A Quiet Feat on the Banks of the Tom River: Why Our Spinning Rod Always Waits Its Turn

For several years in a row, my husband and I have spent our summer weekends fishing on the Tom River. We know every bend here, every promising spot for perch. But over these years, we have developed another, less romantic, yet extremely important tradition. Before casting our spinning rod into the water, we take a large garbage bag and walk along the bank.

Mother Tom River is strong and beautiful, but she is not omnipotent. She cannot extract the plastic bottles, plastic bags, and wrappers left by visitors from her waters on her own. And she gets rid of this burden the best she can, spitting the garbage out onto the shore during high water or simply washing it into the shoreline zone. It is impossible to look at this without tears of frustration.

But this garbage is not just an aesthetic problem. It is a silent killer of local flora and fauna. Decomposing over centuries, plastic releases microplastics and toxins into the water and soil. Fish and birds mistake it for food, which leads to their death. Bags entangled in algae disrupt the oxygen balance. Glass bottles litter the soil. We come for the catch and the silence, but what do we leave in return?

Our small ritual is not a heroic deed, but simple mindfulness. We want our children to be able to come here in ten years and see not a dump, but a mighty, clean river.

The rules of our presence on the shore, which are no more difficult than tying a fishing knot:

1. Bring a bag with you. Not just one for food, but a second one for garbage. Your own and, if possible, someone else's.

2. Take everything with you. Do not bury or burn garbage — this causes even more harm to the soil and air.

3. Protect the shoreline vegetation. It strengthens the riverbank and is home to many organisms.

4. Use detergents only when absolutely necessary and far from the water. Remember that all of this ends up in the river.

Amateur sports and outdoor recreation are not only about physical activity, but also about responsibility. Responsibility for the place that gives us strength and joy. Let's treat our nature the way it deserves — with care and respect. Then it will remain strong and beautiful for many centuries to come!