My family uses the river too...

[Nickajack Angler]

Growing up in North Carolina Mountains, I was raised with a great sense of purpose when it came to conserving our waters, forests, and wildlife. Yesterday after church, my family and I jumped into Mary's van to take a scenic ride. She had been to a "girly" party up on Lookout Mtn.and wanted to share the view with us. I told them if they thought that was cool, I could take them to show them Signal Mtn which Hal has shown me a bit of in the recent months working together on Real Estate stuff.
Growing up hanging tobacco, working fields, working livestock and riding horses rounded out my hunt/fish childhood. My Dad always asked me to help pick up where ever we went. I wish others father's had done the same thing. Remember the commercial where the indian had a tear running down his cheek? That's the way I felt yesterday while we went to explore our new state. Here are some pics I took. See if we can start a ground swell of support to stop littering in TN. It makes me want to throw up. I wish just once, I could catch someone throwing something out.....emoVomit Don't Litter!!!!!

 

[Bprice]

Thanks for your post Spence... we used to live on Signal Mountain in 87-88.  I knew that place looked familiar...

 

[Skeeter]

I know what you mean man. I mountain bike, cave, hike and fish. You would be amazed how all the people that use the trails and caves leave their trash laying around. Its a disgrace... expecially caves. Guess people think if its underground no one will see it. emoRolleyes

 

[polo-dog]

I'm all for keeping the TN valley free from all that trash. It saddens me to drive up Hwy 58 and see all that trash that comes out of those garbage trucks. They pay less at the land fill the more trach flies off the truck I would expect. The BFI folks or whoever is picking up all of that are irresponsible and ought to be fined time and time again until it stops. Just my opinion.

 

[UTCAngler]

I agree completely fishing from the banks really opens your eyes @ just how much crap is on the shore not to mention in the water & everywhere else.My dad has a Jeep that we take rock crawling pretty often back home & everytime we go we always take 2-3 trash bags & cleen up a lil bit.I swear ive been some places you'd think you were the first person to ever set foot there then youll look down & see empty beer bottles & stuff.Im gonna start taking trash bags w/me everytime i fish.Wont do a whole lot but itll help.Ive been playing around w/an idea for quite a while now about doin a lakeshore cleanup when it warms up.I dont know if they already do those hear or not but maybe we could have a CFF one or something.Dad said he'd be more than happy to bring down the smoker & do burgers & dogs & stuff.Id love to do something like that but I dont have the time, means, or know enough people here to pull something like that off so if anyone would be interested in helping id be all for it or if you know of something similar id love to help.Just an idea.I dunno we could do trash clean-up for awhile, eat some, then maybe do a lil fishin or something or do a quick Tx.Any ideas???

 

[Nickajack Angler]

yeah, I've been thinking the same thing... There is a guy who was about your age when he started in Minneapolis on the Mississippi. He started by soliciting and doing presentations to corporations for contributions. Bought a nice boat and hired a couple of guys. They drove up and down the river picking up garbage. He occassionally posted pics of stuff they picked up out of the river. It was amazing... He goes over a lot of water too. I think he went or is trying to complete the entire Miss. river to the gulf. Made a pretty good living too. Had some corp sponsors and Fed grants. But a family day to pick up garbage and maybe Richard could help with some press to cover it. Call in the masses and raise some awareness would be ideal.
Blazer and I were just talking and much of what I see on the shores of lakes is small plastic stuff that blows out and no one bothers to stop and pick it up. Just let it fly.

 

[Bprice]

NA, what area is that with all the litter? </p>

Maybe we can set up a CFF Clean Up Day?  Get the Chattanoogan and local TV involved... maybe some student groups from UTC as well...</p>

 

[Nickajack Angler]

Nickajack. Shellmound park. That's nothing. Go to the Cave Lake in New Hope. I've never seen an area of the USA littered as bad as I have in TN. I've worked in 23 states and feel I can say that comfortably.
Moving here from another state and having an objective view of the area is what it is. It is such a stark contrast to me.... IT IS GLARING!!!!
You'd NEVER see this in Minnesota. And it's the land of 10,000 lakes. I mean, you will see some stuff. Yes. That's inevitable. But this was me just walking the shore! I took a pic. Then walked three steps, took another. This was JUST 20 YARDS OF SHORE HERE! It went on for a LONG way. It's everywhere here. And yes, we should do a clean up day. We can do it all the way down the river and involve schools, local municipalities and churches. Unless we get the kids to see this from our vantage point, this will never change. The next generation needs to be armed so they can be proactive in their lives to change this. It's despicable. Every person on CFF that I have fished with has had a conversation about it. I think it's so overwhelming and so common place that Tennesseans are apathetic to it. That's why I posted it.
I've got an idea.... Everyone start taking some pictures of when you see a bunch of trash washed up or stuff that is JUST WRONG floating around. Send them to [email protected] I'll start filing them. Just put where you found it. Lake and general area. Like I saw a wallet, tampons and a 9 ft table on the shore I had to walk around at MCP. I can put it into a slide show and use it here in Marion County to get it started. Schools, county, library, churches, etc....

 

[UTCAngler]

I hope we do something like this.Ive done a few shore cleanups on Tellico lake & you wouldnt believe the stuff we found.I found several meth labs that we had to call in HAZMAT for.Ive already talked it over w/my folks & theyd be willing to come down & dad is awesome on the grill weve got 3 big smokers.We could look into getting some donations for all the food, and maybe hit up some local tackle stores for some doorprizes or something.Who doesnt like free stuff.Or another idea i had would be do like a $5 plate kinda thing w/eiher ribs or brisket,beans,bread & drinks.We just keep enough $$ to pay for the food then maybe donate the rest to TWRA or some local anti-litter org. If i can get enough feedback & a lil help then we can make this thing happen.

 

[redwingonlookout]

count me in guys,This is just the kick in the but i needed I am like you spence It is disgusting the way people leave their litter laying around like there is a magic bunny that waves a magic wand and it will disappear, everytime i fish near the chick dam i think to myself this is really sad the way humans just destroy nature, Ive seen pics of ducks and geese with 6 pack binders stuck on there head turtles dead because someone wanted to throw their garbage on the ground instead of taking their garbage home or better yet to the nearest garbage can. lets think of our kids kids and their kids kids enough stumping just post when the clean up will take place and i along with my son and ol PG will be there wont we PG

 

[Buoy-Master]

Great idea Brandon! </p>

With members near Dayton, Sale Creek, Soddy, Hixson, Harrison, Nickajack, Chattanooga, Watts Bar and on and on... we should be able to get a few small groups in those areas and have a mass clean up day!!!!!  </p>

I can see an even signup sheet in the future with names and areas. </p>

I like it!

</p>

 

[josh.schreiber]

great thoughts and ideas guys! count me in

 

[Gone fishin]

Was up on Parksville last saturday and there is this huge trash can beside the ramp, well laying right beside it on the lake shore was a empty case of beer and around eight empty bottles lying there not five feet from the trash can. Thats just plum lazy.
Read in a magazine where this fishing club had a tournament and gave everybody a garbage bag. While they fished they picked up garbage they were able to get to and whoever came back with the heaviest bag won a couple extra dollars. Just an idea.

Practice catch and release so our next generation will be able to enjoy the resource.

 

[Bprice]

I'll work with Spencer and Billy on this... we'll see what we can get together.

 

[Luketrician]

great ideas guys..count me in. I used to work at Watts Bar Dam and can remember standing and looking out over the intakes to the powerhouse and there would be so much garbage piled up there. emoAngry

I did catch a nice 5lb largemouth on Carters lake a few years ago. That fish was using an old igloo cooler and a spare tire for cover...I seen him dart out from under it all to grab my baby brush hog.emoDoh

 

[Nickajack Angler]

You guys are resonating my thoughts exactly. We can put together a BIG day where all communities along the river/reservoirs can contribute. I always thought it was weird that there aren't signs that say "Please don't Litter" but a better one would be one like you see in a shop's bathroom or kitchen that usually says "Your Momma don't work here. Clean up after yourself!"
Let me write some emails and see what kind of support we can get from the Aquarium and such... Anyone know anyone at the TWRA that might want to offer some support for this? It's a great way to teach our kids about "community service".

 

[Nickajack Angler]

Y'all send me some pictures of litter on the water or shores. I'll put them into a powerpoint presentation and use it to garner support. I'm going to go show it to some others.
Send to [email protected]

 

[hl&s]

I posted an offer to help in this effort this morning and it has been removed.emoScratch

Who removed it and why ??

 

[mallardecho]

hl&s - 2/26/2008 11:06 AM

I posted an offer to help in this effort this morning and it has been removed.emoScratch

Who removed it and why ??

I saw your post, I think. about that time I had trouble navigating the website, maybe it was just a technical glitch or something.

 

[hl&s]

Thanks MallardEcho, that could explain it. Anything can happen with computers !emoLaugh

I like UTCAngler's idea of food with the proceeds going to TWRA or an agency that supports clean waterways and shorelines. I could probably gather 4 to 6 energetic teens that would help. All it takes is a boat ride and they would be glad to pitch in. emoBigsmile

I would be glad to post some flyers around Shellmound and MCP. Maybe TSO could promote the event on the talk show. Some CFF litter bags to use would be a plus.

Post some dates and times.