Garbage left by ice fisherman

  • Jon Jordan
    Keymaster
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 6019
    #1670321

    Good read from today’s Strib.

    http://www.startribune.com/garbage-left-by-ice-fisherman-becoming-bigger-problem/412359083/

    Garbage left by ice fisherman becoming bigger problem
    For some lakes, such as Lake of the Woods, committees have formed to clean up abandoned garbage
    By Tony Kennedy Star Tribune
    FEBRUARY 1, 2017 — 7:10AM

    The biggest piece of ice fishing trash ever handled by Mille Lacs area game warden Scott Fitzgerald was a living room couch. But every winter there’s a new surprise and Minnesota ice anglers continue to scatter tons of garbage on frozen lakes across the state.
    “It seems to be getting worse,’’ said Lt. Col. Greg Salo, enforcement division assistant director at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
    Salo said the biggest problem areas tend to be on lakes that attract large clusters of 100 or more independently operated fish houses. It’s normal for the occupants of those shacks or mobile wheelhouses to set refuse outside on the ice.
    But some of those anglers never intend to pack it out while others give up quickly if the junk becomes attached to the ice or scattered by the wind.
    “It’s not a violation until you leave it behind,’’ Salo said. “That leaves us with a small window to catch anyone.’’
    Fitzgerald and Salo said the vast majority of resort owners who rent fish houses on Minnesota lakes are conscientious about garbage removal. Some, but not all, provide portable toilets. Any cleanup crew will tell you that discarded fecal waste is not uncommon.
    “You’d be absolutely mortified by what people leave out there,’’ Fitzgerald said.
    Ice fishing litter on the American side of Lake of the Woods got to be such a problem from Warroad to Baudette that a host of South Shore municipalities, civic groups, resorts and conservation agencies banded together in 2012 to form the Keep it Clean Committee.
    Mike Hirst is a resource technician for Lake of the Woods Soil & Water Conservation District in Baudette who chairs the committee. In the past five years of campaigning for ice anglers to pick up after themselves, the committee has collected an estimated 500 tons of waste in seven strategically placed dumpsters. The committee’s annual $10,000 budget primarily goes to garbage haulers who keep the containers from overflowing.
    DNR conservation officer Nicholas Prachar of Baudette, also on the Keep it Clean Committee, said the anti-litter campaign is helping because volunteers who clean up 15 miles of shoreline each spring are finding less trash than in previous years.
    But Prachar still is frustrated by the carelessness and malice of some anglers. Operators of expensive wheelhouses who visit the lake for overnight stays have become the worst violators, he said.
    “If you can dream of it, it’s been left out there on the ice,’’ Prachar said. “It’s such an issue, and it’s just going to pollute the lake.’’
    Empty beer cans, discarded food, cardboard boxes, fish guts and old tires have become a regular part of the ice fishing scene, he said. Bags of human feces often are left behind to freeze into the ice and some anglers even leave their empty propane cylinders, he said.
    Hirst said Lake of the Woods’ water quality is classified as impaired with excess nutrients, so fecal pollution is a concern. But “back of the napkin’’ calculations regarding impacts from various litter categories has suggested that water contamination from fish house garbage is less of a concern than landscape appearance.
    Still, Hirst said, the Lake of the Woods Keep it Clean Committee is going strong and has attracted interest from other northern Minnesota lake groups. Lots of energy has gone into signage for the campaign, including fliers at local liquor stores and bait shops.
    Radio and newspaper promotions also spread the word.
    “It keeps people thinking of doing the right thing when they are on the lake,’’ Hirst said.
    Salo said the DNR will dispatch up to a dozen conservation officers to Leech Lake next month for the 38th annual International Eelpout Festival in Walker.
    Uncontained trash and leftover litter have been a chronic problem in the aftermath of that event. Salo said DNR officers will not only “work on the litter,’’ but also patrol for under-the-influence violations and game and fish law compliance.
    In the Detroit Lakes area, out-of-control trash from ice anglers prompted the Fargo-Moorhead chapter of Muskies, Inc. to work out an informal arrangement with city officials for an end-of-season cleanup.
    Brett Waldera, president of the club, said volunteers set aside a day when most icehouses have been removed from area lakes. They comb the ice on ATVs, pulling trailers.
    He said the bulk of the litter is made up of plywood, lumber and tree stumps used for blocking purposes to keep shacks from freezing into the ice.
    But the group has also picked up thousands of chewing tobacco tins, empty beer cans, discarded clothing and lots of plastic minnow bags containing excrement.
    “We pile it up on shore,’’ Waldera said. “The city comes for it with a loader.’’
    He said the volume of debris varies from year to year, depending on the length of the season.
    “It’s not getting any better,’’ Waldera said. “If we didn’t volunteer for the cleanup, it would all sink to the bottom or wash up on someone’s beach or shoreline.’’
    [email protected] 612-673-4213 tonykennedy

    Tuma
    Inactive
    Farmington, MN
    Posts: 1403
    #1670359

    This is a sad thing. My son can only sit in the ice house for a couple of hours before he has to go for a run. I give him a trash bag and $.25 for each item of trash he picks up off the ice. He has been making around $10 a trip.

    Dan
    Southeast MN
    Posts: 3790
    #1670362

    Tuma that’s awesome. And JJ from your article-a living room couch? Unbelievable. This topic has been discussed before on this site and it’s a source of frustration among most of us. I guess possible solutions are kind of like folks going over there limits-try and talk some sense into them if possible, report them, and monitoring and enforcement.

    404 ERROR
    MN
    Posts: 3918
    #1670368

    I’ve been pulling my sled trailer by my ATV on lakes near Waterville after the wheelhouses leave…I’ve found entire rolls of carpet before…There is a local company that lets me use their dumpster to dispose of the trash.

    Eelpoutguy
    Farmington, Outing
    Posts: 10440
    #1670371

    I saw that in the paper this morning. Sad that people do this.
    I picked up a pile of cans and a broken scoop shovel out on the boot a couple weeks ago, and its not as if these items were not visible to the people that left them.

    milemark_714
    Posts: 1287
    #1670373

    It’s everywhere,it’s disgusting!They don’t live there,why would they care?I wonder how effective the WI DNR tip line is?I have called in license plate#s for guys chucking garbage out of boats/vehicles at landings.Never heard any followups.

    Still amazed on how many bring glass bottles out on the ice:???:

    Cigarette butts are a huge one.And the propane bottles.

    All the signs in the world will never help.

    nhamm
    Inactive
    Robbinsdale
    Posts: 7348
    #1670382

    Called the tipline last night, CO rang back and was about 60miles away and didn’t know the area I was calling from. Real nice dude but shows again how little enforcement there really is.

    CPR, selective harvest, I do see slowly getting better with time. This problem I unfortunately don’t, swear people are just getting lazier.

    Walleyestudent Andy Cox
    Garrison MN-Mille Lacs
    Posts: 4484
    #1670383

    I did read this article from this mornings paper. Two quotes from the article seem to trouble me most.

    But Prachar still is frustrated by the carelessness and malice of some anglers. Operators of expensive wheelhouses who visit the lake for overnight stays have become the worst violators, he said.

    “It seems to be getting worse,’’ said Lt. Col. Greg Salo, enforcement division assistant director at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

    It’s easier to imagine a bunch of careless teenagers out there more interested in a place to party than any serious fishing. But I would think that most of those that can afford the “expensive wheelhouse” would be older and more responsible and better stewards of the ice fishing hobby. One ice fisherman’s garbage left out there becomes every ice fisherman’s garbage in the eyes of some. I for one am not making any judgments on wheelhouse owners out there (so don’t come after me), but just responding to the article. I was surprised!

    I suppose the fact that it is getting worse is not so much a surprise after all. Ice fishing has exploded in popularity the past 10 years, so with increasing numbers out on the ice no wonder it brings more garbage. evil

    suzuki
    Woodbury, Mn
    Posts: 18625
    #1670388

    You would think in this day and age there would be less littering. Behavioral issue I have never understood.

    Kyhl
    Savage
    Posts: 749
    #1670400

    It is sad and really is a black eye for sportsmen. “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.”

    Thankfully there are groups volunteering to clean up what they can.

    Jon Jordan
    Keymaster
    St. Paul, Mn
    Posts: 6019
    #1670422

    It is sad and really is a black eye for sportsmen. “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.”

    Well said! I’m not on the ice too much any more. Pretty sad to read this stuff. Maybe James @jamesholst can shame them on an upcoming show? I’d have to guess James must run into this crap on a regular basis???

    -J.

    Tom Sawvell
    Inactive
    Posts: 9559
    #1670427

    Maybe James @jamesholst can shame them on an upcoming show?
    -J.

    Doubtful. One has to care to be shamed.

    BigWerm
    SW Metro
    Posts: 11650
    #1670436

    I agree this is unacceptable. The LOW Keep It Clean plan should be implemented everywhere, I think it would also help if all landings (public and private) had garbage’s. I’ve seen it posted elsewhere for CO’s to mark GPS’ with Fish house registrations, and then come back once the houses are gone. Could kill two birds with one stone there, increase DNR revenue and an additional threat to the litter pigs.

    Iowaboy1
    Posts: 3791
    #1670437

    I just dont understand this mentality,to me if you are able to pack it in with you,you sure as he!! can pack it back out.
    as far as the fecal matter thing,being beyond disgusting,it shows total lack of respect for your fellow man and the environment as a whole,no body else wants to handle your s… either so deal with it,be a big boy and take it back home where you can dispose of it properly.

    it makes you wonder if they live like this at home doesnt it??
    the people that do this kind of thing in my mind are no better than the pigs we used to raise on the farm.

    with a teeny tiny bit of effort,it is not that hard to pick up after yourself.
    seeing stuff like this makes me appreciate my folks more and more each day.
    thanks mom and dad !

    BigWerm
    SW Metro
    Posts: 11650
    #1670441

    you are able to pack it in with you,you sure as he!! can pack it back out

    Totally agree, but obviously that isn’t working for everyone. I will usually pick up stuff that I come across while on the ice. However, I stopped doing that after ice out after netting up a, um, bad experience. shock

    Kyhl
    Savage
    Posts: 749
    #1670446

    it makes you wonder if they live like this at home doesnt it??
    the people that do this kind of thing in my mind are no better than the pigs we used to raise on the farm.

    I was thinking the same thing. I’m guessing they have spouses that clean up after them all day long. That wouldn’t fly in our house.

    I like to think that we aren’t the problem people from the article so the problem people aren’t seeing our discussion. Hopefully the article and any other outlets that pick up the article get through to those people.
    Maybe a PSA on fishing shows would help.

    Dan
    Southeast MN
    Posts: 3790
    #1670449

    I agree with a lot of the previous comments about the mentality, and that’s what is truly awful. Couches and rolled-up carpet have been mentioned, and we’ve all seen bait containers, broken tip-ups, wrappers, etc. Someone has to consciously throw that to the side and make the decision that it’s somebody else’s problem. And that behavior/attitude/mindset is tough to change.

    belletaine
    Nevis, MN
    Posts: 5116
    #1670452

    You would think in this day and age there would be less littering. Behavioral issue I have never understood.

    Agree, makes me wonder how much crap gets thrown out of boats.

    Charles
    Posts: 1948
    #1670460

    <div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>suzuki wrote:</div>
    You would think in this day and age there would be less littering. Behavioral issue I have never understood.

    Agree, makes me wonder how much crap gets thrown out of boats.

    I know there is a fishing rod and fishing reel in my local lake, yeah not saying anymore haha

    Kyhl
    Savage
    Posts: 749
    #1670464

    <div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>suzuki wrote:</div>
    You would think in this day and age there would be less littering. Behavioral issue I have never understood.

    Agree, makes me wonder how much crap gets thrown out of boats.

    Hopefully not couches.

    I did deliver a lawn more across Mille Lacs once. We laughed at how it must have looked driving across the lake with a lawn mower in the bow.

    PSA time, if you ever attempt this, put the lawn mower in the stern. Drove across the lake with grass clippings blowing in my face.

    I saw my friend leave the dock for a quick joy ride (he was expecting the mower) just before we pulled up with the mower. Got it unloaded prior to his return but saw him coming and high tailed it down the shoreline a way before he noticed.

    He called me shortly after laughing. Said he was coming back to the dock and his son asked, dad, why is there a lawn mower on our dock. laugh

    Tuma
    Inactive
    Farmington, MN
    Posts: 1403
    #1670472

    I have spent multiple hours with different groups picking up trash around the water ways. Every year I would be surprised by what I would find. People are just PIGS! We have yet to find a couch. But we have found many, many chairs.

    disco bobber
    Posts: 294
    #1670478

    I learned a lesson recently. I took my dog ice fishing and let her run around. She got into some one’s food waste and who knows what else. She ended up with a case of bloody diarrhea and yacked up a chunk of chicken bone.

    Fortunately after a vet visit, $260, and a few nights with very light sleep for me she is doing better. I will keep her on the rope from now on. I suppose I am part of the problem if I do not pick up after her.

    It sure seems to have gotten worse in recent years. It may be some pushback do to perceived over regulation. Some people seem to have the idea that we need no regulation

    Maybe we need a law: No trash sitting on the ice, even when you are right there. Bigger fines? Loss of licenses?

    gary d
    cordova,il
    Posts: 1125
    #1670484

    Note- People that leave trash out on the ice are not true ICE FISHING PERSON. flame

    Brian Klawitter
    Keymaster
    Minnesota/Wisconsin Mississippi River
    Posts: 59992
    #1670520

    Just a little observation I made a few years ago…

    If a person forgets their bait bucket in their boat maybe a block or two away, go back and get it instead of asking for a plastic bag. I’m not saying most bags didn’t end up in the trash, but many didn’t and those just sucked. /rant

    slipbob_nick
    Princeton, MN
    Posts: 1297
    #1671117

    Weird timing was just thinking about this. at work a guy could get killed if you throw a recyclable item in the regular garbage and then go for a walk on the lake and people leave stuff that couldn’t have been accidentally left. Theres a lot that hasn’t been built on yet between our house and the landing just saw someone was nice enough to toss two old tires on their spot. Amazing someone would even think of doing that.

    Joe Scegura
    Alexandria MN
    Posts: 2758
    #1671130

    The nice thing about garbage on the ice is it’s fairly easy to clean up. My family and I can usually clean up our entire lake (3-4 Otter sleds full) in an afternoon once the snow melts off in mid March.

    Trying to stop the garbage would be ideal, but there is still so much that is left by accident that I think an “adopt a lake” program would be nice. Just like the adopt a highway program.

    milemark_714
    Posts: 1287
    #1671165

    Just a “sample”from one of the local lakes.Filled 2 menards bags full.And there was a butchered deer off in the woods,dumped.Looked like the best parts removed and the rest chucked.

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    Jonesy
    Posts: 1148
    #1671220

    Note- People that leave trash out on the ice are not true ICE FISHING PERSON. flame

    But they are. They are on the ice and fishing. They are in fact an ice fishing person. We can try to separate them all we want but at the end of the day it’s a reflection of all of us fair or not.

    matt
    Posts: 659
    #1671231

    The large heavy duty bait bags that I get when I buy minnows are perfect trash bags for the portable house or the boat.

    Walleyestudent Andy Cox
    Garrison MN-Mille Lacs
    Posts: 4484
    #1671274

    The large heavy duty bait bags that I get when I buy minnows are perfect trash bags for the portable house or the boat.

    Well yes, certainly…when used responsably. I can understand and appreciate BK’s point. However years ago I went to buy minnows with bucket in hand into the bait shop. Straight into the bucket went minnows and water. On the way to the lake, the bucket tipped over and all the water soaked into the carpet in the back of the vehicle. Funk for months!

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