After getting a surprise half-day off I decided to hit my go-to spot on the Satsop and enjoy a beautiful day on the river. The fishing was not good, I had a few hits, all from small cutts, but it was a beautiful day to be on the water.
The thing I really want to talk about is the condition of the gravel bar that I was fishing on. I am sure that none of the people reading this are responsible for what I saw, but as responsible anglers we all need to be aware of it. It looks as though there must have been quite a party out there over the long weekend. There are beer cans, bags of trash, and broken foam coolers on the bar under the bushes, and there is toilet paper and human waste out in the open, uncovered. There are lots of tire tracks, and they lead right through Decker Creek. Somebody must have driven down the creek for a while before they got on the gravel bar.
I have no problem with people camping along our rivers, but it really upsets me to see the condition that some people leave these places in. I am afraid that with the new Discovery Pass going into effect, this problem will continue to get worse. If people cannot or choose not to pay the entry fee to use state parks, they will be looking for free areas such as this one to recreate in. Ranger Smith isn't out in these places to clean up after people. I packed some trash out of there this winter, but I have never seen it like this. Next time I'm there, I'll pack some out, and would encourage others anglers to do the same if in the area. Also, please KINDLY encourage people to practice 'pack it in, pack it out'. Thanks for reading.