Let me start by telling you that I'm not some raging conservationist, or some guy that's always wanted to wear a badge. I'm just a local fisherman that's sick of what's happening to my "home waters". Any of you that have been up to the C&R stretch of the West Fork know exactly what I'm talking about. This is a beautiful stretch of water, close to home for millions, that's turned into a lawless land.
I grew up and still live right over the hill from Camp Williams on the East Fork. I learned to fish up there. I can get off work on a week day during the Summer and be up there for the evening hatch, then home by dark. Problem is, going up there alone has become flat out dangerous. The eight mile catch & release, barbless artificial area is loaded with poachers, "Gangsters" are spray painting anything that doesn't move, and by the time you get back down the River to the parking lot, you hope your car hasn't been broken into. All the while you're looking at diapers floating in the stream, Doritos bags under every bush, etc... It's a friggen mess...
it's become worse over the last decade because of........ You guessed it, BUDGET CUTS! Not only is there not enough "paid" enforcement, but now it's come to the point that you won't find a Ranger or DFG officer up there working alone. Too dangerous.
A lot of the members of my Fly Club (
Sourthern Sierra Fly Fishing Club) out of Kernville live down this way. The raping of the West Fork is a pretty common conversation when we get together. I also have a Rod Shop near by in San Dimas that's frequented by quite a few local fly fishermen and they're all aware of what goes on up there and most of those conversations end in "well, what can you do?". We talk about doing clean-ups, having regulation signs printed in other languages, etc... but it's always just talk and nothing ever gets any traction.
A couple of us decided to TRY and do something going into 2010. A couple of brief conversations with the Forrest Service and they're all ears. In fact, they'd LOVE the help and went as far as offering training, resources, TICKET BOOKS, etc... I'm told that a local DFG "Lieutenant" was of the same mind set. They can't do it alone, but will take all the help they can get. Turns out the Federation of Flyfishers also has a volunteer program in place that works with both the NFS and the DFG.
Here's the plan going forward. We're going to look into organizing and training a group that would work in pairs on both the East and West Forks. 3-4 pairs at a time on weekends. Checking licenses, creels, lures, etc... Also looking for other "problems" in the area. These teams work in conjunction with Law Enforcement via Forrest Service Radios with Officers on stand-by in the area. That's just the general idea. We're very open to suggestion.
SO... Where we're at is trying to get a headcount or mailing list on this. We're going to try to get together in the next few weeks (or months) to have an informal meeting with representatives from the DFG, NFS and FFF and see if we can't come up with a plan. That meeting will be open to anyone interested. At this point, that meeting could be at my shop, but I hope it has to be at a local community center or something to hold all the people!
From the number of guys that I hear bitch about what's happened to that fishery, if 1% of them got off their ass a couple of Saturdays a year and got involved, that placed could be covered year round and actually RECOVER rather than continue down the shitter.
Wouldn't you like a safe, clean stretch of Wild Trout water that you hit and be home before the wife (or husband) even misses you? Ever wonder what it takes to get a key for one of those many pad locks on the WF gates? lol
If everybody waits for someone else to do this, it'll never get done. This isn't a huge time commitment, especially if enough people get involved. You're talking about a couple of days a year in trade for killer local wild trout water. Or, do nothing and have a graffiti covered diaper dump. Your call...
If you've got any interest at all, PM or email me with your email address. I promise I won't share it, or bombard you with crap. I'll just keep it to copy you on dates of meetings, or other communication on this subject.
Thanks!
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