Plastic Baits

[striper50trout]

I'm not sure how this topic got taken so personally by a few members.

I have heard about this problem for a few years and personally witnessed trout and bass with soft plastics stuck in their stomachs.

Its not about evil fishermen or evil soft plastics. Lets not be ridiculous.

I use soft plastic baits 95% of the time when fishing for largemouth. I've had worms fall off the hook when fighting bass and also fly off when casting but I also mainly use biodegradable baits for those reasons. 

I would have no problem banning them in trout waters like Quabbin, Chu or any other brooks or rivers that hold a spawning population.

The states trout stocking program is mainly a put and take fishery and I would have a problem with the outright ban of soft plastic use in all bodies of water in Ma.

The bottom line is we all need to be a little more careful when using them and try to educate more people about the harm they can do to fish.     Yes, mainly trout from what I've seen.

Will, great topic! 

Remember this is a discussion forum, if you guys just want to look at pictures of fish there is a fishing pictures forum.   

[Steve H.]

I would have no problem banning them in trout waters like Quabbin, Chu or any other brooks or rivers that hold a spawning population.

The states trout stocking program is mainly a put and take fishery and I would have a problem with the outright ban of soft plastic use in all bodies of water in Ma.

The bottom line is we all need to be a little more careful when using them and try to educate more people about the harm they can do to fish.     Yes, mainly trout from what I've seen.  

+1 for a voice of reason!

[Baitbucket]

Very well said StriperTrout.

My concern is that they are finding them in all fish (including bass). There was a time when dyes, toxins, waste, etc was dumped into our waters with no regard for the wildlife. I fear that WE may be performing a similar act (not as drastic obviously). These baits were not tested or designed to break down in water or fish. If they develop one that does breaks down, what affect will that have on the fish that ingests it. And in turn to us whom eat it?

They clearly need to put much more thought into the process.

[striper50trout]

They clearly need to put much more thought into the process.

I agree.   I have always done really well with soft plastics and would hate to have to stop using them or know that i was a part of the problem.

I also think that bass, crappie, pickerel or other fish will not be as affected (as far as population) by ingesting them simply because there is already a healthy fishery for them. But only time will tell

When I get around to it, I will put a biodegradable bait in a bucket of water and see what happens

[MrE1979]

ENOUGH!!!! 

Will it is simple.   There are people who do the right thing and people that do the wrong thing in EVERYTHING in life.  There are responsible people and irresponsible people also it is part of what makes this world spin.

I have a giant bag filled with 98% of my old plastic baits.  Where are the other 2% you ask.... well....  Have I had a fish shake one or tear one off?  YUP I fish it happens. Have I had a worm fly off?  YUP I fish it happens.  Do I take a used worm off my hook and throw it in the water?   NO that's not right so I don't do it. 

Now ask yourself this...   Have you ever had a lure break off while fighting a fish?  Have you ever had one snap off while casting it?  Did that somehow affect a fish? Be HONEST if you say NO I will call you a LIAR. You don't know if it had a negative impact on a fish because you have not gotten a 8 million dollar grant from the government to study it.   Why not ban those also? 

Should better alternatives for plastic be looked into?  ABSOLUTELY because there are  ***CENSORED*** people out there who don't care.  But don't take them away from the responsible people it isn't fair. 

So Will it sounds like you feel like because there are people out there who don't care about what THEY do, you want government to step in and tell ME I can't use them because there are people who do the wrong thing with them?

If you feel so strongly about it find a way to make the situation better instead of preaching to everyone about how bad they are.  Look into better alternatives to soft plastics who knows maybe you will be a millionaire because you came up with the next best non plastic soft lure!



Think about that next time you loose a lure

[stripernut]

MrE1979, Will is doing something about it, by talking about and having a constructive conversation, change moves forward. This post has been read over 500 times and many of us did not or would not throw our old baits in the water, but some do and maybe now after reading this post, they will not. That is doing something about it. It is not coming up with a new bait or some other BIG thing, but it is a step... He started this conversation to point out something that he and many others see as a problem, in hope that in his small way, this problem can be improved. I hope that we all have done something this week to make the world at least a little better. I also hope that when you or I or any one else tries to do the right thing that we are not mocked and ridiculed.

[SpaceGhost]

Will has a habit of standing on a soap box to often. If he has ever snapped a line, lost a lure or plastic bait or a multitude of other things that can go wrong fishing and not retrieved it, it makes him a hypocrite. Does Will replace his carbon footprint everyday? Oh, he drives a hybrid...YAY!! Guess what, plastic is all over cars in todays world. So just by buying a car, you support the oil industry in more ways than one considering plastic is a by product of....duh duh duh...oil. Posting here isnt going to change anything in the least not even close. Im going out on a limb here and saying that 99.9% of the members of these pages are responsible outdoorsmen. If he feels so passionate about this, take it up with the people who can implent something at DCR instead or better yet, start placing trash containers all around the fishing areas with a sign saying DUMP TRASH HERE or whatever. I know its "my choice" on what to read and respond. I read more than i respond but when i see someone talking about having more govt insight or preaching, it just rubs me the wrong way. Guys who want to change every little thing end up costing people jobs and a way to support their families all because their panties are bunched up in the name of a "cause".

[stripernut]

If he has ever snapped a line, lost a lure or plastic bait or a multitude of other things that can go wrong fishing and not retrieved it, it makes him a hypocrite. Does Will replace his carbon footprint everyday? Oh, he drives a hybrid...YAY!! Guess what, plastic is all over cars in todays world. So just by buying a car, you support the oil industry in more ways than one considering plastic is a by product of....duh duh duh...oil.

Well SpaceGhost, by your logic, if you can't be perfect, then why try to do anything at all...

And shame on any one with a "cause", shame on any one that wants clean air, water, hill tops, good schools, the government out of our private lives or to leave our guns alone... Some "causes" may cost jobs, other may create jobs, some you may like other you won't, but this is America and we can have what ever cause we like, even the ones you don't like.

[Baitbucket]

I guess because I dont carry a scuba suit with me to retrieve every lost lure (wouldnt help me at the CHU/Q) im a hypocrite. All or nothing, that's the way change has always been!! ..Right??

There are some things in life I cant control, like what my car is made out of...

The baits I choose to fling at fish are within my realm of control. And if its evident that a particular type is polluting and causing more harm than good then something needs to be done about it. If fisherman are to shortsighted to take actions and make changes to force manufacturers to make changes, then the govt will step in..

Can we please drop the "have u ever snapped a line" argument. I mean really.. Are you comparing loosing 3-4 metal lures a YEAR to the loss of 3-4 plastics per TRIP?? So please... Enough with this "DUHHH FISH EAT ROCKS...BAN ROCKS!!" mentality.

Ed, I am doing something about it. As Allan stated this thread alone is a step in that direction. I have also sent emails out to some of the larger makers of these baits to see if they have plans for more environmentally safe options.. I made it clear i would no longer use their products till there are. That's making a change!! Thats telling them they are losing money.  A few more emails like that and they may start to take notice..

Anyway, even if 1 guy who reads this starts pocketing his broken plastics now instead of just tossing them, I'd call this thread a success.. Despite the obvious detractors.

[thedirtydirtyfisherman]

If you go to the State of Maine website and look at the reports and news section, the state did a small survey project on soft plastic baits and their effects on fish.  I read it and came to the conclusion that we don't yet know the full effects of these on the water and the fish, but certainly the companies that produce them should have and need to do more homework on their own products.

[Fishermantim]

If you go to the State of Maine website and look at the reports and news section, the state did a small survey project on soft plastic baits and their effects on fish.  I read it and came to the conclusion that we don't yet know the full effects of these on the water and the fish, but certainly the companies that produce them should have and need to do more homework on their own products.

X2 More logical thinking.

Instead of fising the problem with the manufacturing of the lures, let's just ban them all and cause many companies to go out of business!
Now if there were an incentive for the lure makers to make a better product, that would be a big help.

As for the fish ingesting the plastics, although I will agree that they are harmful to the fish, we have to take a look at the fishery as well!
We have a huge trout stocking program in MA, because we don't have any native trout here (anymore) besides a very few brook trout rivers.
There are no other trout that are native to our state, and they had to be introduced (and REintroduced) over the years just to maintain a population.
Since virtually ALL of our trout waters are "put & take" waters, the state doesn't expect any trout to survive from one year to the next. These small trout don't
get a chance to spawn, and never have a chance to grown to full size due to the heavy fishing pressure they get right after the stocking trucks pull away.
In my view, discussing plastics and trout is only a part of the problem. We need to concentrate on the responsibility of the plastic owners and manufacturuers.

If we all picked up afetr ourselves and encouraged others to do so as well, it may be a step in the right direction.

Oh, and you definitely DO NOT want the government involved in any way...looking at their track record, why would you want them in anything???

[Baitbucket]

Oh, and you definitely DO NOT want the government involved in any way...looking at their track record, why would you want them in anything???

If we dont want the govt involved then it is up to us to implement a change.

[MrE1979]

X2 More logical thinking.

Instead of fising the problem with the manufacturing of the lures, let's just ban them all and cause many companies to go out of business!
Now if there were an incentive for the lure makers to make a better product, that would be a big help.

As for the fish ingesting the plastics, although I will agree that they are harmful to the fish, we have to take a look at the fishery as well!
We have a huge trout stocking program in MA, because we don't have any native trout here (anymore) besides a very few brook trout rivers.
There are no other trout that are native to our state, and they had to be introduced (and REintroduced) over the years just to maintain a population.
Since virtually ALL of our trout waters are "put & take" waters, the state doesn't expect any trout to survive from one year to the next. These small trout don't
get a chance to spawn, and never have a chance to grown to full size due to the heavy fishing pressure they get right after the stocking trucks pull away.
In my view, discussing plastics and trout is only a part of the problem. We need to concentrate on the responsibility of the plastic owners and manufacturuers.

If we all picked up afetr ourselves and encouraged others to do so as well, it may be a step in the right direction.

Oh, and you definitely DO NOT want the government involved in any way...looking at their track record, why would you want them in anything???

 

[BASSQUATCH]

lol still going! SMH 

[Baitbucket]

Just came across another article about this issues as well as some findings.
http://www.examiner.com/article/maine-wants-to-ban-soft-bait-lures

A few years ago, 2008-2010, when this issue was made prevalent it was said that the soft baits pollution was so bad in one particular lake, if they were to go and pile them all up it would be the size of an army tank.

Phthaltes causes cancer and is found in some of the plastics that make up some lures. This chemical leaches into the fish as the fish dies and then into the water we use for drink and water our crops with.