Your mother doesn't work here: real anglers pick up after themselves

There are few things that get me steamed more than litter. It is one of the most selfish, lazy and unnecessary acts an individual can perform. To me the offense seems even greater when I see a bundle of fishing line or bait cartons left behind on riverbank or in the water.

Anglers should know better. We head out to make a connection with the natural world, to enjoy the thrill of the hunt and, potentially, bring home some food that we harvested ourselves through skill and patience.

And yet seldom do I head out to any kayak launch or pond without seeing trash left behind by someone who visited the same spot for its natural beauty, then didn't appreciate the horrific irony of messing it up with their trash.

Unfortunately, littering laws are too lax and almost never enforced. It is simply not worth an officer's time to fill out a citation.

In Connecticut, officers can issue fines of up to $199, half of which is paid to the municipality or the state environmental agency, depending on whether a municipal officer of environmental control officer issues the citation.

In many towns, however, citations are almost never issued. The City of Waterbury, which has about 108,000 residents, has years in which no littering citations were issued.

I would argue that the fines for littering need to be increased to incentivize police departments to make it more of a priority. The current fines will never serve to dissuade littering as long as they remain unenforced.

I have often toted along an extra five-gallon pail just to collect garbage left by others, and I'm not the only one. Visit any fishing forum online long enough and you'll see plenty of other anglers understand the value of preserving the natural landscape.