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Special Line Recycling Bins

The Nebraska Fish & Game Association has installed bins for recycling fishing line all around the state, NEFGA Line Bins Map.  I am a huge fan of the program not only because it gets discarded fishing line off the shores of our waters, but because I love it when anglers take ownership in the care and condition of THEIR resources!  If you are interested in contributing to, or participating in that program, make sure to check it out, NEFGA Line Recycling Bin Program.  We even have one installed here at our Game & Parks headquarters.

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Earlier this summer I found a bird’s nest made entirely of discarded fishing line.  “Life finds a way”, even with our trash, although something may make use of our discarded fishing line, it is a hazard and trash, should be picked up and recycled.

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I have participated in the installation of several of the line recycling bins.  In most cases I have nothing to offer, but am glad to show up and support the program.  There have been well over 100 such bins installed around the state so far.  Back in July I was out at Lake Maloney for our Carp-O-Rama event.  Many of the NEFGA members also have been great help as volunteer fishing instructors and assist at events like Carp-O-Rama and family fishing nights.  While we were all at Lake Maloney, I was asked to put in an appearance for another line recycling bin installation.  I was glad to do it!

However, this installation ended up being more than I thought, something very humbling and special.  Words were said about the program, the bin was installed and stickers were affixed.  The last sticker to be put on the bin was handed to me, and I wondered why?  Then I looked at the sticker and saw that it said “In Memory of Jerry Bauer”, my Dad.  I broke up, could not get the last half of stupid backing off of the sticker.  The NEFGA folks had donated towards the installation of a couple of line recycling bins in memory of my father who passed away this spring.

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Mom and me at the Lake Maloney line recycling bin.

And then they went beyond that and installed another bin in Dad’s memory at Merritt Reservoir.  We installed that one while we were up there for the 2014 High School Bass Fishing Championship.

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In the few months since Dad has been gone I have thought of him often.  Over the years we spent a lot of time together fishing, hunting and trapping all over Nebraska.  Everywhere I go, I have memories of time spent there with Dad.  Line recycling bins at Lake Maloney and Merritt Reservoir are very appropriate; we spent hours and hours fishing together on both of those bodies of water.

Dad would appreciate the line recycling bins, he never left any trash and many times I watched him take a wad of discarded fishing line out of his pockets when we were done fishing.  You can ask my kids, my nieces and nephews, they will get growled at if they leave any trash anywhere while we are in the field or on the water.  I am betting I got my distaste for litter and litterbugs from my Dad.

I cannot tell you how much those bins mean.  I am humbled and want all of those involved to know I am very thankful–THANK YOU NEFGA and everyone involved!

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Dad and I with our first Master Angler fish; caught from the shores of Merritt Reservoir a long, long time ago.

About daryl bauer

Daryl is a lifelong resident of Nebraska (except for a couple of years spent going to graduate school in South Dakota). He has been employed as a fisheries biologist for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission for 25 years, and his current tour of duty is as the fisheries outreach program manager. Daryl loves to share his educational knowledge and is an avid multi-species angler. He holds more than 120 Nebraska Master Angler Awards for 14 different species and holds more than 30 In-Fisherman Master Angler Awards for eight different species. He loves to talk fishing and answer questions about fishing in Nebraska, be sure to check out his blog at outdoornebraska.org.

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