Cleanup dives

[MNLakeDiver]

has anyone been involved in planning a cleanup dive. Our JC group is thinking about seting one up.
any suggestens would be great.
I believe I have a company willing to hall the trash away and could probably get donated lunch, and prizes. but there has to be some experanced people out there to let me know what has and has not worked for them.

[LKunze]

Jim, I attended a couple cleanup dives last year. One thing that I found very helpful at one of the events I attended was the sponsors provided the diver participants with large mesh potatoe sacks for picking up trash. They work much better than the little mesh bags you can buy at dive stores because they hold more junk.

[Kirk]

Just to add to what just said. The mesh sacks are great. A couple years ago I was at the Lake Minnetonka clean up dive, and they handed out plastic garbage bags. Once those things are full of water, they are totally unmanageable. We ended up poking holes in them while underwater. Additionally. It might be helpful to have the boat drivers have some sort of depth / fish finder on the boats (as a non fisherman, I'm not exactly sure how this stuff works). If you're just diving - - who cares, but trash end up at the bottom. If you're picking up trash, it would be nice to know if you are going to be at 20 feet or 120 feet.

[jasondbaker]

And adding to what Kirk said... get fast boats and scout out good dive/trash locations ahead of time.

[freedivernd]

You'll find most trash where the fishermen hang out. Look for a location that has been an ice fishing village for the winter.. you'll find trash under there.
Fred

[tcjtn0]

I have a feeling we will be going another clean-up dive at Perch this year...Maybe May?

Jean

[JoelW]

I am now lazy on cleanup dives. I hook the end of a reel to my float and the handle to a 5 gallon bucket. That way I don't have to drag a bag around, just push the bucket ahead of me as I fill it.

JoelW

[MNLakeDiver]

the mesh bage are a great idea I know a potato farmer in big lake I will see if he has access to a some.
the deepest part of the first lake we want to do is 35' and I have marked on a map where the fishing vilagis were.
I may be getting support from the wright county water patrol but need to talk to somone about it.

do the event orgonizers supply the boats? I may be able to round up a few but had not thought about that.

[willadams67]

Which lake are you thinking about doing a clean up on?

[MNLakeDiver]

the one we were thinking of is buffalo lake, but lake pulaski is also an option