Filthy Pigs!!

[metal_fish]

This post it part report, part rant, part idea.

PART 1 Rant
I have been fishing salem pond last few days and i am just disgusted!
I thought i was a the city LANDFILL!
Soccer balls, soda cans, bottles, worm containers, fishing line, water noodles, plastic sacks, lighters, beer bottles, prime time cases. You name it, you will see it floating in this pond.
Every other cast me and my friend would reel in trash.
I counted over 30 dead fish, mostly catfish, trout and HUGE HUGE largemouth bass even a bunch of grass carp dead. It is sickening! I cannot believe we live in a world with people who throw there sh*t where ever they please. Do they not have any pride for this planet?

PART 2 Idea
I was thinking of a clean up, anyone in? I would post signs around salem showing the date and a cleanup gathering of sorts. We would all bring trash bags and fishing rods.
Just take a dent out of the garbage! What date would be best for people interested? I am serious about this, it would really help this great little pond.

PART 3 Report
Last two days i have been eager for some Salem Pond bassin!
I LOVE Tube Jigs 3 inch greenish red brown ones. They slay the lots of species.
I only caught 5 dinks both days but still fun, had a monster follow my jig at one time. The biggest bucket i caught was probably 10 inches if that. I threw out a red and white spoon one evening and caught a decent channel and an 11 inch trout.
Mostly been aiming for bass.
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[ocean]

I have not been there this year but it has always been clean in the past .I cant beleive that salem pond has turned into lincoln beach. I wonder if the authorities are not doing their do bys like they used to. That is so that people are pigs.
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[Nica]

I know exactly what you mean. I was at Deer Creek last Sunday and the spot I chose was filthy. Beer cans, socks, worm containers, line with hooks still on them, even a dirty diaper. I ended up packing out a grocery bag full of crap out of there and another couple with a yound kid that came as I was leaving took out another bad. I don't understand how someone can feel ok about leaving all that trash behind.

I would be willing to come help, but it would have to be on a Sunday.
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[percheye]

Not the dirty diaper. Of all the trash people leave behind I think the diaper is the worst.
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[timberhall]

Pioneer pond in Brigham City is looking about the same too. It is great place to take the kids but there is so much trash in the water and along the bank that it makes me sick. I road my bike around the pond the other night and found night crawler containers laying on the ground about every 15 feet. Plus the usual bottles, food rap and everything else. I am not sure what the answer is. I am not sure if the litter laws can be more enforced or not. If people started getting a ticket for leaving there trash they may think twice about doing it.
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[humpy]

I hate the trash as well. I always pick up some and take out with me, but then the offenders come back and think that someone else will pick it up. I don't know what the answer is. Can a person take a picture and turn in people they see leaving trash?

Humpy
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[cadresults]

[#400080]After seeing the title of this thread, I thought it was going to be another bass or walleye discussion.[/#400080]
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[cadresults]

[#400080]What needs to happen is this: A sign posted saying anyone caught leaving behind any type of refuse, will [/#400080][#400080]receive a $1000 dollar fine. Any size or quantity of trash [/#400080][#400080]would qualify for the ticket.[/#400080]
[#400080][/#400080]
[#400080]This is the only language these morons understand. There is no use expalining to them how nice it is to have [/#400080][#400080]a clean area to fish; and, how it benefits the ecosystem.[/#400080]
[#400080][/#400080]
[#400080]They will not understand anything but a hit from their pocket book.[/#400080]
[#400080][/#400080]
[#400080]I was camping up at left hand fork (blacksmith fork) a few years ago. We picked up 2 or 3 bags of garbage from the campsite. And yes, much of it was dirty diapers.[/#400080]

[#ff0000]UPDATE:[/#ff0000]
[#ff0000][/#ff0000]
[#400080]Make sure the sign is written in Spanish as well (thanks for the reminder flygodess).[/#400080]

[Record]

Doesn't matter where you go, no matter how remote, you see trash. I've seen plenty of Cities close parks and public areas due to abuse. Fines won't help. Who will be there to enforce it.? I say close it down. Put up a big sign saying "pond closed due to public abuse and trash". That will get the message acrossed. I know, it's not fair to those who don't liter, but if enough areas are closed due to littering, the remaining areas that are open to the public, people will be very vocal if they see some one litter.
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[metal_fish]

I will post they date of the cleanup when i have it figured out.
If they closed it i would lose my sanity!!
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[line_dangler]

I would back what cad_results suggested. The difference though, make the fine say 3 or fout times bigger. All the states that have increased littering fines have not seen a huge improvement but a little one. Only a huge fine and more law enforcement will do the job. Current law enforcement for litter is a complete joke.
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[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]Okay, this thread is turning into a VENT on trash and pollution. But, the people who are creating the mess are not reading our posts. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The best we can do is take care of our own trash and to pick up what we can that others leave. We will not solve any problems by identifying them on this board. And, some of the comments have been very "politically incorrect". Offensive to many people who are not of the groups mentioned.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Like it or not, people are slobs. A lot of the garbage is left behind by careless or inconsiderate native borned Utah folks, who have been given plenty of good training and examples at home. They are just sloppy...at home and everywhere else.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]And, like it or not, we are "blessed" with a large population of "non-native" inhabitants who are here only temporarily...or who are newly arrived and care little for our habitat. In many cases these people come from countries where survival is more of an issue than the ecology. If you visit their countries you will see that they don't treat their own environment any better than they do ours. Poverty and garbage are often permanant eyesores on the landscape.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]We don't have to like it, but we have to accept that trash is gonna happen. And, our rangers and DWR COs are too few and spread too thin. On a daily basis they have to supervise large areas and deal with infractions more serious than trash. It is unfair to turn them into garbage cleanup too. Yes, they should have the time and ability to police the worst areas, and to issue costly citations. But, in many cases the citations would never be paid nor the littering stopped.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you witness littering, you have two choices. Confront those doing the littering or wait for them to leave and then clean up their mess. Confrontation is not always a good answer. You never know who is whacked out on "substances" or who is likely to use "deadly force" over even a dirty diaper. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Reporting the incident by cell phone is good, if you are in a place that gets reception and where there are rangers to respond. But, as mentioned, these folks have a lot to take care of. If the only available ranger is dealing with a boatful of hostile drunks, they are not likely to drop that and run to a dirty campsite. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]If you have a camera, start taking pictures. Take pictures of the vehicle and license plate and then the trash left behind. You would be amazed at how suddenly conscientious some of the slobs become when their carelessness is being photographed. But, again, be careful. That could provoke a potentially dangerous situation. Even if you "carry" too, it is not worth exchanging gunfire over a half a bag of trash.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]KEEP IT CLEAN. LOOK OUT FOR YOUR OWN TRASH AND TAKE THE TIME TO IMPROVE THE AREA FOR OTHERS. EVEN IF NOBODY ELSE NOTICES, IT WILL MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER.[/#0000ff]
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[humpy]

[#0000ff][/#0000ff]Like it or not, [/b]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]And, like it or not, [/b]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]We don't have to like it, but we have to accept that trash is gonna happen.[/b]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff][/b]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]Well put me down for one that doesn't like it! And We shouldn't have to accept it! We have an obligation to protect our resource. The CO's i've come across have plenty of spare time.[/b]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff][/b]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]I like your idea of taking pictures of the offenders. Does anyone follow up on those reports?[/b]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff][/b]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]I will confront any white trash, or any other group of people i catch in the act. I know they are not reading this, but if everyone lets them know it is unacceptable it may may a difference.[/b]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff][/b]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]Just my hope.[/b]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff][/b]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]Humpy[/b]
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[UTBASS]

I am with you guys! I see offenders everytime I am down fishing. I do have to admit that the winds do push trash around as well. Especially if it's a community pond. I know you can usually tell the difference between wind-blown trash and deliberate stuff. Let's try and always pick up after ourselves and gently remind others to do the same.
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