Back Lake Rant

[4x4bassin]

I discovered a back lake about 15 years ago that has great fishing , great island campsite and is very quiet , perfect spot !!

Over the years the fishing has declined a bit but that is to be expected due to the increase in fishing pressure but it is still

very good. Our once clean and perfect campsite has slowly become a garbage dump with old tarps , beer bottles (broken as well)

propane cannisters , cig. butts ,broken lawn chairs ,I could go on and on but I won't. One group actually left three cases of

empty beer bottles behind with a bag of garbage , I guess they thought the G man was coming by on monday to pick it up . I

can some what live with all this crap because we clean it up and it is done for another week or two but this past weekend took the prize

for the most ignorant and just plain stupid campers !

What I discovered was that someone had taken a chainsaw and cut down a living 100 foot white pine right beside our camping spot and cut notches

in about 5 others for no reason but just to be stupid , these 5 other trees will be dead in a couple of years. Our once pristine

campsite used by many has now been basicly clear cutted , the site has been changed for several generations for what , a little

fun with a chain saw , GROW UP !!!!!!

I left the site for another year and was quite mad but now I'm saddened by this stupid act of vandalism. You know we all try to do our part

with catch and release , picking up other peoples garbage and just general conservation but there probably is nothing we can

do about this !

Thanks for listening

DG

[cranks bait]

Wow that sounds exactly like a small lake that our hunt camp is at. Used to be a gorgeous place to camp out on a point. Over the last couple of years the same groups of people have been coming to it and trashing it. By the sounds of what was left, I would swear it was the same place. We have also noticed while we have been out fishing that they have left a raging bonfire at the site while they go home. I feel lucky that we were there to put the fire out more than once, because of what could have happened. It's sad to see people do this, I wish they would have better respect but I guess that is asking too much?

[asdve23rveavwa]

Sad story, sorry to hear about it. Disgusting what some people will do to the few beautiful places left.

[mercman]

At least they didnt take a dump in the fire pit like they did to my spot.I bad apple spoils it for everyone. I wonder what they would do if i went to thier back yard and took a dump in thier BBQ. and took a leak on thier tomatoes.

 

 

[bare foot wader]

I feel your pain there, truly do....I've watched two of my back woods honey holes be destroyed over just a few years, lakes that me and my buddy worked hard to find, road access was rough but gentle enough most trucks/suv's would make it but the actual access points were well hidden and not overly well known....constantly bumped into the same group of 6-10 guys over the first 3 yrs taht knew about these lakes and they were true honey holes

 

that changed very quickly....I firmly believe the destruction was the result of being leaked on online forums....in both cases it only took one post with directions....powerful impact

 

oos poaching, islands vegetation heavily destroyed, live trees cut for firewood, disgusting amounts of garbage...and here's the real kicker....jet ski's on the lake and a party houseboat on one long weekend

 

changed the way i post online after that...

 

on a slightly positive note the last few yrs I fished the one lake I saw a CO 3 times one season, smart ones too, had teh glass on us for a while before they approached, good to see......also a sign posted about oos bass fishing and how to identify bass and pike....assuming that enough complaints to the MNR resulted in this action

 

don't feel totally hopeless, take pics of the damage, report it enough times to the mnr and it might make a difference...

[bigcreekdad]

Reminds me of a spot on Michigan's Au Sable River I fish. It was a tricky drive thru the woods (not quite two trackish) to get to it. Anyway, last year, we went back there for the first time of the season, and found someone had been regularly dumping trash in the woods. We drove past it a few more nights and finally couldn't take looking at it anymore and went back and darn near filled the back of an SUV with rear seats down with trash. I was furious the whole time, and must have screamed "friggin pigs!" a hundred times.

[Gerritt]

Reminds me of a spot on Michigan's Au Sable River I fish. It was a tricky drive thru the woods (not quite two trackish) to get to it. Anyway, last year, we went back there for the first time of the season, and found someone had been regularly dumping trash in the woods. We drove past it a few more nights and finally couldn't take looking at it anymore and went back and darn near filled the back of an SUV with rear seats down with trash. I was furious the whole time, and must have screamed "friggig pigs!" a hundred times.

 

 

I would have went through it looking for old mail etc.. giving you the owners of said trash...

 

As for the OP.. Is there a spot you can mount a cheap trail cam? that is out of the way and not easily removed? say along the road in? or high on a tree to get with boat registration numbers... Might give you license plate info etc so you can help nail these folks.. The more info you can provide the authorities the better..

 

and perhaps regain you're honey hole again.

 

Just a thought.

 

G.

[DanD]

One group actually left three cases of empty beer bottles behind with a bag of garbage , I guess they thought the G man was coming by on monday to pick it up

 

The next time you see something like garbage bags left there and as discussing as this may sound; have a look through. You’d be amazed what people throw into a garbage bag that can identify them.

I know your experience out in the woods isn’t the same as this one; but I constantly have people throwing garbage in or around my dumpster here at the shop. Open up a bag or two and I almost always find a name and address.

I then call and tell them they have 20 minutes at the end of the phone call to come and get there crap or I’ll call the cops and have them charged with trespassing; along with whatever else the cops can come up with.

If that doesn’t get a reaction: I deliver the garbage bags back to their front stoop.

If no one is home; I leave a note saying; just being a good samaritan returning what is rightfully yours. This doesn't stop the next idiot but I've never seen the same name twise.

 

Dan.

[Kwan]

=( wish people would respect EVERYTHING. ruining a back island campsite.. killing ancient trees... its hard to get a tranquil place in the outdoors by the lake when you live in toronto... i guess thats considered a real luxury.. read my rant about bewdley docks... people can get on peoples nerves sometimes

 

 

[ctranter]

This sounds exactly like the lake I have my cottage on (and another hunt camp), makes me think you're all talking about the same little bass lake that I am. My family has owned a cottage on this lake for over 60 years, my grandfather built it with some locals. My parents and I have watched two of the nicest camp sites you can imagine turn into complete dumps. The first site is on an island that we dubbed "Garbage Island", because of the mini dump that has collected in the center. Over time, my family and I took bag after bag of other people's garbage until it is finally clean again. The second site is following the same path, as several returning groups of campers simply leave junk behind, including lots of broken glass and homemade toilets. It's sad to see such a perfect bass lake turn into a landfill

[fishing_noob]

anyone been down to the Niagara whirlpool lately its trashed with lure packages beer bottles water bottles and empty food packages.

i have nothing against drinking a few beers wile fishing infact i do it my self but i make sure that i clean up after im finished and even clean up some other peoples mess.

some people have no respect for nature and it really pisses me off that beautiful shorelines are being ruined by incompetent anglers.

[LefroyFisherman]

I wouldn't call them anglers...