02/25/2010 - Case Against Monofilament Line

I encourage all paddlers to contact your legislative representatives to request that a bill be created and passed that makes setting out any type of unattended fishing line illegal in all states, be it from limbs, from floats, stakes, or whatever, including trout lines.

Monofilament line recycle tubes (click here for a photo) can be found near most boat launch sites in an effort to get it removed safely from the environment. Sadly, nothing that I know of is stopping people from hanging unattended fishing line which puts monofilament line back into the environment. Below are three photos documenting recent results of unattended fishing lines.

1) It is not a question IF something will get caught on unattended hooks, it is a question of when, and that includes people in kayaks if the hooks are at body level which they frequently are.

2) The unattended fishing line above would have been hard to see had a rotting fish not been on it. Bare dangling hooks present a serious danger to boaters, canoeists, kayakers and swimmers, not to mention wildlife.

3) This is a sad way to see a Sandhill Crane or Great Blue Heron when kayaking. It is only a matter of time before a person gets accidentally hooked and drowns. Do we have to wait for that to happen before making it illegal to put out unattended fishing line?

4) Limb hooks that fishermen set out and leave unattended for long periods of time leads to senseless deaths of innocent animals and fish.

5) Abandoned limb hooks catch whatever isn't paying attention.

The case against monofilament line is clear - it needs to be removed from the environment when found and disposed of properly. We paddle where the monofilament line is present, a few examples shown in the above photos, so it is up to paddlers and boaters to play an active role in its *removal. (See note below.)

Just as you might pick up a piece of floating trash from a stream, if you see unattended fishing line in the environment hanging from a limb, wadded up on a beach, or caught in the bushes, carefully *cut it loose (there still may be a hook on it), and dispose of it properly in a recycle tube (not the normal trash can). Thanks. (See note below.)

*Note: According to personnel at the Alabama Marine Resources and Wildlife and Freshwater Fishing Law Enforcement, "There is no regulation preventing the use of monofilament for a bush hook or set line. Bush hooks or set lines left unattended for more than 48 hours may be removed and destroyed by Wildlife and Freshwater Fishing personnel. Code of Alabama 9-11-270 states that "No person shall... prevent, obstruct, impede, disturb or interfere with...any person in legally hunting or fishing...""

So, much caution is advised before removing unattended fishing lines as you may be breaking the Code of Alabama Law by interfering with someone's fishing line, abandoned or not. All the more reason for you to contact your legislators to get this ridiculous law revised. Request that a bill be created and passed that makes setting out any type of unattended fishing line illegal in all states, be it bush hooks, set lines, lines from limbs, from floats, stakes, or whatever, including trout lines.