adopt A River' program (meeting at the Guide Shop this Sat. at 8 a.m., with many fishing first from daybreak). If I knew you were coming I would bring my steelhead fly rod along with my jig rod. There are some fish in those riffles to be caught. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] If you do, bring a bunch of your Holdzit products for some of us to buy. I know I need more of them. Mark will be giving a free float and jig to all that come and also have some jig kits for sale too. ...

I do think many fly angler's, on average, are more conscientious than bait angler's are as far as keeing the rivers clean. But Pete makes a good point - if the flies only came in bulky styrofoam containers some of the flyfishers would leave them on the bank rather than haul them out. I don't see fly fishers or bait fishers on the rivers - I see curteous/clean fishers or slob fishers. It's unfortunate that there is no shortage of the latter; and that the former have to clean up after them if we want to keep the river's beauty intact. But somebody does.

RT

[ 06-26-2001: Message edited by: RT ]

[Jettin' Fool]

I feel fly fisherman are (on average) more educated and of higher incomes. Its like crime...wealthy neighborhoods have less crime and are much cleaner. I know this isnt true for all fly fishers, but how many Milwaukees best cans do you see along the banks of Fall River?

[ol tuna skipper]

I'll agree with the higher incomes. After all the fly reels I've made parts and programmed on CNC lathes and mills start at 600.00 and go up from there. And the poles aren't cheep either. So I really doubt any trailer trash will be getting into that sport.
And in order to make more money you need an education. Kind of goes hand in hand.
As far as less crime, I don't know. Remember Robin Hood stole from the rich, and I don't think white collar crime has decreased. It's just handled a lot better. After all you don't see to many wealthy educated people getting the dumbest crook of the year award.
Remember the guy that robbed a bank and then went back in and tried to open an account.

[Phish_on]

I guess I'm the exception to your higher income rule ...
[img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

I think my line cost twice as much as my reel! Rod is so old I don't remember what I paid. Most of my flies only cost me the minutes it takes to make them ... and ya can drink beer while you do that!

[ol tuna skipper]

Now your my kind of fly guy. I thought only the elite whitecollars had taken over this sport.

Mabey you can share some inexpensive fly gear info with us that wouldn't mind trying it if it didn't cost more than my boat.

OTS

[CAGEY]

Ladies and gentelmen, some people are just non caring pigs and the law is no one is going to change them. Just be thankful that there are people who do care and who do clean up after them. Without you our rivers would look like a city disposal area. My thanks go out to each and everyone of you who pick up even one piece of line or plastic, and paper. THANKYOU.

[will_e_fish]

Phish_on I am with you on that, income and flyfishing. The pole I use is an old abu 8-9 weight that is like a timex. I can't see myself taking a new pole the places I have gone with that one. I stay with equipment that works. As long as that lucky old pole still casts and lands salmon it will be my right arm.The reel is solid metal not plastic. I make a few flies, buy the ones I can't tie or dont have the material for. I always take more from the hole I fish from than I leave. Although I prefer taking garbage out when it is not half burnt. Why do people think burning foam bait containers is any better,I guess they like the smell better than the ferns,firs and other greens along the rivers. However in defense of bait,I use it not the purist fly snob, have fished with some bait tossers that were cleaner than a hopital. The anal wiping and washing,glove wearing,everything goes into a baggie sterile procedure wears me out. Still those types get my applause for not leaving anything but footprints and some have probably a wipe rag for that too. Ha ha ha
More respect where we fish and for who else fishs there.
Bless the animals that cant pick up plastic or take their Bud cans back with them.

will_e_fish

[Spoons]

I think another point is if the river is no bait it takes more work, and skill to catch fish and with the key word "work" in there you are not going to get lazy people fishing this way. If you think about the low life who do trash our rivers they are usually lazy people who dont even catch the fish legally by snagging or flossing.

[WheresMyBobber]

Income level related to fly fishing? You must be kidding!

I've caught lots and lots of trout and steelhead on the same $45 reel and $60 hand made Lamiglass rod over the years. It doesn't take expensive equipment to catch fish.

It reminds me of the expensive golf clubs these days. I see a heck of a lot of people spending a heck of a lot of money on golf clubs, yet they're still the crappy golfer they always were! They just have less money.

There were some valid points made about fly fishers not having the trash to leave on the banks, or a few of them would probably litter just like the bait fishermen. When I fly fish, all I carry is some fly's, some leader material, and a needle nose pliars. Nothing much to litter with.

But I've also noticed that fly fishermen/women do seem to be a little more conciencous about keeping the river clean.

[CZ]

I would also generalize that flyfishing folks and other litter-conscious fishermen have been on the rivers longer than your average trash thrower. Not many people start fishing with a fly rod, it usually comes after putting some time in. Regardless of what type of fishing you do, when you take an unexperienced person out to fish, make a point of picking up your trash and showing that is a prerequisite to spending time on the water.

A lot of the trash is from people who consider a river just like a ballpark - a place to entertain themselves and someone else will pick up the trash they've left behind....

Worse than seeing a single can here or there is the bag of trash that someone has put 10 or 12 cans in and left behind as a neat package, thinking that will help the "clean-up" people out...

[RichH]

I think every segment of the population will have its share of scumbags. It's just a simple fact of life. I believe the point about less stuff to pack in being a large part of less trash on the bank is a valid one. On a percentage basis I'll bet I've run into more jerk flyfishermen than bait tossers, snaggers included.
I prefer to take people at how they act as opposed to what fishing method they choose. I personally fish bait or plugs more than flies due to my lack of flycasting ability and my faith in those methods.

Hey let's get realistic here. RT and I are both flyfishermen! A higher more refined type of angler? HA! [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] Actually Orvis has asked both of us to endorse.....their competitors fly tackle!!!!!
Old Tuna Skipper a CNC programmer and machinist? I used to do a little of that myself until my back said ENOUGH!!!! Enough of slinging those 50lb. aluminum castings around.
Stew