OPINION: Look after the rivers we rely on for a fish

AS a keen angler I can tell you that nothing excites me more than the idea of being able to catch something decent a stone’s throw from my own backyard.

AS a keen angler who has spent most of his life hauling a boat of some description from Ipswich to Jacob's Well, I can tell you that nothing excites me more than the idea of being able to catch something decent a stone's throw from my own backyard.

In my view, you can't beat the feeling of being out on the boat in the saltwater, but having taken the odd fishing trip out onto the dams over the last couple of years, I have to say it still beats being at work.

What makes the prospect of fishing on the dams even more interesting is the fact that the Brisbane Valley Anglers Fishstocking Association has started putting large numbers of Mary River Cod and bass into areas of the Brisbane River and Lake Manchester (see today's page 13 story).

With a bit of luck, it shouldn't be too many years before these tiny fish fingers turn into flopping big things that are great fun to catch.

Let's not forget that despite their name, these Mary River Cod are native to the Brisbane River too, and the fish stocking club has worked for 20 years to replenish their numbers, resulting in a win not only for people who love fishing, but for the health of the river.

I think that means that it is as good a time as any to remind people who use the Brisbane River for fishing or any other recreational activity - whether it's Kookaburra Park or the Kholo Bridge - to remember to take responsibility for their rubbish. Look after the river and it will look after you.