Polluting during tournaments

I know this is a funny heading for a post but read on and offer any advice if you have any. In two different national tournaments this year that I fished as a non boater I saw my draw partner intentionally throw trash into the water. The first time was on Santee Cooper when the guy I was paired with took about 75 yards of line that he had from a backlash, rolled it up between his hands into a ball and dropped it over the side of the boat. The same person also left wrappers from crackers, candy bars, pop cans etc. on the deck of the boat so every time we would take off they would conveniently fly off into the lake. During the LaCrosse event my day two partner ate a candy bar as soon as we got to our spot and said “oops” as he accidentally dropped the wrapper into the river. Later that day he had to refill the oil tank on his boat. After using a paper funnel he again said “oops” and threw the dirty funnel right into the river. At this point I was extremely mad and wanted to say something but this was the problem I was faced with. How do you approach someone about something like this when they are in control of the boat, responsible for getting you in on time, and quite honestly can make the next 8 hours of your life a living hell if they want to. I was just shocked to tell the truth because I have been fishing draw tournaments in the midwest for around 6 years and have never seen anything like that before. The fact that one of the guys was from Kentucky and the other from Tennessee might have had something to do with it. I hate to generalize but a lot of people down south have no idea when it comes to conservation of nature and its resources.

First let me say there a lot good folks and people who fish from the south.However walking through the Wal-Mart parking lot in Jasper Texas,the trash was deeper than the snow usually is up north.

First thing we have to do is point out that tournaments have nothing to do with these people polluting.

These people don’t give a rats period. Tournament or no tournament, they are probably doing the same thing ANY time they are on the water…

Don’t forget something, they already broke tourament rules by not fishing in a sportsman-like manner. Polluting isn’t very sportsman like. If you confront them and they make your day hell, you can return the favor by doing 1 simple thing. DON’T SIGN THEIR WEIGH SLIP….When the tournament director asks why…tell him the story and watch what happens. I’ll bet 100-1 he gets DQ’d for starters, not to mention further punishment. You’d be surprised at how non-lenient these national tourney directors are towards bad sportsmanship.

Let them boys know that we won’t have people coming up to our fisheries and polluting them

That ball of line is particularly bad. Gobs of line can do a lot of damage to waterfowl and other critters. Jeez, what are pockets for!

Personally I would have said something.

Rootski

A nasty look can go a long ways.

No offense, but you are preaching to the choir. I agree with SLop Bass, next time bring it up with the tounament director. You said the guy could make 8 hours of your life a living hell, so what, how long have you agonized over it since it actually happened. Better to say something and get it off your chest than to live with it. Just my opinion.

I would have definately said something. I don’t even toss my cigarette butts into the water, just flick the ash in and pocket the butts. Depending on how the day goes, determines how full my pocket gets!

Last year at the Everstart in LAX my partner Joe Balog had a tupperware container for his butt’s. If he was on the bow and had one he put the butt down and grabbed it before we moved to the next spot. Very committed to keepin the waters clean

Call him on it. Don’t be intimidated. Stand up for what you know is right or wrong. You don’t have to throw him in the water over it unless he’s asking for it.. but bring it up.. you never know what the end result is unless you bring it up in a respectful way. In the end you may both agree to disagree. The other thing you could do is grab the net, plung it in the water & catch the wrapper, put it in your pocket.. maybe he’ll get a clue. Doesn’t matter where he’s from.. next door neighbor or across the nation. Pollution reads the same in my dictionary as it does anywhere else.

If he tries to make your day hell on water, just outfish him.