are soft plastics Killing Bass

[Russ E]

I came across this old article in BASSMASTER. Then I found this video.

While I never discard my plastics in the water, it made me think of how many I lose. 

 

https://www.bassmaster.com/news/dont-discard-soft-plastics-they-can-kill

 

[Glenn]

Old news, but still important.  We posted about this 10 years ago. 

 

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

 

Nice to see others still following our footsteps.

 

[Sword of the Lord]

I never knew that it could be this bad, but I do cringe when I lose a soft plastic on a cast. If 90% of the strikes are on the initial fall, I hate to think of how many get eaten free falling hookless.

[Russ E]

1 hour ago, Glenn said:

Old news, but still important.  We posted about this 10 years ago. 

 

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

 

Nice to see others still following our footsteps.

 

thanks Glenn I must have put in the wrong criteria when searching the archives.

[WRB]

Only if the soft plastic is infused with salt, coated with Mega Strike and dipped in JJ's Magic, I am told bass will jump in the boat to get them.

Most soft plastics are not toxic but the bass can't digest them. You lose the plastic hook setting and fighting bass, no angler should be tossing used soft plastics ot fishing line in the the water purpose.

Tom

[Bluebasser86]

I do my best to make sure plastics end up in the bottom of the boat after they're worn out for just this reason. 

[RichF]

Senkos definitely kill bass.  They should be banned

[Scott F]

11 minutes ago, RichF said:

Senkos definitely kill bass.  They should be banned

So do fillet knives.  

[tkunk]

7 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I do my best to make sure plastics end up in the bottom of the boat after they're worn out for just this reason. 

They can end up clogging your bilge pump if you put them on the bottom of your boat. I found that out the hard way.

 

I keep old soft plastics (mostly Keitechs in my case) in a huge zip loc bag and use them for drop shotting. When the bag gets too full, I dump half of it into the trash.

[Bluebasser86]

27 minutes ago, portiabrat said:

They can end up clogging your bilge pump if you put them on the bottom of your boat. I found that out the hard way.

 

I keep old soft plastics (mostly Keitechs in my case) in a huge zip loc bag and use them for drop shotting. When the bag gets too full, I dump half of it into the trash.

No worries thete, they can't get to my bilge area unless I open it and put them there. I save mine to melt down and repour.

[NYWayfarer]

I will stop using a soft plastic once it starts looking worn out. I save them as Dingers, Senkos and Ochos can be cut in half and used on jigheads.

 

Other baits like Grubs and creature baits can be trimmed and used as trailers.

[Russ E]

2 hours ago, RichF said:

Senkos definitely kill bass.  They should be banned

Not sure if Senko kill anymore fish than other plastics.

I do seem to lose more of them, because they are so fragile.

[Darren.]

If one flies off during a cast, not much you can do, but

for worn ones, I, like @Bluebasser86 throw them to the 

front of my kayak, out of the way. For me, no bilge pump

to worry about, and no scuppers in mine, either.

[Russ E]

This is another good reason to use the ned rig over the wacky rig.

With a ned  rigged zinkerz or trd you can catch a couple dozen fish on one bait.

with a wacky rigged senko. You might catch 2 or 3. Plus the senko sinks. 

[Darren.]

Just now, Weedwhacker said:

This is another good reason to use the ned rig over the wacky rig.

With a ned  rigged zinkerz or trd you can catch a couple dozen fish on one bait.

with a wacky rigged senko. You might catch 2 or 3. Plus the senko sinks. 

I'm known as a wacky guy (right, @A-Jay?) but after

using the Ned rig this year, wacky rigs have been less

and less for me (though I always keep one rigged).

 

I also use the TRD and you're right, it lasts and lasts...

[Turtle135]

17 hours ago, Sword of the Lord said:

I never knew that it could be this bad, but I do cringe when I lose a soft plastic on a cast. If 90% of the strikes are on the initial fall, I hate to think of how many get eaten free falling hookless.

not to mention how effective just dead-sticking a soft plastic on the bottom can be

[Russ E]

2 years ago the wacky rigged senko was my go to bait.

i am not Knocking the wacky rig. i still use it occasionally.

from an economical and ecological standpoint, the Ned Rig makes more sense to me in most circumstances that require finesse.

[RichF]

1 hour ago, Weedwhacker said:

Not sure if Senko kill anymore fish than other plastics.

I do seem to lose more of them, because they are so fragile.

I bet they do since they're easily the most used plastic on the market.  

[rosshilk]

Do you think companies could make baits that are dissolved by the fishes stomach acid? I know some fish do not have any stomach acid, but I would think a bass would need to have some. I really think if a company could make useful plastic style baits that could do this other companies would follow. There are plenty of schools that have bass fishing teams on campus they should work together with the science department and try to figure out a compound that the fish could digest.

[Subaqua Adinterim]

6 hours ago, Darren. said:

I also use the TRD and you're right, it lasts and lasts...

 

6 hours ago, Weedwhacker said:

from an economical and ecological standpoint, the Ned Rig makes more sense to me in most circumstances that require finesse.

^^^^^Yes & Yes - Elaztech plastic holds up significantly better (one plastic may last over 60 fish or more versus approximately an average of 4 fish for a senko for me) .  The only way I lose one is if it gets bit off.  If other plastic bait companies used this formulation their sales would drop substantially (just imagine needing only one bag of senkos for the entire season).  Maybe their plastics work better for other applications, however, for the finesse technique, I'm sold on the Zman plastic.  The fact that it is better for the environment and a better value because it is so durable and lasts so long is an added bonus.

[Russ E]

1 hour ago, rosshilk said:

Do you think companies could make baits that are dissolved by the fishes stomach acid? I know some fish do not have any stomach acid, but I would think a bass would need to have some. I really think if a company could make useful plastic style baits that could do this other companies would follow. There are plenty of schools that have bass fishing teams on campus they should work together with the science department and try to figure out a compound that the fish could digest.

Supposedly berkley power baits are bio degradable. I have not personally tested this.

[J Francho]

12 minutes ago, Weedwhacker said:

Supposedly berkley power baits are bio degradable. I have not personally tested this.

That would be their Gulp! line of baits.

[Russ E]

26 minutes ago, J Francho said:

That would be their Gulp! line of baits.

You are right.  

One thing you have to watch out for with gulp is, if you leave the bag unsealed for a couple hours, the baits will dry up and be unusable.

[J Francho]

Don't leave them on your hook either!