Central Maine Fishing Report: August 23, 2007
Last month a few articles regarding salmonid consumption of soft plastic baits hit the press. Since these articles were released many anglers have asked the fisheries staff at Inland Fisheries and Wildlife many questions about the issue. To understand the significance of some of the study’s findings, one should consider the following about soft baits.
Soft plastic baits do litter the bottom of many bodies of water, particularly where both bass and trout provide the principle fisheries. If you spend any amount of time snorkeling in the shallows it does not take long to find many of these discarded baits. All salmonids are susceptible to the consumption of plastic baits. We routinely collect biological data from many different waters by gill netting, creel census, trap netting and electro fishing. It is common to see discarded plastic baits in the stomachs of salmonid, particularly brook trout and lake trout. Although, we often see many brown trout that have ingested rubber bait, brook trout and lake trout appear to be the most susceptible. Brook trout seem to be the most susceptible to lost plastic baits, particularly in Central Maine. There are several reasons that explain brook trout susceptibility. Region B stocks brook trout in more waters than other stocked salmonids. Large fall yearling brook trout are stocked in many waters that also have very popular bass fisheries. Fall stocked brook trout will inhabit the shallows where many of the lost or discarded baits end up from the previous fishing season.
Most plastic baits swell and absorb water over time, making them much more difficult to pass through the fish’s digestive system. I have several plastic baits in a bottle full of water; some have more that tripled in size and weight, over a three-year period. Bass do not seem to be affected the same way salmonids are when ingesting soft plastic baits. I have never seen a soft plastic baits in any bass stomach. The only negative effect that I have witnessed with soft plastic baits regarding bass, is when a bass has taken one too deep in its throat and the hook is the culprit for any damages. I can also say that I have never seen a salmonid die as a direct result from eating soft plastic bait.
Fish seem to eat just about anything from natural forage to plastic baits or even cigarette butts. The complaint that most anglers have is that it very displeasing to find soft plastic bait in any fish that they are about to eat. The bottom line is that while there are legitimate concerns that have been raised about the use of soft plastic baits, the evidence to date does not suggest that plastic baits should be prohibited. The angler should adjust their fishing practices to minimize the amount of soft plastic they leave behind. Perhaps the industry will eventually adjust their manufacturing process to create a biodegradable soft plastic. If the anglers demand it, the market will respond.