Have you ever pulled into the boat access ramp only to find trash littering the ground or perhaps floating in the water? Have you ever waded to your favorite riffle on a stream to find bottles and cans sunk to the bottom? Has your child or pet ever cut a foot on broken glass in the water? The beauty of Tennessee outdoors is often marred by thoughtless users who leave behind their trash. With increased usage of our streams, lakes, and rivers outdoor pollution has become a major problem--both for managers who must divert limited recreational funds to clean-ups and for users who are offended at waste which spoils both the view and the facilities.

Anglers have a special responsibility in using the waters of our state. We have a direct impact on environmental quality by what we leave behind. Because we are so numerous--Tennessee has more anglers than any other state in the region!--the actions of just a small percentage can have a very visible effect. It does not take much trash to mess up a beautiful fishing hole--but it doesn't take much effort to make a really big difference either! Here are some things we anglers can do to protect our fishing environment in Tennessee.

Take out all your trash. Perhaps the most common anglers' trash is bait cups followed closely by beverage containers. The banks and edges of our waters are dotted with white foam cups left behind after the worms, crickets or grubs were used. Expanded foam containers have a very long life in nature. Although the cups and boxes eventually fragment, the small parts continue to affect our aesthetic and aquatic environment. If we are fishing for catfish, our bait containers can be both messy and smelly. A very simple way to bring these containers back for proper disposal is to use a plastic grocery bag. I always carry one or two of these in my pack or vest to keep my trash from soiling my other gear. Back at the parking lot the knotted bag can be dropped in the trash container. Bring back all your used food containers as well. I often "ice up" my cooler at the beginning of the trip--and save the ice bags for the trash generated on the trip.

Fishing supplies are trash too. These supplies range from monofilament and leader to spools, packages, and sinkers. As a wading angler, I have discovered that there are two sure signs of holes where fish are to be found. I look for bait cups on the bank and for monofilament in the trees or brush. Our banksides are laced with our fishing lines. It is impossible to fish without fouling some line, but we should make every effort to recover this line and to dispose of it properly. And we should carry out all our packaging and wrapping materials such as line and lure boxes. A very common sight along Middle and East Tennessee trout streams are corn cans. Corn is a very effective trout bait, but the can should be toted out. Wrap it in your sandwich bag, and bring it back with you.

Be careful with motor fuels and oils. This applies to boat anglers. Petroleum products represent one of the major categories of both marine and freshwater pollution. In fact, this type of pollution is so serious that federal legislation is continuing to impose restrictions on both manufacturers and users of power boats. Oil and gas have a direct effect on waterfowl, for instance, that swim through the sheen left by our spills and leaks. This sheen has another effect, however. Because it is lighter than water, it floats on the surface and because of its own surface tension, the oil and gas form a complete barrier over the top of the water cutting of oxygen to fish food such as midges and larvae that are breathing at the water surface. Once the oil/gas drift to the bank or edge, the decomposition products are absorbed into the food chain and eventually pass into the flesh of fish, mussels, oysters, and the tissues of the mammals that feed on these foods. Other chemicals follow the same route, but may be even more harmful. Solvents, de-greasers, and other cleaners should always be used at home, never on the water or in the ramp areas. Oil changes should always be conducted away from the water.

Respect landowners' property and privacy. This can involve many things. We should always be careful with our vehicles--don't drive across fields, don't block gates, and remember that farm equipment requires more room to maneuver than our cars and trucks. Leave room for the farmer to make his turns. Always ask permission to enter or cross private land--in good Tennessee tradition, most landowners are tolerant of anglers, but we have to be good neighbors too. Float/boat anglers often camp or picnic on private bankside property--which is not much of a problem until we leave our trash behind, fail to extinguish and cover our fires, or party half the night with our portable stereo blasting away. This last problem has become so acute in some locations that extensive land posting combined with rigorous law enforcement have been introduced. I know of one group of lakeside campers that recently spent a night in jail for their raucous behavior.

Dispose of human waste properly. Most of our river and lake access points do not have restroom facilities. Plan ahead for your convenience when you make your stops for food or gasoline. Use the restrooms when they are available. Once on the water, follow the common rules of decency and courtesy. If you must use the woods or bank for waste, be sure to cover the waste with soil or leaves. If you are camping at an access point that does not have restrooms you should take a portable outdoor potty with you. Some of our access points along rivers have become serious health hazards because of campers' raw waste around the sites. This is as offensive as it is unsanitary and spoils the place for other users. For outdoors men, these places along our waterways are all our "backyards"--we wouldn't do these things in our own backyard and we shouldn't do them along the waters.

Dispose of fish waste properly. Often we see heads and guts in the water right at the boat ramp. Many times I have seen anglers return in their boats and clean fish right at the dock or ramp--and then throw the waste directly into the water. Fish waste decomposes quickly and is also eaten by riverine mammals, so in ecological terms this is a kind of appropriate recycling. But often such waste washes back on to the ramp or shore where it becomes unsightly and offensive. In public areas it is better to dispose of fish waste in trash bins or to walk well away from the public area to naturally dispose of it. Under no circumstances should fouled paper or plastic be disposed of along with the fish waste. The newspaper you use under the fish should be disposed of in a trash bin. If there is not one at the access point or dock, wrap it up--use your plastic ice bag--and dispose of it later.

Do your part. Clean up your fishing hole. Personal efforts have small overall effect on American solid waste, but along our waterways the great numbers of anglers and boaters can make an enormous difference in the visual beauty of Tennessee rivers if we would make the effort just to clean up the area around our favorite fishing hole. One bag of trash taken out will make a difference. A single plastic grocery bag will hold a dozen each of beverage containers and bait cups. Some river ways are now sponsoring annual cleanups. These are usually announced in newspapers and by poster at bait and tackle shops. Invest five to fifteen minutes in the quality of Tennessee waters and lend a hand.

Gerald L. Smith

Sewanee, TN 37375

June/July 1994

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A version of this story appeared in a 1994 issue of Tennessee Valley Outdoors.