Rod from Flaggs in Orange told me of terrific lake trout fishing from the shore of Quabbin right from opening day on April 12th (shore fishermen only). Many of the gates I listed last week had cars parked nearby with word that 31 and 35 were especially good. Some respectable rainbows were taken also but the trophy of the week was a 5½-pound smallmouth bass that is believed to have hit a shiner. What I was most interested in was the shape of the lakers, and they were fat but for the wrong reasons! I was hoping their portly physicality was due to a rebound in smelt numbers but stomach surveys show a disturbing amount of Senko-like soft plastics! Rod also recounted similar contents in a lot of trout that are caught.
I personally have never pulled a plastic or metal lure from a fishes stomach, nor have i ever heard of it ever happening. So that argument is kind of irrelevant. As for turtles, their digestive system is designed to break down their natural prey. Rubber worms are pretty unnatural. Pretty sure there is a reason they dont bury any rubber in landfills anymore as well.. It doesnt break down...I guess being a huge supporter of C&R is ok if the fish is alive when you let it go. So what if the bait u used to catch it kills it a couple months later.
just because you haven't heard of hard plastic or metal baits being found in a fish's stomach doesn't mean it isn't true! I've watched my father pull all kinds of baits NOT WORMS EITHER!!! out of fish's stomach. Get the facts before ASSUMING. If a fish swallows worms ,THEY WILL SWALLOW ALL ARTIFICIAL BAITS! Maybe I should use your precious trout for bait!? ya I'm done with this nonsense thread.
So much for keeping it friendly lol. Either way, it appears studies have started on the affects plastic baits are having on fish. Keep using them if you like. I KNOW for a FACT they are killing fish, no assuming there.
I guess I have the most important question on this thread.... What color, size, type rubber worms do I need to catch trout? Will a 10" curly tail in a watermelon work or do I need a 4" yamamoto in a black/blue flake