Garbage Already!

[OnAFly]

I know this thread comes around every year, but it needs repeating.

I went out to White Bear Lake last night and there was already garbage left out. A case box at the parking lot, a couple beer cans laying on the ice, wrappers frozen to the ice where someones porty was. It only took one week.

The DNR or law enforcement needs to crack down on this. Set a CO or officer up on shore with binoculars. Record the plate #s or DNR #s of the people leaving trash. Mail out a ticket. People need to learn to be responsible for themselves. This irritates me to no end.

[icefisker]

Amen brother. I wish they would step it up as well.

[Northlander]

They dont have the man power to get to half the lakes for "education" how do you expect them to have man power to do dumpster duty? Sadly enough its us good guys who will alwayshave to pick up after the slobs.

[herefish101]

We only wish these people would get busted, the DNR or Sherrif's dept all have bigger fish to fry. All anyone can do is try to educate and bring extra trash bags along. I usually end up picking up one full bag of other people's trash on each outing, it sucks. Ice fishing is a rapidly growing sport and along with that growth comes the people that don't care. Maybe the powers that be could post huge signs at some of the public accesses about not littering.

[OnAFly]

I understand the difficulty, but because it's difficult to police this on all lakes, doesn't mean we shouldn't police it an any lakes. Put a man on the 10 most popular lakes in the Metro area for a few weekends a winter. Send a message.

[Feathers Rainin]

Agreed. I picked up trash last weekend off of Carls Lake. Cup full of chew spit, Mr Heater box, LED fan light on the ice and a mountain dew bottle at the landing. It is sad how little respect some people have.

[pulleye16]

They dont have the man power to get to half the lakes for "education" how do you expect them to have man power to do dumpster duty? Sadly enough its us good guys who will alwayshave to pick up after the slobs.

very true. I almost always pick up other peoples trash that are left near where I'm fishing. I don't come across it that much as most of us are pretty good about it but it's almost always beer cans and minnow bags. How hard is it to put the empty cans in the minnow bags and take them both home?????

[motley man]

Let's all pick up after ourselves and tell others to do the same. I have walked over to people that are fishing and mentioned their garbage and they seem to do better at picking up the trash they bring. I've left notes on houses also.

[i'majigger]

If they would make the fine severe enough, say $1000.00 people might think twice about leaving garbage thinking they could be the one to get caught, but with the pittily little fine there is they don,t give a rats butt.

[JimBuck]

If they would make the fine severe enough, say $1000.00 people might think twice about leaving garbage thinking they could be the one to get caught, but with the pittily little fine there is they don,t give a rats butt.

I agree. A very high penalty on littering might help.

[CAMAN]

Would it be out of line for us fishermen to post signs at public accesses saying something like 'If YOU can't pick up YOUR trash please don't use OUR lake'? I'd go out of my way to make a few signs myself and post them at the landings of my favorite lakes. And if everybody did it on all the lakes would it make a difference?

[CrappieNight]

The DNR did a good job this summer educating/scaring people about vegetation on their boats and trailers. I agree with OnAFly, hit the most popular lakes and let the lazy bums know that they can't get away with this. Once the word gets out, like it did this summer, it may help to curb the trash. Has anyone contacted lake associations? Would it make a difference to bring it up to them? If I was a member of a lake association, I would take a more proactive stance, set littering signs out and take some time to protect my lake. Like all of the other respectful fisherman, I haul way too much litter out every trip.

[muddpuppy]

Last year I was out on the St.croix, A guy in a old rv style fish house through the stove and some othe trash out on the ice and then moved his shack300 yards and setup camp.

I walked over wrote down the info off of the house called the DNR gave all the info and was told sorry nothing we can do..... and that they were sure someone would remove it before the ice melted.

The Sherifs dept said the same.

To me I will never waste my time trying to do the right thing again. Unless there is a potential windfall of cash for these agencies. They are not going to lift a finger.

Funny thing though to make the point. If you call the TIP line to inform them of poaching, they are all over it. Because there are laws that would allow them to take anything and everything from a person. Maybe they need to do the same for trash

[FearNoFish]

I was going to start the same tread. I understand this might be preaching to the choir but, COME ON CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF.

I was out around the Lindstrom area last Saturday and Sunday, I picked up about a dozen differnt kinds of cans, candy wrapers and some broken plastic. Folks if you carry in on then carry it off the ice, it is lighter coming off and the cans are worth a little bit if you save enough. I paid for a new vexilar after all the cans I picked up last winter and on walks this summer. Alright I am done now, lets fish, the second hard water fish this season was a 19" walleye. Great start.

[tip_upclyma]

The sad thing is this....MOST people that tune into this HSOforum to share and collect information...are NOT the trash leaving type of fisherpeople.

People that do that sort of stuff just don't care, and it will not change...EVER.

[NCLaker]

If they gave the CO's and Sheriff guys commission on the fines for littering on the lakes, I think we would see a lot more ticketing of offenders and a lot less trash. Not to mention the extra revenue to fund their operations.

$500 littering fines, give them say 20% commission, ticket five to ten people - that is an extra $$500-1000 in their pocket a night (less uncle sam's cut of course). Other 80% goes to to hire additional CO's (temp's if necessary) Seems like a win/win to me.

[Feathers Rainin]

If they gave the CO's and Sheriff guys commission on the fines for littering on the lakes, I think we would see a lot more ticketing of offenders and a lot less trash. Not to mention the extra revenue to fund their operations.

$500 littering fines, give them say 20% commission, ticket five to ten people - that is an extra $$500-1000 in their pocket a night (less uncle sam's cut of course). Other 80% goes to to hire additional CO's (temp's if necessary) Seems like a win/win to me.

It's sad you need to give commissions to authorities for them to do their job. Aren't they supposed to "protect and serve" no matter how much money is going to their pockets? That doesn't seem right to me. I've heard of them doing that for DUI's and it seems that could cause some issues about how they go about their duties. Maybe authorities could just do it because it is the right thing to do or to help our mother earth...? Just my .02 cents.

[CrappieNight]

The Earth is not your Mother.

[Feathers Rainin]

The Earth is not your Mother.

Oh I know my Mother and I think I know yours too.

[CrappieNight]

Real cute. Yours must be proud.

[MN BassFisher]

I was out on White Bear yesterday. Pulled out from the VFW but we didn't see any trash. Evidence people were there, but no trash thankfully.

[LakeoftheWoods]

I know this thread comes around every year, but it needs repeating.

I went out to White Bear Lake last night and there was already garbage left out. A case box at the parking lot, a couple beer cans laying on the ice, wrappers frozen to the ice where someones porty was. It only took one week.

The DNR or law enforcement needs to crack down on this. Set a CO or officer up on shore with binoculars. Record the plate #s or DNR #s of the people leaving trash. Mail out a ticket. People need to learn to be responsible for themselves. This irritates me to no end.

thats all fine and dandy until someone goes out in a vehicle other than their own. said vehicles owner then gets a ticket in the mail for something they didn't do? I certianly wouldn't be very happy to receive a ticket for something I didn't do.

[toughguy]

Whatever happened to those "give a hoot - Don't Pollute" commercials? Maybe they need to replace a couple of the "click it or ticket", DWI commercials with some of these.

[going4it]

First day out ice fishing we were the first group out there this season and on of course everyone followed us out there. On the way back in had to pick up wrappers and pop cans. No respect any more.

[tsande00]

Littering on the lakes isn't so bad, it just sinks to the bottom when the ice melts right?