OK this is going to be a semi-rant. I am sick and tired of the attitude that I've been getting from some of the local people on the rivers that I fish. Locals that are interfering with Herms broodstock program, because they don't want more people on "their" river. Locals that make me feel like I have to thank them for letting me float down the Nooch. Locals that bar access to public land because they don't like all the people on "their" river. Locals that build meth labs on Weyerhauser land, vandalize equipment and get my hunting areas gated. Last but not least I don't like the locals that I saw yesterday fishing the upper Sop. Four of Grays Harbor Counties finest come strolling up with beers in their hands, crowed right in on a small hole and drive me off. I walk down river to the next hole and 10 minutes later here they come. They fish, drank and smoked dope for a little while and then head off to find the next spot to spoil. I decide that I'd had enough and left. But before leaving I stopped to pick up 3 beer cans and one empty pack of smokes. Stop back at the next hole and pick up 3 more empty cans. So the next time you local people are *****in about all the out of towners that are spoiling "your" rivers rememble that there are a few of you doing it too and a few townies that care enough to clean some of it up. Alright I'm stepping off my soapbox, because I need to clean all the empty beer cans out of my truck.

I fish a particular park on the Clackamas a lot which always has a lot of garbage present. One time, I came back to my truck and this grungy-lookin' non-fishing guy was picking up trash. I said "Thanks for doing that" He responded "I live here. If I don't pick it up, who will? Comes from all the teeny-boppers who come here to drink at night." Ever since that encounter, I try to pick up something on my way out .

Alaska has a $1000 fine for littering and I'll bet it's enforced if caught. It's too bad that we
don't enforce that litter law in Oregon and Washington since both states are short on money. Of course if we didn't litter, there would be no place to put those jokers in the orange duds along
the roadways that we see ALOT! With a ton of garbage.

Trailrat, If you lived and fished a certain river your whole life and then all of a sudden that river showed up in all the papers, on the radio, and now every "yuppie" in the country was fishing it, you'd be a little pissed too, huh! You cant blame them...
Most of the locals care about their river because they are the same places their dad, and his dad fished, but of course there are the lame brains like you mentioned above that leave their crap everywere.
My favorite river is close to the metro area, and every weekend it gets packed with out of towners that dont have a clue as how to approach a spot without corking everyone, but i show them no disrespect...They flat out dont know any better. They wont be getting any tips or eggs cure recipes from me that us "locals" share. :p :p

trailrat,did you ask these fellows if they were from gh.i agree their are always a few bad seeds everywhere you go.several of the meth labs busted were guys from up your way as well as down here in grays harbor.most of the problem i see with the out of town fisherman is you guys don't bother to wave or say hi,so it works both ways.i have met a lot of nice people from up your way and vice versa.as the population of wa.increases their are going to be more fisherman,so it is important to get along.scott

Scotty. I believe in everything you just replied.........I have tried on many ocasions to do just like you said, and say hi, or how are you today? But like alot of us (who run sleds in the above mentioned rivers), I have been told where I can shove my sled instead of a simple reply, even though I stay in both lower rivers!! I really try to stay out of bankies way, or driftboats way. So now days I still respect everyones right to a certain hole, but you will never see me take the time to chit chat with someone unless they strike up a conversation first !!

I gotta agree that it can be a bear dealing with some of the locals. But its either smile say hi and be respectfull or don't care and get your tire slashed, sand in you hub, etc, etc...... I don't know about you guys but I'll just smile it just fishin See ya on the river.

Tight lines

Kevin

SRBC

There is a woman I talked to this fall that owns property on the Kalama. She charges $5 per person to fish on her property. We got talking and she told me she would let people fish for free if they picked up their own garbage, but that they didn't, and the $5 per head was her price to clean it up for them. I can't blame her one bit, in fact I applaud her for going this route rather then close off access for everyone.