It's obvious that in the NW we have a growing problem of improper rudeness by jerks on our rivers and slob trash throwers as well. The states have been woefully slack in doing their job in keeping our rivers safe, clean, and enjoyable with proper etiquette the norm. Since part of the problem is lack of enough state budgeting for enforcement officers I have an idea for a low cost and likely effective way to address these growing issues. ...

We need large SIGNS posted by all popular boats launches/take outs and all popular bank fishing areas that concisely state proper guidlines of river and fishing etiquette that is fair to all user groups. A set of fair and ethical rules of acceptable behavior and conflict resolution criteria can be drawn up by a committee of anglers from this &/or other fishing websites and a consensus set of rules be forewith. They should be kept to the high priority issues, so as not to be too long - which could keep some guys from wanting to read them. They need to carry some substance in the form of stating "If enough complaints are issued about an individual or group of people, including guides who do not have special privilages, then steps will be taken to remove the chronic offenders from river privilages". And these signs need to be big enough and placed in a proper area so they can't be missed. And they need to be endorced and and randomly enforced by the appropriate enforcement agencies - something they should NOT be adverse to. ...

I will also suggest, as I did during the Wind River cleanup event, that large signs need to be placed, along with a large garbage can chained to a tree or post, at all major trail heads to popular bankfishing areas and at boat ramps that clearly state "DO NOT LITTER. Bring your trash back out with you and deposit it in the garbage can. Anyone caught littering by random surveilance will be cited and fined heavily. Further infractions will lead to loss of fishing privilages for an extended period of time". Again, make the signs big enough and properly placed so they can't be missed. And back this up by lower cost random surveilance by enforcement personel - since budgets don't enable watching everywhere all the time. This relatively simple, cost effective strategy will go a long ways in cleaning up our rivers of both jerks and trash. What will it take to get this simple solution done? Who knows the proper state reps and F&G Dept. personel to send these proposals too? Any of you reading this here now? With limited funds for officers afield, this will help them a lot - and they must follow thru with random surveilance and citations to put substance behind the solution signs. ... Suggestions?

RT

[ 07-04-2001: Message edited by: RT 1 ]