What Happens To Soft Plastic Eaten

[Loop_Dad]

When fish swallow soft plastic, does it stay in the stomach forever? Or do they manage to poop it out eventually? Those plastic are a lot bigger than fish poop...

[ChrisAW]

There have been studies, people finding fish that had 4 or 5 plastic baits in their stomach, but they do seem to live on. A lot of times those REAL skinny fish you catch might be because it has a bait lodged in its system.

Its somewhat unavoidable by regular fishing, but DON'T throw your plastic over the side.

[tomustang]

As Chris said there has been studies.

But bass can pass soft plastic and can regurgitate, from what has been seen before. As to how much is a mystery.

[Jig Man]

I've caught bass with mono and hooks hanging out their behinds but never seen them trying to pass any plastic. I have, however, caught a few that threw up plastic in the boat while I was unhooking them. Some of it seemed to be particially decomposed but most of the time it was still in good shape.

[retiredbosn]

Not hijacking the thread but aren't Berkley power products bio-degradeable. Also isn't there a company making soft baits from animal proteins?

[HeavyDluxe]

Not sure about Powerbait, but:

http://biobait.com/about.php

[OkobojiEagle]

Berkley Gulp will degrade in time.

Jig Man... what color was the plastic?

oe

[Bluebasser86]

Here's a very informative article on why you should dispose of your plastics properly. A fish can ingest too many of them and starve over a prolonged period if it can't pass them.

http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/skinny-fish.html

[tnriverluver]

I got to wondering about this a few weeks ago after having a small bass take a 6in Zoom worm. Caught him about 20 minutes later on a crankbait and the worm was still in his mouth!!!

[iceintheveins]

It can impede a fishes ability to feed and can on occasion be fatal. Never throw them overboard, but if they eat a plastic it isn't a certain death sentence. I've caught many with plastics in them, most of them were looking emaciated though, so I know it's not good for them at best.

[Loop_Dad]

Does anyone use any good senko biodegradable alternative? I bought a pack of Gulp (not worm) before and didn't like it because it hardened.

[Crappiebasser]

I know soft plastics swell when left under water for long periods of time, do they swell at the same rate in a fish? I have a brush pile behind my house and every year when they have the winter draw down I find 6" dead ringers that I lost that are about 18" long and 1" in diameter.

[Bluebasser86]

I know soft plastics swell when left under water for long periods of time, do they swell at the same rate in a fish? I have a brush pile behind my house and every year when they have the winter draw down I find 6" dead ringers that I lost that are about 18" long and 1" in diameter.

The pictures of the ones they removed from the stomachs of those bass in that study look pretty swollen up too so I'd assume they do.

[wademaster1]

Does anyone use any good senko biodegradable alternative? I bought a pack of Gulp (not worm) before and didn't like it because it hardened.

the Gulp! baits won't harden if you put them back into the package after you're finished using them; i've had a few packs in one of my tackle boxes for months and opened it up and it's just like new; good luck

[vabass1]

I have always wondered what happens to soft plastics when eaten, too.

[scaleface]

I once caught a bass with a plastic worm hanging out of its behind.

[Will V]

Most fish die because they can't digest it. Biobait still has 10 percent PVC, harmful for fish and water and Berkley's degrade at temperatures of 60C or above but at that tempreature fish would be dead... not a lot of options out there but hopefully new option will be around soon

[Choporoz]

9 minutes ago, Will V said:

 hopefully new option will be around soon

Haven't heard .....what is 'soon'?

Perhaps within the next seven years?

[WRB]

Today's catch and release ethic prevents most bass anglers learning about what is in a basses stomach when cleaning the fish to eat. More bass die from post catch stress when kept in live wells then killed intentionally for food. It's the out of sight mindset, you don't see it but bass mortality still happens.

What do you think would happen if you ate plastisol in a quantity to fill your stomach? We have much higher digestive acids then fish. If the fish can't digest the soft plastic or pass it or spit it out the plastic eventually can kill the fish from starvation.

We all lose soft plastics fishing with it, the bass throughs it when fighting and it becomes available for other fish or critters to eat. If you see it floating pick it up and declared used soft plastics in the trash can, not in the water.

If you feel strongly about the soft plastics killing bass don't use it.

Tom

[MAN]

Ive seen plastics in redfish and trout almost completely dissolved. Though I don't know how long their stomach has been working at it.  As with everything...Eventually non decomposible plastics for fishing will be a thing of the past. 

[Jermination]

seen a ton of this lately from some local heavily pressured lakes. im not sure what else could cause this to the fish other than not being able to digest soft plastics 

[A-Jay]

"Plastics" have changed a bit from the time that this thread originated.

And the OP has been MIA for a couple of months.

 Either way, I haven't decided if the change in soft plastic baits has been for the better or worse mortality wise but here's my last encounter with it . . .

 

A-Jay

[scaleface]

Last time I went fishing there was some braided line sticking out of a basses anus . I pulled on  it and it was stuck pretty good . I finally managed to work out the end of a hook , turned it and the hook popped out .I dont believe I hurt the fish any but  who knows .

[N Florida Mike]

I used to keep a lot of bass and occasionally keep some in the 12-15 inch range to thin the herd and I can’t remember ever seeing a plastic bait while cleaning them.

I caught one that had line coming out the poop hole though.

 

[TriStateBassin106]

I've never had any bass caught with soft plastics inside them, I've caught bass with holes in their jaw from other fishermen catching them, most of the time you'll see a bluegill tail down their throat or they're spit out the remains of a crawdad but I have never seen a senko stuck in a bass's mouth. 

6 hours ago, Jermination said:

seen a ton of this lately from some local heavily pressured lakes. im not sure what else could cause this to the fish other than not being able to digest soft plastics 

that must be a pond management issue, the bass simply aren't getting enough food via baitfish, I fish a very pressured pond nearby my house that I'm always getting snagged on others line and rigs but the bass are always chubby and thick. I've only caught one "thin" bass there and it was a male during the spawn.