JACK WOLLITZ Be aware of threats to sport fishing

Is there anything more wonderful than the dawn of a beautiful day over your favorite lake?
The first smudges of color streak the eastern sky and you smell the freshest air you'll ever breathe. The temperature is perfect, the water is like a mirror and your hopes are high for a special experience.
All these and more are the rewards when anglers start their day before the rest of the neighborhood is stirring. Sounds idyllic, and it is, but enjoying time on the water is something we should never take for granted.
Threats exist, perhaps not as dark storm clouds crackling overhead with lightning, but certainly as potential bad weather just over the horizon.
Stay alert
Anglers, like all who have special interests, need to stay alert for trouble that threatens not only our natural resources but also the very right to do what we enjoy so much.
Some threats are obvious. Others are less so.
Recently, for example, a number of foreign species have invaded our waters.
The list includes zebra mussels, round gobies, Asian carp and snakeheads.
Cormorants also have expanded their range to the point now where they are a dominant waterfowl on Lake Erie and threaten to gobble up valuable game species like walleyes, perch and smallmouth bass.
While the jury is still out on how much long-term damage these and other species can do, anglers need to be aware of the threats and what resource managers are and are not doing in response.
Anglers who work waters with heavy weed growth often enjoy great fishing, but sometimes discover that lake managers and property owners are resorting to radical vegetation control practices that destroy the habitat so essential for healthy fisheries.
We also need to be ever watchful for situations that have the potential to foul our waters.
Nuisance species, habitat destruction, access restrictions and pollution may seem like too much for one angler to come to grips with. But there certainly are things we can do to stave off those and other threats.
I'm not advocating pollution patrols or vigilante efforts, but there are other ways to serve as stewards of our fisheries and our right to unlimited access to them.
Ways to help
One such way is to vote for candidates for public office whose actions support preservation of clean air and water standards.
Another is to pay attention to rules and regulations such as size and bag limits. Toss back undersize fish and avoid the temptation to snitch a few extra perch or walleyes when you think the game warden isn't looking.
A third way is to remain respectful of others on the water. Give them the same courtesy you would expect to receive yourself. Swing wide around other anglers and steer clear of docks where families are enjoying their own time on the water. Doing so will minimize the opportunities for others to view anglers as selfish and inconsiderate.
It also is a good idea to recruit new anglers. Strength in numbers is more than a saying. The more people who call themselves fishermen, the more clout the angling community has.
So why not share your fun with a new fishing buddy?
Make sure your children gain a good foundation in the sport. Teach them how to enjoy each and every minute on the water and demonstrate through your actions the kind of respect that will guide their behavior when they are on their own years from now.
Introduce friends and neighbors to your love of fishing. While the allure of fishing isn't the same for everybody, those who gain a proper exposure to the sport are likely to appreciate the potential fishing has to add pleasure in their own lives.
Our outdoor heritage is a great bonus for the citizens of the United States.
Fishing and other great outdoor sports are ours to enjoy.
If we respect that heritage today and heed the warning signs when threats loom, we can preserve our waters and our rights to access.
What better mark can we leave for those who will follow us?
jwwollitz@aol.com