A plea to all walkers and anglers

Tragus · #1 (**permalink**) 26-11-2005, 08:20 PM

Before I start, I am not having a go at anyone, purely asking for help.
Could all anglers, walkers and those who are near water at any time please keep a look out for discarded line, floats, hooks etc. and take them home with them

Most anglers are conscientious and care deeply about wildlife,but there are times when fishing lines breaks or is left by those NOT so caring and this then becomes a problem for all wildlife, particularly waterfowl.
I have attached some of the hooks/float photos and one of a gull injured by carelessly left fishing tackle. Please help us to help the wildlife

nightshade · #2 (**permalink**) 27-11-2005, 12:59 PM

I agree ,just caught a blackbird 1mtr. of line attached to a hook in its throat
all I could do was cut as much of the hook off as possible and release it.
I always have and always will clean up where anglers cant be bothered,the majority are conciencious.My main cause of dismay nowdays is the discarding of plastic water bottles,by otherwise responsible people,when I challenged a yuppie class woman she said they were perfectly safe as "no animal would swallow them"!!

Coops · #3 (**permalink**) 02-12-2005, 09:36 PM

As an angler this does annoy me. I too hope that anglers begin to take care and clean up after themselves. Unfortunatly some people have an utter disregard for others and the places they fish and the wildlife within the area. However i do not class these people as true anglers as anglers are not just about the fish they catch but the journey they take in doing so.

This type of behaviour is apparent in all areas of society, angling is prehaps a little more fagile that other areas, as the perception is different for different people. I would though like to thank you guys for recognising that it is not all anglers who cause these problems but i will say that it is getting more and more wide spread, mainly due to the amounts of people who are fishing and the amout of products on the market (packaging).

Tragus · #4 (**permalink**) 02-12-2005, 09:49 PM

Hi there Coops

Welcome to the forum, and thank you for your post. I totally agree with you and find that nearly all anglers I have met are responsible and helpful.
Many of our wildlife casualties are either reported or even rescued by anglers and without them a lot of what goes on would remain 'hidden'.

Could you help me by maybe identifying the types of hooks etc in the attached pictures? I mean they seem a little over the top for fishing on small lakes. It makes me wonder if younger children are using 'grandads old kit' without supervision. I'm sure our local wardens who keep an eye on the lakes and stretches of rivers would be only too glad to advise children on what to use for which fish.
Welcome once again Coops

tragus

Tragus · #5 (**permalink**) 02-12-2005, 09:53 PM

Well done you nightshade

for catching and removing said hook. The consequences would have been disastrous. It's utterly laughable at the excuses people come up with for throwing away litter, and its amazing what people throw away too, I'm sure most of it could be recycled.
Tragus

Coops · #6 (**permalink**) 02-12-2005, 09:56 PM

I cannot seem to find the pictures you have put up.

There are lots and lots of taining oppertunities for the younger generation. Things like national angling week, fishathon etc where people can go a recieve help form older and more experienced anglers. However the littering aspect is more down to the indevidual rather than how they are taught. The person you see at the traffic lights who empties their ash tray out the window etc... they know its wrong and so easy to go about their business correctly but choose not to.

Cheers for the welcome :-)

nightshade · #7 (**permalink**) 03-12-2005, 03:27 PM

I moved into a swim one morning and picked up line, sandwich wrappers, a milkbottle and a wallet of hooks to line. a little later I was asked to produce my licence (which I had) by a club bailiff,he looked around not a little suprised then asked if I had found any hooks as he had been fishing there minutes before I arrived,I handed over the bag, hooks rubbish and all, he disappeared very quickly!
I still see the large majorityof anglers as very tidy and caring people like every group there are just a few selfish and uncaring that give the rest a bad name

Tragus · #8 (**permalink**) 03-12-2005, 09:23 PM

Hi again Coops,
If you scroll up to the first post in this thread, you will hopefully see some pictures on the screen. If you click on these it will enlarge the image for you.
Hope this helps

tragus

Boddie · #9 (**permalink**) 03-12-2005, 09:57 PM

Good thread this one. Very conscientious and very true and something that we can all help with. It does not take much but makes a big difference.

Tragus · #10 (**permalink**) 05-12-2005, 06:07 PM

Thanks Boddie

It DOES make a huge difference. We had one family who bought in a lead poisoned duck from a lake near to their house. The duck did survive but we moved it to another lake which was fishing free, as it was just unfair to return it to the lake. As a result the family now regularly 'warden' the lake themselves and in the first week filled an icecream tub size box with old fishing tackle and bits of household rubbish. The press even got hold of their efforts and rewarded them with a piece in the local paper. The lake is much cleaner and the wildlife is checked on by the local residents.
Tragus