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Couldn't believe my eyes

2K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  Old Man 
#1 ·
I was on the lower end of the farmland section of the Yakima yesterday (Friday). Pulled the pontoon boat over to fish a nice stretch. I heard the sound of a 4 stroke ATV back in the woods crashing and splashing around, then it popped out on the beach 100 ft below me and drove right into the river. He made a few circles as far out in the river as he could get, got up to about his gas tank and almost lost it in the deeper water. (I was hoping he'd sink the thing). He finally got out and left a gigantic mud plume that was sure to choke a trout 1/2 mile below. Wow. I hope he wasn't on any spawning grounds. I avoided a confrontation not knowing if he owned the land or had a weapon or what. btw, I am a dirt bike rider (hence "dirtfish"), so have nothing against ATVs or bikes but I'd sure never trash up a nice fishing river. This sort of thing common?
 
#5 ·
Man almost everybody has one of them things here in Montana. That is except for me. But here they are street legal. And they also have rallys with them. But I have never seen anybody here abuse the outdoors with them. It is nothing to pull up to a bar in the outlaying areas and not being able to get to the door because of all the ATV's.

But I just use my Subaru wagon and I get into the hills just fine. Lots of old ghost towns and mines up in these hills.

Jim
 
#8 ·
Same car. I have taken it to place here that a billy goat wouldn't go into. You go down a road that is just two ruts and sometimes you have to take the high side to get thru. I was up in the Highlands last summer looking for an old mine when two trucks came up this goat trail and I had to almost climb the side of the mountain to give them some clearence. Roads aren't very wide here. But they are fun to drive down, but you can't drive fast. Sometimes 10 MPH is too fast. And you have to look out for the rocks.

Jim
 
#9 ·
I'm not sure about rivers without populations of anadromous fish, but it is definitely illegal in those that do have runs of salmon or steelhead. I was pleased to see the local sheriff ticket some clown in a jeep just below the Lime Quarry on the NF Stilly one day. I would assume that it's just as illegal on the Yakima.
 
#12 ·
Yep, I agree. Next time I will definately make the call, assuming I have my cell phone. I forgot it at home this particular trip, which got me in all kinds of trouble with the family for being out of touch, and I missed a chance to turn in someone messing up such a great river.
 
#13 ·
What in the hell did we all do before we all had cell phones. I think that with all the new gadgets out that when you leave home to go out and have a great time fishing. You end up with everybody going along in the electronic world. Cyber space, we are all in it.

Jim
 
#14 ·
Hey Guys,I`m new to the board,this is my first post.I`ve seen alot of folks messing up our local rivers ,rafters throwing beer bottles in the river on the nfcda,trash at almost every makeshift campground in the panhandle.I try to do more than my part by taking a trash bag and doing some clean-up.If others arn`t going to do their part, we as flyrodders have to do that much more.
Hook `em up bros
CutthroatKing
 
#16 ·
TV ads for 4x4 trucks and cars regularly show vehicles splashing through rivers and creeks. I saw one just this morning for a Subaru Forester. Maybe that's where the impressionable among us get the idea that's what 4 wheel drive is for.

K
 
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