Will bass die if they swallow plastic worms?

[Bream Master]

Just curious.  I'm guessing they should be smart enough to spit it out but what if they get a hold of that Berkley flavored stuff and can't resist it.

Cheers.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

I dont think it can kill them right away but they can get lodged in there poopshoot and mess up there digestive track

[atropine]

It can kill them, they can get them stuck in their stomach preventing them from digesting any food and they'll starve to death. There's an article on this site about but I can't post it....just go the "about bass" section on the main page then scroll down to the "fish and lake management" section and about four articles down there's one called "skinny fish, big reason"....or just wait for somebody to post it.

[Catt]

That's a yes & no  

I've cleaned many a bass that had worms, craw worms, lizards, & baby brush hogs in their stomach; they all were doing quite well!

[Gatorbassman]

They can stay in the fish's stomach for a long time. It will limit the amount of food the fish can eat resulting in slower growth but they will still be healthy. As has been already stated. They can lodge in the digestive track keeping the fish from digesting any food and if they can't get it out they will die.

This is why we shouldn't toss our used plastic overboard.

[frogtog]

This a good subject, I just read were they did a test on a lake and found 25% of the Bass they checked had plastic in them. It was in relation about not throwing your old worms overboard. I will see if I can find the article and post it.

[George Welcome]

Did the tests read also indicate that when we do an autopsy we find flip-tops from cans, shells, sticks, stones, weights, and most small  things found in the lake?

[Sam]

I have pulled a worm out of a bass' behind and she was eating and doing well.

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

I have been very eager to start a thread about this for a while.

I have at least 2 partners that completely insist on throwing their trash in the water and it is getting to be infuriating.

I' m being told "wheres my evidence" or "those guys are only trying to sell gulp or food source" and garbage of that sort.

It doesnt matter either way.Why in the hell do you want the bass to always see and smell the items we are trying to catch them with all over their environment???

Have you ever seen what a yum dinger or senko does after it soaks for a day or say? It expands twice as large!

If a bass will strike a worm while it is deadsticked for 10 mins while your picking out your back lash or playing with your self then what is going to stop them if you toss a used one out and it slowly falls and sits for a while.

I mean Jezus,the ignorance of some people in this world continues to amaze me on a daily basis.

How hard is it to throw it in the boat and pick em up later or keep a trash bag around,or stick em in your pocket if bank walking.

If even one nice bass out of 100 is hurt or affected in any way from this stupidity then thats too many for me IMO.

I can vent all day about this.....but people will be people. :-/

I am by no means a fisheries biologist or environmental expert but common sense is common sense.You dont have to be a brain surgeon,rocket scientist,or nuclear physicist to figure it out.

[Big-O]

Agree with you Finatic, if I lose a soft plastic in the water or a fish shakes it off during the tussel, I will search for it diligently till found and retrieve it. Many of my clients thought that I was sure going to a lot of trouble just to retrieve a torn up bait, until I would mention this very problem. Been trying to keep the burned up baits in the boat for many yrs but I know I lost some of 'em. This would be a good thread to start up on a regular basis for conservation reasons. I elect you.

Big O

www.ragetail.com

[Cujo]

There was an article not to long ago in Pond Boss Magazine pertaining to this subject.  A gentleman noticed the bass he was catching were of strange shape and at times enlarged stomach.  After research they found that the bass were loaded with plastic baits.  You wouldn't throw a plastic bag overboard would you?  Just dispose of the baits properly.

[Paul Roberts]

Agree with fanatic very much. Somehow trash left behind steps on my sense of reverence I hold for the places I fish -nature in general.

As to plastics, if the item is large enough than it could impact (block) the stomach or intestines, then that bass will die. Likely smaller baits are passed as mentioned above. I don't think this is a big problem, but coupled with the general trashing of our natural places we all love, and share, there's no good reason for it, but sloth.

[Raul]

I have been very eager to start a thread about this for a while.

I have at least 2 partners that completely insist on throwing their trash in the water and it is getting to be infuriating.

Slobs.

[WRB]

Bass will eat a free floating or suspended soft plastic bait and the plastic doesn't digest, it must pass or be regurgitated so the bass can continue to digest food with value.

Bass fisherman should retrieve and keep used worms to put in the trash at the marina. If you see floating worms where another fisherman is catching bass, it's a good idea to pick up any of those worms to see what they were using successfully. Most pro's pickup any floating worms for that reason, they don't want other competitors to learn what they use and want to learn what others are using.

So not only can it be harmfull to the bass, it can give away a secret worm color and style. Birds will also eat plastic worms and it has the same affect on them. Don't toss your used worms in the water and try to retrieve them if you can.

Dead sticking or fly lining soft plastics works well at times, as the bass are trying to tell you by eating free floating worms.

WRB

[502largemouth]

You know, I cant say I am not guilty of doing this a couple times or so, just with the plastics.

I always make my kids bring plastic bags to clean up trash at some of our favorite small fishin holes and cant stand the sight of trash at the lakes and ponds I fish.

I guess this just made me think and I can say I wont be tossing plastics in the water anymore. I dont know why I didnt really give a thought to it as much as I am constantly cleaning up trash I find.

Youve made one angler change the way he does things by posting this. Thanks for the info.

Cyas,

D

[guitarkid]

This is an interesting and very important topic and I would like to thank the person who started it. I think it is lazy and stupid to throw plastic overboard. If it was live bait I would not have a problem, But this really does bug me. I have actually picked up worms I have seen around the bank when I fish besides a drop of super glue and they would be fine, right?  Well I better stop ranting about the few lazy people who have to ruin it for the rest of us.By the way if you throw plastics overboardSTOP FISHING! I mean seriously do not kill the fish.

                      -searoach

[NinjaFishin]

Finatic said it best!  We all need to be aware and make sure our friends dont make the mistake of throwing out plastics! >

[littlefisher]

I dont think it can kill them right away but they can get lodged in there poopshoot and mess up there digestive track

A guy weighed in a fish last year in one of our club tournaments with a rubber worm sticking out of it's bottom.