MARYLAND CHAIN SAW MASSACRE
Fly Fishers Irked
boaters warned
.. It seems that in the interest of canoe and kayak paddlers everywhere, the Greater Baltimore Canoe Club (GBCC) has taken to the Gunpowder River with chain saws... Off they went, chain saws in hand to Gunpowder Falls State Park. There they wantonly and illegally turned a lovely tailwater catch and release fishery into a super highway for paddlers. They removed deadfalls, snags, and what they call "strainers." Then they posted a picture of the results on their website.
.. They cut logs in and near the water and disrupted the flow during wild trout spawning season. And the fly guys are not happy... These eco-terrorists are members of a club that was founded by Bill Robinson, a Sierra Club member in the 1970's. Robinson and the rest of the "Club" became a tax shelter in 1976. As noted on their web site:
"We were incorporated as a non-profit organization to promote responsible recreational canoeing and kayaking, to develop a water safety program, and a conservation program."
.. Apparently the administrators of the Maryland State Park don't see much wrong with what the rabid destroyers did. The Maryland Natural Resources Police gave the offenders a gentle warning, attached no fines and sent them home with their chain saws intact. "Go now and sin some more!".. The supposed managers didn't even do the detective work to catch the vandals. It was provided by Theaux Le Gardeur who owns and operates The Backwater Angler.
.. You can read the full story in the Washington City Paper, the Baltimore Sun. and The Backwater Angler.
.. Here's the way it used to be, [snags, strainers, fly fishers, cane rods, and all,] (from blip TV.)
This is posted here as a warning to other fly fishers in the region.
As noted on the GBCC web site:
"We are especially active on Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Virginia rivers, with frequent excursions from Maine to Florida, and occasional trips to Canada."
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