Any Study On All Of The Plastic Dumped In The Water?

[Guy Kelley]

Just wondering how all of the senkos and other plastic baits left in the rivers and lakes effects the fishery as a whole.

I know that a bass will eat a senko in a hurry, seen it with my own eyes. Dose this cause the fish to shy away from our baits later?

And from a environmental point of view how dose the breakdown of plastic baits effect the ecology of the lake or river that they are left in. I don't think it is doing any good in the long run and I try to retrieve any that get away from me. but I know I have left my share behind as well.

I am not trying to advocate a ban on plastic baits, and I am no peta nut case, but was just curious about it?

[snapitoff2002]

Plastic? How about the sea of lead?? lol I would think that would be more of a problem than anything...

[mark poulson]

I do my part to remove plastics from our lakes.
I caught a bass yesterday who spit up three plastic worms on my deck, and I disposed of them back at the ramp.
P.S. Nice to see what they were actually eating, colorwise.

[Guy Kelley]

The lead issue is something that has bothered me too. I have gone to tungsten, except in jig heads, maybe too expensive to produce or the end cost would be to high for the consumer in the jig head market. but i kind of dought it considering the price of swimbaits these days.

[Phil]

The lead issue is something that has bothered me too. I have gone to tungsten, except in jig heads, maybe too expensive to produce or the end cost would be to high for the consumer in the jig head market. but i kind of dought it considering the price of swimbaits these days.

And from a environmental point of view how dose the breakdown of plastic baits effect the ecology of the lake or river that they are left in. I don't think it is doing any good in the long run and I try to retrieve any that get away from me. but I know I have left my share behind as well.

I am not trying to advocate a ban on plastic baits, and I am no peta nut case, but was just curious about it?

WELL LOOSE LIPS SINKS SHIPS, I AM SURE THIS WILL HELP TO OPEN THEIR EYES.........I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WOULD OPEN A ISSUE LIKE THIS ..............GUESS GOOD THINK ALL I USE AND SELL IS TUNGSTEN AND BIODEGRADABLE GULP !!! WOW !!

[supermat]

This isn't geared to any of you at all, just a general statement:
My opinion on topics of this nature is to just never talk about it. Its not like we're going to stop using plastics if we find out its harmful and the last thing we need is to give ammunition to the "other side" if they happen to be reading along. I just try not to unneccesarily fuel the fire.

[Blue_R70]

And from a environmental point of view how dose the breakdown of plastic baits effect the ecology of the lake or river that they are left in. I don't think it is doing any good in the long run and I try to retrieve any that get away from me. but I know I have left my share behind as well.

I don't think the exhaust from your tow vehicle or the unburned oil left by your outboard do anything good for environment either--in the long run, their effects are worse than any amount of plastic baits that people have left behind. Don't worry about it and just go fishing.

But if you feel that badly and want to make up for it, just recycle a few more cans, adopt a stray mutt from your local SPCA or volunteer at the soup kitchen...

[Tobe]

Unfortunately, supermat is right.
Any time we air out our concerns it feeds radical groups like PETA and the Sierra Club. Just remember, it doesn't take confirmed scientific data for these groups to take action.

Does anyone want to see an added $15 fee to our tournaments for carbon offsets?

[Wally]

I can't believe what some of you guys have said. Just Sweep It Under The Carpet if it is bad for the environment? I would be among the first to stop using plastics if it were found that it is harmful to fish. It floors me that you wouldn't want studies done to find this out just so you could keep fishing them.

I'm sure that plastics don't bother fish because we have never found any indication of dead fish from plastics, but to say HUSH about it just so you can keep fishing them is UNBELIEVABLE to me.

[MikeD]

... and the last thing we need is to give ammunition to the "other side" if they happen to be reading along.

ahhhh! stop with the "us vs them" thing - we all care about taking care of fish, we just do it at different levels and with different motivations than others folks. At least the people from PETA/Sierra Club are getting off their collective asses and doing something about issues that they have trouble with. Are you that involved in organizations on the opposite side of the issues?

[supermat]

I'm not looking for a fight with anyone, in fact, I'm trying to avoid one. My comment wasn't directed at anybody. As for the "us vs. them" matter... every time I open my gmail account there is a nice advertisement stating:
"Fishinghurts.com If you wouldn't impale a dog in the mouth why do it to a fish?"
I'll tell you one thing, I'm not one of them so I must be part of something else.

[MikeD]

supermat - apologies, it wasn't directed at you at all but I can see by rereading how you'd take it that way and that wasn't my intent - I just needed to step back from the keyboard before inserting my knee jerk reaction. my bad, sorry.

[Andy Giannini]

Japan has studied this issue. I believe they have outlawed our old fashioned plastics, and that is why new biodegradeable fish baits are out. Made out of real fish like Gulp baits. That way Berkley can still sell products over there.

Hollywood should know about this stuff, ask him.

.02 A.G.

[supermat]

MikeD,
Not a problem. If I'd taken a little more time to think through my initial post it probably wouldn't look so harsh either. Also, you did make a valid point, I just thought it was directed straight at me so I went on the defensive..

[mark poulson]

Regular plastic doesn't hurt the bass, or they wouldn't be passing worms all the way through and out the back end. We've all caught fish with a worm hanging out. Must not be too toxic, since they're still swimming and eating.
This is a tempest in a teapot.
Let's let the thread die.