Part 2: “Should I pick this up…?”
By Dustin Stanberry
At some point in our fishing excursions, we all have probably encountered some trash or litter on the stream. It seems that it is impossible to find a piece of water that hasn’t been fished, at least in my location, anymore. We want to believe that the more work we put into getting to that special spot will pay off by being a pristine piece of water. It’s only after we arrive and fish a few yards that we quickly realize, we aren’t pioneers and we’re just following the footsteps of someone who has already been there. Traces of human presence can often be found in the form of trash in or around the water. Something we can control, as anglers, is what we do when we see this debris. Sure, we could choose to ignore the litter or, we could take just a few moments to pick up the trash. I’m not suggesting that everyone carry a trash bag with them while fishing just to pick up after others but, how much could we clean up if everyone picked up one more piece of garbage than they carried in?
Recently, while guiding, I retrieved a soda can, wine bottle and chip bag on the way back to the vehicle for lunch. The clients being guided were curious as to why someone would pick up another’s trash. We ate lunch and I placed the refuse in the trash bag alongside our trash. After witnessing how easily the trash was disposed of, they were on the lookout for the rest of the evening. The point of this story is quite simple, being bold and setting an example is not only a rewarding experience, sometimes it can initiate a change in the behavior of others. These changes can impact all of us in a positive way. Preserving the resource that we cherish is one of the most challenging goals we face as anglers.
Something that all anglers are faced with is the scraps and snippets of leader, tippet or fishing line. Every time a lure or fly is changed we generally need to trim the tag ends of our knot. Ideally, we want to pack all of our line out. Realistically, we drop small amounts of line from time to time for various reasons. Perhaps it’s windy and your fingers are cold and wet or, maybe you are in the middle of feeding fish and trying to make a quick fly change. I make a point to stow any of my trimmings that are over ½” in length. I just push them into my chest pocket on my waders and throw the line away when I get home. Cutting the line up into small pieces before placing it in the garbage will help to ensure it will not be a problem later on. It doesn’t take much effort to do and I know the fish and wildlife will appreciate it. Along the same lines, I am constantly on the lookout for abandoned line while I fish. You probably won’t have to look hard to find line on trees and snagged in the rocks on the stream bank. Large amounts of line like this are tough on the fish and other wildlife so when you have a chance, take a moment to gather what you can and pack it out. It might make the difference to the life of a critter or the fish we try so hard to protect. If you find yourself asking the question “Should I pick this up?” then it’s probably the right thing to do. Another way to look at this would be to ask yourself if you would appreciate someone picking up the debris in question.
In the quest for good decorum on the water, picking up after each other and ourselves is one of the most important. Trash and litter on the stream is something that affects us all. We can’t walk over debris, expecting or counting on someone else to pick it up. We all have to do our part to keep the water we love so much clean and free of refuse. After all, if we wait to make a change, it could be too late.
Dustin Stanberry is an instructor at Biltmore Fly Fishing and Sporting Clays located in Asheville, NC.