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Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | O.K., right now all this is, is an idea of mine. And unlike some of my recent ideas, that I just jump into and suffer the consequences, I thought I'd run this one by you guys and see what you think first. And I'm positive it will not appeal to everyone. I've made a few calls to local businesses that benefit from the ice fishing traffic and have asked them for some prizes in the form of merchandise or gift certificates for this contest. Some have yet to get back with me and others have shown interest. But heres the layout and why I got the idea for this contest.
On my last charter with ice fishing clients from out of town, they commented on the amount of trash on the ice at our launching site. Of course the trash did thin out as we got further off shore, but it was still evident everywhere on the Bay. Personally, I pick up all my trash generated during the day and will dispense with any comments here, that I would like to spew at the people who do not. With that said, I'd like to put on a (Clean up the Bay) contest to be held for one day at all the ice fishing departure areas on the West shore. Probably from Ericson Road south to the State Park. Not sure how it would all be set up as far as prizes yet. Maybe even just a drawing for all the participating entrants. But something along those lines.
I've participated in things like this before on River Clean up's on the Pere Marquette and Big Manistee, where we got tons of trash and junk out of these beautiful waterways. The Saginaw Bay means more to me than just another place to clean out my truck, and might get some respect if we show others that we care about it for more than just a Big walleye. Maybe with enough exposure, we might even get a few people to at least shove their candy rappers in their pockets till they get home. Anybody interested in this?
Edited by walleye express 2/12/2005 9:43 AM
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Member
Posts: 701
Location: upper michigan | My walleye club used to go out and clean up a local lake that has heavey ice fishing pressure but the problem we ran into was bad ice and big holes in the ice and decided to stop before some one got hurt or worse we worked in groups and carried saftey equipment.
By organizing an event that would bring the general public in the liability would be real scary indead. What you may want to consider is getting the local walleye clubs involved in the clean up they get good publicity and a clean bay to fish in you should be able to get a local refuse company to donate a dumpster or two also. |
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Posts: 2680
Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | Good points Butch, and something I considered. I'm thinking if it wasn't a sanctioned affair, similar to the Shiver on the river tourney, where you simply check in your own fish/trash, caught/gathered under your own planned cicumstances, the personal liability would be nil. Maybe I'm wrong. Would be a real shame to get sued for doing a good dead hey? So what new? |
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| Its a great idea! It will be tough to get folks involved. Time off for alot of people is hard to get so they'd rather spend it fishing. With that being said you could have a fishing/trash pick up contest on same day as everyone goes out fill them in.
Getting people to pick up others trash is very difficult. A couple years ago at the Tippy during peak run 5 of us took a large bag each and walked down the bank from the coffer down to first bend, we only made it half way and filled all the bags. During the walk most "fisherman" just watched and fished. Others made comments while only one guy decided what we were doing was worthwhile and helped.
Good Luck.
Dan |
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Member
Posts: 701
Location: upper michigan | Its a shame that people treat there resources like that. Many of the people that leave that trash on the ice are the very first ones to complain about all the trash on shore in the summer. Dan if you could organize something to coincide with the shiver on the river event. Where they could pick up tagged bags on there way out and drop them off on there way in at the boat launches and Place maybe the top 10 or 20 garbage collectors into a random drawing for some prizes that may get some interest. One bag of garbage removed is one less floating around the bay after ice out. I think its a great idea but to try and organize a late ice event with people is what scares me away from anything like that. |
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Posts: 2680
Location: Essexville, MI./Saginaw Bay. | Ya. it may be to late this year. Even Larry at Franks liked the idea and said he'd donate an ice shanty for a prize and get these monster garbage bags from a supplier of his. This thing is going to happen next year, and I like the Shiver idea. |
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