CONSERVATION
CCConservation can be thought of in many different ways. While obviously we strive to prevent litter and chemicals from entering our precious waterways, we do little to prevent our natural resources from dwindling. Fish counts on our lakes and rivers are reaching all time lows. Catches are smaller as well as the fish. The US Fish and Wildlife Agency stocks our lakes and rivers, but few game fish are being replaced. Their efforts are mainly centered on endangered species, using aging facilitys and working severly underbudget. While we can't fix the problem, we can help by practicing catch and release. Now more than ever we should instill this practice in our kids, our fishing buddys and the guy at the dock who just wants to take it home to show his neighbor.
How many times have you found a nice quiet cove, been working that worm over some killer stucture and had some #%&*@* in a boat come roaring in at 60 mph? This is not only annoying but is quickly eroding the shoreline, moving underwater brushpiles that fish depend on for habitat, and generally just gives everyone a bad attitude. I have done it myself and only recently became aware of the amount of damage it caused. Most underwater structures such as brushpiles, natural creekchannels and beds are in various states of decay. By causing excessive amounts of water displacement we are accelerating that decay. As structure diappears so does the fish that live there; forced to move to deeper water they have less exposure to nature food sources. They don't "turn on the feed", they adapt by eating less and becoming more lethargic. In return they don't grow as large nor as healthy. So please think next time you blast the shoreline, is it as much fun as catching that big one?
o
