THE REEL UNREAL - Tangle Free Waters Helps Clean Up Eastern Sierra Waterways

May 02, 2024

The community of Mammoth Lakes takes great pride in its lakes and waterways. Not only do they supply residents with water to drink, cook and clean, but they house one of our most popular residents - fish.

What is the Tangle Free Waters program?

Every year, anglers hunt for the fish that got away. Unfortunately, many leave behind evidence of their adventures here. Since 2019, Mammoth Lakes Recreation has spearheaded the local Tangle Free Waters program to help address and clean up this problem.

Tangle Free Waters provides education to fisher people on how to deposit their used, unwanted or “found” fishing line in dedicated collection stations in the region. These stations are placed and maintained by Mammoth Lakes Recreation with the help of financial sponsors, and then serviced by volunteers. The line is collected and sent off to be recycled into artificial fish habitat, new line, and even jewelry! This effort helps reduce the amount of nylon monofilament, a staple for any tackle box, in our lakes, rivers and streams. It also helps to keep our humans and their four-legged friends safe from stepping on hooks and other tackle attached to the line.

While nylon monofilament makes for an ideal fishing line, it poses a serious threat to wildlife, including those fish we are all trying to catch. According to our friends at Mammoth Lakes Recreation, birds, reptiles and other wildlife can easily become entangled, causing starvation, amputation, and death. Fishing line never truly bio-degrades. Instead, it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, infiltrating the ecosystem and diminishing local water quality.

How you can help

While enjoying our local waterways, always clean up after yourself. We're so grateful for that -- and If you can, pick up after others, too. Fishing line often gets tied around shoreline bushes and logs. It can also get stuck to obstacles below the water line.

Fishing line can cause quite the tangle if it gets stuck around bushes, logs, and other shoreline and submerged obstacles. Do your best to untangle and retrieve all the fishing line you can and dispose of it at a Tangle Free Waters station.

You can find a map of all the current Tangle Free Waters stations in the Eastern Sierra below.

Volunteer and Sponsorship Opportunities

Want to show your love for Mother Nature’s unreal outdoors? Volunteer with Mammoth Lakes Recreation to service a station and the surrounding waterway. You can learn more about volunteering here.

If you are short on time but still looking for a way to contribute, consider sponsoring a Tangle Free Waters station. The initial commitment of $499 allows Mammoth Lakes Recreation to construct and install a station. Your adoption includes the station and signage, as well as repairs and all costs to send the recovered line off for recycling. Adoptees who wish to continue the support of their station can do so for the annual rate of $250 per season.

Even if you can’t make a larger commitment, every little bit counts. Everyone has a role to play in maintaining the beauty of this picturesque destination for future generations.

MORE POSTS LIKE THIS

Author
Emily Bryant
More Blog Posts By Emily Bryant