Litter!!!!!!!!!

I fished Limerick Point Co. Antrim with the wife and a couple of mates sat night passed. To cut a long story short, the place was a bloody mess! Cans, line, hooks,broken glass and the lovely sweet smell of urine. Reckon most of the people on this forum wouldnt be guilty of creating such a mess, but I was embarrassed that so called anglers could leave a nice mark in such a state. Caught dogs, pollack and flats.

Unfortunately this is becoming the normal trend on easy to reach marks... I have seen what you have described on almost 100 percent of marks that is easily accessible to so called anglers!!!

Main reason why marks are being kept secret until we know the people that we are going to share information about them.

As i've said before 2 ways to contribute... don't add to the trash and from time to time try to pick up trash on the mark and show others that you are doing it just to be an example or if not shame those who does it...

It was the same for us a few weeks back, went to Torr head and down the rope, the amount of fishing line and empty bait packets that was left behind was a disgrace! A mate that i was fishing with actually saw a Gannet fly past with a load of line hanging from it!

It doesn't take much, to put rubbish into a bag and carry it home with you!

bazzer, i hear you. i filled three plastic bags (bags i found laying around the rocks) full of rubbish the last time i was down at that mark. it was absolutely ridiculous.
you can get any and all sorts of anglers there, from the dedicated considerate angler, to a bunch of lads or families drinking beer, having a barbq and chucking a line out. neither is wrong but throwing rubbish around the place is a complete joke. they need to put a few signs up around there and/or put some bins closer to the mark. i can maybe see if i can approach somebody form the moyle council about that. btw, i dont think the locals are just as aware of the problem, its just not quite visible from the path.

A mate that i was fishing with actually saw a Gannet fly past with a load of line hanging from it!

this is the worst case scenario! those birds die a slow agonising death when fishing line can get a hold! it can slowly amputate legs and wings as it tightens. its crazy just how lethal and efficient it is in killing them.
any line that i dont need then i wrap it into a loop around and around my hand, then i cut either side of the loop so that it just then becomes a load of short strands i.e. harmless (either that or i take it home and dispose of it responsibly). i would urge others here to do the same, if they dont so already, and encourage others to do the same.
i was shown the method by a salmon fishing friend up a river a few years back - clever and simple.

It is time for a few prosecutions for littering! What is the point in errecting signs treatening 3000 euro fines if no follow up action is undertaken. I am sickened cleaning somebody else's rubbish before I can fish in comfort. Give us a number which we can call where action will be taken against these *********

Its the same everywhere, when we go out we lift 2-3 plastic bags and fill with what we can before throwing it in the car and going home, last saturday my mate was untangling a birds nest and without thinking I put it all round my hand into a tight loop just for him to notice and start shouting at me (he wanted to add it back on doh! ) but I just cant stand line rolling about the place.
We constantly get lectures about how line kills birds but they seem to speak to the already converted rather than the guys throwing rubbish

Nothing will change tho, its not enforced and its the 1 off fisherman that dont care but make the most mess, youll start me ranting soon hehe

I fished Limerick Point Co. Antrim with the wife and a couple of mates sat night passed. To cut a long story short, the place was a bloody mess! Cans, line, hooks,broken glass and the lovely sweet smell of urine. Reckon most of the people on this forum wouldnt be guilty of creating such a mess, but I was embarrassed that so called anglers could leave a nice mark in such a state. Caught dogs, pollack and flats.

Bazzer, what a coincidence, I hit your thread with one potential response in mind. Limerick point is in its high summer s*** state, absolutely. Crap everywhere, its horrible but its annual, its no surprise. Heres what has stuck in my mind the most from the last time I was there, the almost artistic arrangement of 6 or 7 empty bud bottles in a nice wee huddle, floating in the corner of a rockpool, someone had taken time to litter and worked at it. The surrounding area strewn with the usual debris, rockpools full of all sorts of sea life have now got a pile crap in their water , inc urine and beer.

Limerick point will be stinking until a fresh easterly and a high tide flush it clean, September? The Salmon Rock to the upperside of the beach, is disgusting too.
Garron point is as bad, it stinks of piss and anglers bait wrappers/holders are the main issue round there. I wonder are these the same sort of folk that wind down the car window and chuck out their chippy/chinese packaging on the road on their way home in a plastic bag tied in a knot at the top?

I wonder how you would get people to not be useless tramps and have some respect????

Edit, last Autumn I spoke to what seemed 2 nice decent proper anglers at Limerick point. Friendly and by the way they spoke not inexperienced anglers. They had 2 pretty impressive large flat,rectangular bait trays for keeping bait organised on rocks. It was some sort of packaging. After I said good bye to them and they headed off home, I went past where they were. The 2 trays I'd admired were left sitting there on the rocks with lovely puddles of bait juices in the corners of them. Just left there, on purpose cos there was other crap left too. Couldnt believe the SLOTH.

The subject of this thread drives me insane. It's a cultural thing if you ask me and beach goers and anglers are equally at fault. I was into the match scene in a big way in the early 90s and on many occasions I saw anglers leaving piles of newspaper, bags and particularly ammo sandeel wrappers on the beach after a competition. I've never understood it but I do believe that the majority of anglers are considerate towards the environment. Unfortunetly the few that don't give a damn are the ones that ruin it for everyone else. We brought our dog down to Brittas Bay for a day out last year and I took about 300 yards of line from the hedges that line the entrance on the south end of the beach and put it into the car. Most of it was in one long continuous piece so I've no idea how it ended up in a hedge but I find it hard to believe it got there accidentally as it was about 100 yards from the high tide line. A bit of education goes a long way but I wonder how many people just don't care.

Saw the same in Howth Head (even have pictures) mainly discarded packets of tackle packs and beer cans I've promised myself to head to that mark with a plastic bag and the litter grabber along with my tackle and rods!! (as i know the council won't climb down a cliff!!) Gave out to two lads i saw throw beer cans about and they pretended not to speak english... but i hope the thought of cleaning up the place will do something??!?! Even thinking of making a sign on the computer (using the photos) simply saying..."REAL ANGLERS DON'T LEAVE A MESS!!" for the tackle shops

Not a bad idea at all Creep, it should actually be easier to carry the empty crap away than it was to take all the full bottles, tins, crisp packets, bait wrappers etc out there in the first place as it would be a lot less weight, alas the bother of finding a bin to put it in just seems to much bother for some.

They should be watched and if leaving the place in a mess, shepherded back to their hash with tazers or cattle prods to clear up the stuff they thought theyd just walk away and leave 'decorating' the sea shore!

A sign might just get some of them to try to clear up their crap. Make them think a bit.

Cathal.

are you talking about the lions head creep? once saw what had to be the most sicking pile of rubbish left at that spot, some lads were fishing on the top of the head i did some spinning to pass the time. when they cleared off i took their place at the top of the head to find line,packets of bait, empty bottles and i sh*t you not a bucket filled with water with live shannies and a live doggie with his fins cut off. SCUM

are you talking about the lions head creep? once saw what had to be the most sicking pile of rubbish left at that spot, some lads were fishing on the top of the head i did some spinning to pass the time. when they cleared off i took their place at the top of the head to find line,packets of bait, empty bottles and i sh*t you not a bucket filled with water with live shannies and a live doggie with his fins cut off. SCUM

one day [please god]we will get through to the ignorant s##t

this is a reason why good fishing marks shouldnt be named on the forum if i put a report up i was catching lots of ray on
........... rock mark in wicklow the next day it would be full of s***

tinto its the mark just down from the lions head ... BUT damn leavin live shannies and a live doggie with his fins cut off thats just sick Grrrr it makes me mad!! Its the actions of clowns like this that will close down great marks all year round not just when the macks are runnin! I was told someone recently fell off the lions head last month! .......Shane couldnt agree with ya more mate!!! but its always great to hear through other experienced anglers how marks are fished and thus we all learn more... I think the safest way forward is to PM marks to each other if interested in each others catches.. Bass marks need to be kept quiet though and not forgettin your Ray Shane!!! .. as for the litter report keep naming places, cause I personally find it very useful as Im teaching my kids how to fish and I want them to learn not to throw rubbish around and to treat the fish they catch with respect.

You guys should see Portrush rock marks!!!! bloody disgraceful!!!

i've been on low level rocks infront of cliff faces only to have beer bottles smash by my feet. when i climbed up to see what had happened i was greated with some scum throwing insults at me. a very heated conversation followed and got settled. these guys where never seen again.

in saying that i also had a rock climber nearly kill me with a coil of rope he threw over the cliff in order to clim down on

i used to "womble" (litter collection) for my local council and we where always sent onto he rocks to clean up the rubbish - that was all stopped when one worker broke his ankle on the rocks, so now the are only allowed to clean up to the point where land meets rocks so sadly the rubbish accumulates and ends up in the sea.

i have just wrote an email to a friend of mine that organises voluntary beach-cleans
lets see if they can do anything about this
bout time someone did..

hi charlie. could you keep me posted if anything comes of the beach clean. if we could make it to the event i think it would be good to have a few anglers help out and do a bit to show that we are not all inconsiderate morons with no respect whats so ever for the shorelines we fish . we could even mabey arrange a mini meet after the beach clean for the concerned anglers who actually give a crap about the state our shores are left in by the idiots who tarnish our sport. with all the good karma we'd build up we should be due a good session man
any takers interested in representing concerned anglers on the issue could join in to show support
it would just paint us in a better light to the community who has to live with these "scum summer fishermen" who appear every year and make the place look like a tip

hi charlie. could you keep me posted if anything comes of the beach clean. if we could make it to the event i think it would be good to have a few anglers help out and do a bit to show that we are not all inconsiderate morons with no respect whats so ever for the shorelines we fish . we could even mabey arrange a mini meet after the beach clean for the concerned anglers who actually give a crap about the state our shores are left in by the idiots who tarnish our sport. with all the good karma we'd build up we should be due a good session man
any takers interested in representing concerned anglers on the issue could join in to show support
it would just paint us in a better light to the community who has to live with these "scum summer fishermen" who appear every year and make the place look like a tip

hi AL, yes, of course, i'll keep you posted no prob. and i'll keep others posted here too. i dont know what my friend will make of the proposal as im actually asking her to try and plan including some of these fishing rock marks into to her 'beach' cleaning efforts - and even if they can come up with something to discourage the littering too. i know that they would be disgusted/upset if they see the friggin state of the places..
it would be great if it happens.
i'll let you know as soon as
cheers!
Charlie

Al and Jordan and Chuckaroo count me in as well please (i'll bring my own litter grabber aswell) !!! ... Chuckaroo quick question .." i was greeted with some scum throwing insults at me. a very heated conversation followed and got settled. these guys where never seen again."
how do you uses these as bait ...what size hooks are needed??