I WAS JUST BITCHIN ABOUT THE TRASH PEOPLE ARE LEAVIN ALL OVER OUR FINE TRIBS IF YOU BRING IT TAKE IT BACK WITH YOU!!!!!!FISH ON!!!!!!!!!!

I must agree it is getting really bad. I have been out of the country for awhile but reading some of the other posts it seems that the Kalama is getting trashed again. This is one of my back yard rivers. I guess I will be takeing the trash bags with me to the rivers again.It seems to me that the folks on this site are not the type of folks to be doing the trashing. Who is doing the trashing It really has got to stop. I'll do my part to help clean up I just hope I do not see anyone doing the trashing..KEEP THE RIVERS CLEAN!!!!

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dank

You ought to try looking at the Humptulips during salmon season. Better yet dont look its a shame all the trash thats laying around.

The Klickitat is just as bad. You would think all those beer cans would be lighter and easer to carry out after being emptied.

every October i fish the Green before and after work. Three years ago i started taking a garbage bag along, to my amaze i could fill it nearly every time. I didn't want to continue to do this so last year started complaining out loud and pointing the thrash bag out to anyone that showed up this started to catch on, now i see more and more people with their own bags and pointing out they too could use them. I could see if nothing had been done the city,county or whoever shutting down these spots and i didn't want to take that chance. For the majority of us that do care lets step up and persuade those thoughtless waterbeaters out there to clean up after themselves. (i'm off my soapbox)

steely slammer i launched at 101 on the hump last year there was so much trash my lone garbage bag didn't even make a dent. whats up with these people? is it they don't have a clue or do they just don't care! I'm baffeled???

Left there by White Trash

I think that they just dont give a damn.But i bet there own yards dont look like that.

I live on the Skook and I've picked up broken beer bottles(why don't they use cans?)dirty diapers, condoms....I Put up a sign that said "If you pack it in pack it out". Found the bottom of the post in an old camp fire. Don't want to shut it down cause I learned to fish there, BUT......

Just my .02 in support of everyone who 1) doesn't throw trash on the banks and 2) who's willing to pack a little extra out. I can't imagine what goes through people's minds just throwing those bait containers and aluminum cans all over the place. And big wads of line. And wrappers from fishing tackle. What does a bait box cost? About $2.00? And it's alot more convenient than carrying around that styrofoam container.

As I've posted before, I always try to haul out as much trash from the Kalama banks as I can fit in my daypack. It really makes a difference after several trips in a week. Unfortunately, after another week, it starts to accumulate again.

I don't guess I should have been suprised, but last summer I was way back up on Slough Creek in Yellowstone, back in the second meadow, and I found a discarded Depends just lying on the bank. I couldn't bring myself to stuff that in my daypack and carry it out, (I didn't come equipped with a trash bag on that outing), but I don't know what the litterbug who dropped that up there was thinking.

I really appreciate the private landowners who persevere in holding their land open for fishing despite these inconsiderate slobs. I'd be more than happy to trade my services policing up a stream bank to anyone in return for permission to fish.

Think!! And keep it clean. It just adds to the experience. T.

I fish the rivers that feed Tillamook Bay in NW Oregon and encounter the same litter problem also. Several years ago I contacted Oregon Adopt-A-River and volunteered to clean up a 2 mile stretch of river twice a year. Since then it's a habit to carry a trash bag with me everytime I fish. The private property owners know me and allow me to fish on their property whenever I want and for return, I clean up their place. The Guide Shop on the Wilson River always accepts my extra trash to dispose of. I don't know if Wash State has a similar program, but if they do, it would be a win win deal.
Mark

I don't know if there is such a program in Washington, but there sure should be. I think it would be a great idea. Does anyone know how one would go about organizing such a program? Like everything else, I'm sure there is much more to it than just doing it.

im with you on that T Dodge any info on who to call to get something going would be nice there is now three bait shops on the big K ill stop by and have a talk with them soon FISH ON!!!!!!!

Washington state does have an Adopt-a-Stream foundation which can be reached at <aasf@streamkeeper.org> or phone 425-316-8592. They are a non-profit organization that promotes environmental education and habitat restoration. Other great organizations that are involved in habitat restoration are: the Stilly-Snohomish Fisheries Enhancement Task Force ph: 425-252-6686, email <SSFETF@eskimo.com>; Mid-Puget Sound Fisheries Enhancement Task Force ph:206-652-9725. There are many others out there probably in your own backyards!

A site that I clean up regularly is the Ben Howard boat launch in Monroe which was adopted by my fishing club (Northwest Women Flyfishers)several years ago, we also pay for the porta-potty that is out there. The place is usually in pretty good shape until summer hits--while I do pick up a great deal of tangled line, lead, asstd packaging and beer bottles, summer brings the vandals and increased garbage. The porta-potty has been tipped over, trashed, dragged down to the river (it's since been chained to a big tree) and blown up. I go from half bag of garbage to 2 or 3. I've also come across dead carcasses, which will decay and become snacks for the creatures out there, but countless are the times I've come across animals wrapped in several layers of plastic and thrown into the river or left at the boat launch--probably related to the people who leave Depends out there!

I'm glad that so many fishers take a garbage bag with them and clean up our streamsides and I hope this forum will motivate others to do the same.

Flygirl

Kudos to you. That's great information you provided. It only takes one person a few hours of time to make a big difference.
Mark

Adopt-a River this sounds like a great idea.Thank you for the info. Hey T Dodge you seem to fish the Kalama alot would you be interested in starting a project like this on the Kalama. I am allways picking up the trash on that river also. As you said it gets cleaner abit at a time but it helps. I bet Pritchards would be happy to help!

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dank

thanks fly girl your input is right on time.T Dodge and Kalamabama, i spoke with the people at camp kalama they said that they would like to see a progam like that started then they would see if they can accomadate what ever else would be needed.nothing is in writing though.i was going to talk to pritchards and the new bait shop by mchaffeys but havent had a chance yet.let me know what is going on. FISH ON!!!!!!!!!!!

PS it looks like the conservation youth corps was up recently picking up ungratfulls garbage you can see their bags alongside the road.FISH ON !!!!!!!

I like the idea that Lewis Co. has. Chain gangs. I saw a few of them a couple years ago along hiway 12 near the Cowlitz river. Maybe they should help out along the rivers also. Even if every one here picked up trash, they still would be helpful.

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Just because I look big, dumb, and ugly, doesn't mean I am. It means I can stomp you for calling me it!

rvrtramp way to go I am in. Let me know how to help. I am local so if you need some one to do any running around to get this going just let me know. I am not sure how this site works but post another message and I will give you my number or E-mail add. Lets get this going. KEEP THE RIVERS CLEAN!!!!

Kalamabama and rvtramp - I am with you guys. We should do what we can do and see if we can get something started. My email is tdodge@rhhk.com. I'm free most weekends. I'm in Tacoma, but I make the trip down there 1 to 3 times a week. I'd be glad to meet you guys and anyone else who'd volunteer their time to do some good for the river. We could just pick a stretch with public access and see how much trash we can get in a first attempt or we could plan something more organized. I believe it wouldn't take many people to do a good job on a pretty good stretch. We could pile our results up and take some pictures and maybe get a little local publicity, just to increase the awareness of the need to keep it clean. I think it would make a fun day. T.