McCoy Spring Creek?

[McCaslin]

On a large scale - I agree with you. But look round and see how the public treats public property. I have seen people do things on my property in the Catskills which you would simply not believe. So, at the small end of the scale, I think that there is much to say for private ownership/stewardship.

Sadly, you are correct. Much of the public does not respect the land that has been set aside for them to enjoy nor do they appreciate how unique their opportunities are. It was about a month or two ago after the season closed that I visited some of my favorite water to observe spawning brookies and I ended up filling 2 garbage bags full of trash. Having said that, I do not believe any navigable water should be off limits for the public, that is...the landowner should not own the stream bottom. I have an immense respect for private property and I go out of my way to never trespass or leave garbage anywhere I go, but I do not believe a stream bottom should ever be considered private property. And there are forces at work every day in my home state to see to it that the Constitutionally-protected and Supreme Court-protected Public Trust Doctrine be eroded to practically nothing. If it's navigable, it should be forever free, on foot or vessel. Let's leave the pay-to-fish and royalty-only nonsense in England where it belongs.

[ffftroutbum]

Sadly, you are correct. Much of the public does not respect the land that has been set aside for them to enjoy nor do they appreciate how unique their opportunities are.

I guess my experiences differ. I generally find most folks to be respectful. But I am generally fishing on pupilc land or in parks. But I am still out there 70 to 100 days a year and I don’t see too many people doing crazy stuff. But, there are always going to be a few bad apples with anything we do. I do come across the occasional trash, but nothing like what you came across. Your experience was unfortunate.

Let's leave the pay-to-fish and royalty-only nonsense in England where it belongs.

Haha, agreed!

[McCaslin]

Sadly, you are correct. Much of the public does not respect the land that has been set aside for them to enjoy nor do they appreciate how unique their opportunities are.

I guess my experiences differ. I generally find most folks to be respectful. But I am generally fishing on pupilc land or in parks. But I am still out there 70 to 100 days a year and I don’t see too many people doing crazy stuff. But, there are always going to be a few bad apples with anything we do. I do come across the occasional trash, but nothing like what you came across. Your experience was unfortunate.

Let's leave the pay-to-fish and royalty-only nonsense in England where it belongs.

Haha, agreed!

Perhaps I should have amended that first line or two. By much of the public, I meant a noticeable proportion though still a minority of the total users of the public land. I run into far more people who are respectful of our land than folks who are not. The garbage thing just ticks me off and makes me wonder sometimes.

[mlarocco]

I live close to a fair sized tributary of the Columbia river. On both sides of the river below the hatchery parking lots allow access to the 'meat' hole. When the salmon are in (Spring Chinook, Fall coho) ample garbage receptacles are placed in the parking lots. Even so, on any given day you visit the river, banks 40 ft from parking lot can look like a garbage dump (beer cans, food wrappers, bait containers,etc...). I would not want the people that do this in my back yard, especially if it was on a nice stretch of river. Sadly, there is enough bad apples to ruin things for everybody. At one time there was a real push to educate the masses to respect the land ('Give a hoot, don't pollute' campaign for one). Maybe we need to reestablish an educational campaign on the negative side affects of polluting properties.

On the other hand, I have been given fishing permission by the owner of a large section of private property on another Columbia river trib. The owner gives out limited access so he has some trusted eyes monitoring the property. If your local rules prohibit access to a stretch of water try asking the owner.

[cdmoore]

The owner gives out limited access so he has some trusted eyes monitoring the property.

Others have mentioned similar things above, so just using this quote as an example.

I'm generally a fan of the water being a public resource AND respecting the landowners. However, where it's not, or even where it is but I know I am in water flowing through someone's property--well, you know, I never really thought of the issue this way. What am *I* doing for the landowner? I mean, in the cases where I am not paying a rod fee, I am basically asking for a favor and not giving back a whole lot in return (other than supporting public water resources that private landowners use as pointed out). I usually bring one of those re-usable Chico bag type stuff bags to pick up trash, but don't always follow through--I could do better. I could brush up on invasives and river health issues like siltation or head cutting and report back. I don't keep a creel count anymore, but I could. I sometimes notice busted fences, fire rings that are probably illegal, whole garbage bags and broken TVs dumped over banks and I just shake my head but don't say anything unless it's to my TU chapter for their next clean up. This info could be given to the landowner. Yeah, there's a chance I'm shooting myself in the foot here if my findings are egregious, but it's probably worth the risk. Offering the landowner some kind of small service as payment in kind might be a good way to go. Helps the resource, too, I guess. I'm going to think about this some more.

[snorider]

You know that the "try asking the owner" suggestion will just not work. If we want want our waters to be public we as sportsmen need to vote for like minded citizens, put our money into groups that support and lobby for access rights, and most importantly do our part as stewards of our resources. Walking past trash and shaking our heads will not get it done. Taking the initiative and picking up trash, and letting groups that work to do the same know about the abuse will. PLWA here in MT is a great group who has worked hard for fishermen as have the local TU chapters.
When the large land holders in our culture were farmers and ranchers the knock on the door idea was a great way to go, but when the ranches and farms with good fishing access are owned by billionaire absentee owners it won't work.

[ibookje]

Looks like the property that has the famous McCoy spring creek is for sale again?

https://www.livewaterproperties.com/pro ... k-ranch10/

[billems]

Back in the 20s, the wealthies along Wisconsin's Brule built weirs and fences along the river. Fisherfolk could get their canoes down it. So some enterprising fellows floated down and stopped at every barrier, and dynamited each one into fractions. They went to court over the issue and won. The stream access law in Wisconsin is the result.

[Hellmtflies]

Looks like the property that has the famous McCoy spring creek is for sale again?

https://www.livewaterproperties.com/pro ... k-ranch10/

Good, maybe the new owners will allow access once again. I've fished here and, although I hate to pay to fish and/or hunt, this creek is worth every cent the owners could charge to access the creek. It' a stunner.

[Kleinpm]

Looks like the property that has the famous McCoy spring creek is for sale again?

https://www.livewaterproperties.com/pro ... k-ranch10/

Sold. That went fast.

Patrick

Sent from my SM-T380 using Tapatalk

[NettingRainbows]

That's the original ad. That ad is ~8 years old. "Live Water Properties" had the listing. That property has not sold since that original listing. I believe that property was placed onto the market in June/July of 2012 (early 2012 / from memory). ibookje likely didn't see the "Sold" notation.

[ibookje]

Just wondering if it’s open (with a fee) for public to fish again

[Hellmtflies]

Just wondering if it’s open (with a fee) for public to fish again

NO.

[ibookje]

[PYochim]

How is the new Montana governor-elect in terms of access to public waters?

[Brooks]

How is the new Montana governor-elect in terms of access to public waters?

Horrible

[snorider]

Boy Howdy you’re not kidding Brooks.

[snorider]

Boy Howdy you’re not kidding Brooks.

[Hellmtflies]

How is the new Montana governor-elect in terms of access to public waters?

Horrible

DITTO!!! Mt. lost this time around.

[billems]

The term "navigable" has become meaningless these days with the advent of the tiny polyethelene kayaks that can float down a rain gutter. I'm a supporter of stream access, of course. But I have a few steams I fish where folks in kayaks, which nearly always present, force you out of the water in order to avoid collision (I remember last season, a woman who was a ringer for Dame Edna, her kayak revolving in the current, laughing when she banged into me). There're three canoe/kayak liveries that use the resource without cost, while we fisherfolk have to pay, via licensing, for the right to access the water. I have no truck with either canoes or kayaks. But those flotillas of tiny kayaks have made the term "navigable" nearly meaningless.