After a busy summer of fishing at Lake Estes, fishing line and attached tackle have been snagged in the branches of trees and bushes along the lake and river. Also, cut fishing line that has been left behind by careless fishers can be found along the shoreline. Abandoned fishing line and tackle are responsible for killing and injuring waterfowl and other birds, and can also harm other animals that come into contact with them.
Additionally, lead sinkers used for fishing that are left in the water can be ingested by waterfowl while diving for food, which will eventually cause their death from lead poisoning. Finally, fishing line is a plastic pollutant, taking more than 600 years to degrade.
Please join us for this second annual cleanup to help make Lake Estes, the Big Thompson, and surrounding area a safer and cleaner environment for wildlife and humans!
What to bring:
Work gloves to protect your hands from hooks and other hazardous material you might encounter during the cleanup.
Tools to reach fishing line in bushes and trees out of arm’s length.
Waders or rubber boots if you have them. These will be useful to retrieve fishing line that overhangs the river and can only be reached from the water. Also, the water level of the lake will be lowered for dam repairs, exposing some of the areas in the lakebed where fishing line and tackle have snagged, and this area will be muddy.
While some utility buckets will be available for the placement of collected line and tackle, if you have one, please bring it.
Any food and drink you may want while you are participating.