SPL- Soft Plastic Lures

[smitty55]

There has been more controversy in recent years over the use of plastic baits, specially in the States where some (Maine) are calling for an outright ban on them as they are manufactured now, with pressure to produce a biodegradable version that won't pollute the waterways and also kill fish by starving, as some of the plastics swell to large size and plug up the fishes system.
With the recent pic of that huge tube in a Pike from the Miss, and Chris's comment about finding plastics in lake trout on Charleston I did a quick search and came up with this very interesting study from Carleton University, including surveys done on Charleston where 18% of anglers reported finding plastic baits in Lakers. Some stuff there specifically too about wacky rigging and plastic loss. Lot's of bass guys here could chime in on that. What about dropshotting where the bait is just tip hooked usually?

http://www.fecpl.ca/wp-content/uploads/ ... S-Poll.pdf

I think I can safely say that it is somewhat troubling when you consider how much plastic baits are used for so many species these days. I never really thought about it much before and naively assumed that they were somewhat biodegradable and non-toxic. Silly me. A Wisconsin study said "Each year, more than 12,000 tons of rubbery "soft baits" land at the bottom of lakes, streams and rivers". That's staggering.

So I figure this is an important issue well worthy of discussion, as it probably affects every single fisherman/fishergal. One thing I would bet on is that there will be changes in the future forcing companies to produce an environmentally friendly product. Right off the bat I can see prices rising to pay for the R&D to produce a new "plastic", or at the least more of a push to a stronger bait that doesn't tear so easily.

Looking forward to hearing people's opinion on this. Lots of research out there to peruse.

Cheers

[Jimmy_1]

Well Smitty,

In Quebec there is no live bait (miinows) so folk there are forced to use dead minnows or plastic baits.

Yes a biodegradable option should be good..however just imagine the annual replacement costs of plastic baits! They'd be garbage after 1 season if not used.

[lape0019]

I have heard the arguments on both sides and essentially Maine does not have any tangible proof that it is in fact an issue. Maine has been trying to do this for quite a few years and bills have been put forward only to be removed or stricken down at the last minute.

I am fairly certain these baits can cause many issue for the fish we love to target.

Berkley does in fact have a biodegradable line of baits that dissolves in the water. I have used them in the past and they work alight but do not leave them out of the bag as they dry up within hours.

As for wacky rigging, you do lose quite a few baits with this technique. I guess I have never really thought of the consequences.

[TheMaverick]

Many companies have biobaits.
Elaztech is also used in many plastic lures.
O rings reduce significantly the lost of plastics when wacky rigged.

The plastic buisness is probably worth billions, I don’t think it’s going anywhere anytime soon.
Let’s point the finger at the anglers, how many of you throw your plastics in the water after it’s been torn up?
(know that it’s been mentioned, you’ll probably say you throw them in the boat, be honest! lol)

[ShawnD]

We've got a long way to go but soft plastics aren't the only lures that get eaten, I once found a red devil spoon inside the stomach of a Pike and I'm sure others have found hard baits as well.
We really can't fish much without having an impact .. Old outboards pollute the water.. line gets frayed and sinks in the water.. There's always something and it's our responsibility as anglers to clean up, Don't throw your cigarette butts over the side and that goes for plastics or anything you've brought with you that day!

How many times have I cleaned up after someone else.. I always will because IMO, if you saw the garbage, whatever it is and it's within your ability to take it out of the lake and dispose of it properly and you don't, you are as guilty as the person you left it there to begin with. That's my opinion and I've taken some seriously gross crap out of the water..
Found a 17' long industrial water hose, same firemen use, I happen to have my pick up, the hose was full of mud and I got it to the city bin. I didn't get to fish much that day but I cleaned up one of my favorite shore spots and I know most would have left it there to become someone else's problem..

But the big companies need to spend money and research a real substance to replace plastics... They make tons of money off these little baits, it provides jobs and I believe there must be something out there!
It all comes down to money though... They are selling tons of plastic lures, it's cheap to build and easy to sell, why change??!

Berkley should look into teaming up with Mcdonalds, they are great at making edible plastics

Shawn.D

[Oneeleven]

How many times have I cleaned up after someone else.. I always will because IMO, if you saw the garbage, whatever it is and it's within your ability to take it out of the lake and dispose of it properly and you don't, you are as guilty as the person you left it there to begin with. That's my opinion and I've taken some seriously gross crap out of the water..
Found a 17' long industrial water hose, same firemen use, I happen to have my pick up, the hose was full of mud and I got it to the city bin. I didn't get to fish much that day but I cleaned up one of my favorite shore spots and I know most would have left it there to become someone else's problem..

Shawn.D

^^ This!!

I was fishing with someone not too long ago and he caught a wire with his crankbait. It was pretty large, but soft and rusty with age. I had to ask him to please coil it up and keep it to throw out once we docked. Later that same day he pulled up a massive sheet of light plastic. I guess it ruined his cast as he was annoyed and said "don't even think about asking me to keep *this* one to throw out!"
Lots of respect lost there.

And I have another friend who (chain) smokes and throws all his butts overboard. I offered him an empty Pepsi can for a garbage and his response was 'no thanks, why bother'.
I can no longer fish with this person, because his littering bothers me that badly.


The Berkley baits are a great start. I would love to see this product developed further.

[smitty55]

Berkley should look into teaming up with Mcdonalds, they are great at making edible plastics

Lol, that's a good one

The Berkley baits are a great start. I would love to see this product developed further.

One would like to think so Tia, but then I read this from that CU report. "Interestingly,the Berkley Gulp! ALIVE! worm, which is advertised as a biodegradable bait (http://www.berkley-fishing.com/products/soft-bait/gulp), only reduced slightly in size during the experiments" I think the operative word there is advertised. Are they really as biodegradable as they say? I'm not sure of the time frame in the CU study, but some of them were two years long.

Let’s point the finger at the anglers, how many of you throw your plastics in the water after it’s been torn up?
(know that it’s been mentioned, you’ll probably say you throw them in the boat, be honest! lol)

I certainly wasn't trying to point fingers anywhere, as it's hard to say how many plastics are lost while fishing, and how many torn plastics are tossed away by anglers, but there is likely some merit to that comment Mav. Some may not realize the potential damage they might be causing, while others just don't give a crap at all. I guess a good start in the industry would be educating anglers about the safer use and disposal of plastics.

Cheers

[Oneeleven]

My broken ones I always try and keep because I try to save my pocket book

I've been fixing some types with a glue gun (The glue sticks for arts and crafts, not construction. And only hot melt sticks, not 'warm'. The glue doesn't meld as well because it doesn't liquify). I fill in the holes and to be honest, the fixed ones hold better after than they did out of the package.

20130318-081004.jpg (169.73 KiB) Viewed 3901 times

The glue doesn't have any smell, and dries on the clear side, but you can still see it.. (if you care about looks).

Some baits obviously won't be salvageable, or will be so torn they won't swim/sit/hook correctly after you fix them (they'd be more glue than bait! ), but this is a great start!

I also keep completely torn Senkos and use the half part as a small trailer on my spinners and chatterbaits. And even widdle some down further (paddle tail or minnow tail styles) and cut those to use the tip for pannie fishing or ice fishing. They work great!

[almontefisher]

There is always this solution which is a great concept. I believe the kid is not even 20 yet and he came up with this company called Clean Water Lures. Here is his Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/CleanWaterLures

Anyway for every pound of old plastics you send him he will send you a free pack of plastics and will also donate a pack to organizations like school clubs etc. They even pay shipping if I remember right.

Now as for Mav asking about throwing old ones in the water I did do that for a short period of time until I was on a local lake around these parts and when I looked down into the water in the bay I was in there was at least 10-12 torn up plastics on the bottom. I got the net and scooped them up then threw them in the garbage. Now I do keep them in the boat until I get back to shore and throw them into a ziplock bag and into the trash. Now I will save them and send them to this company.

[loophole]

Good topics generate good discussions and go a long ways to educate folks. Thanks for starting the thread and a special thanks to everyone who has the guts and the decency to clean up after others. I do it too. I too used to throw cigarette butts in the lake and then one day I read somewhere that cigarette filters are everywhere in the Ottawa river and a cop doing clean up work ordered a smoker on shore to go get the butt he just flipped into the water. I never put a cigarette butt in the water again. Finally got off the stinkin' things for good in 2011.

[StarTzar]

We keep all our crap in the boat ... including Maverick's cigarette butts and my plastic cigarillo tips.
However, the odd sandwich and apple cores go overboard.
Ripped plastics usually stays on board. It's discarded in the recycle bin.

You can always find one or two empty Tim Horton cups on the Mississippi.
I worry more about the garbage and excrement floating on the Ottawa.
Do you know what happens to a backyard in the springtime? After a long winter if you haven't picked up after the dog?
Well, that is what Mclaurin bay looks like in the Springtime.

[OutdoorActionOntario]

I might get hit on the head for saying this, but I think it is irrefutable that these baits are not good for the ecosystem or the fish that are ingesting them. As said, some species are more susceptible than others. For me personally, there really is no debate on this - It's a simple fact that We are throwing big chunks of plastic into our waterways and when we get bit off or snagged, that plastic is now a permanent part of that waterway and whatever fish may choose to ingest it.

I use plastic baits so I am not trying to be high and mighty, but on a more positive note, I have met with a leading tackle manufacturer in the recent past and I told them if they could develop a truly biodegradable bait that caught fish I would never use another plastic bait again and would promote their product endlessly.

Their answer was good: They are working on it, as even their own science shows them there are issues with plastic baits.

The only reason they aren't illegal YET is because it's big business, and in the end, the money always wins.

However, I would imagine that in the next 10 years the plastic baits as we know them will have to evolve to something biodegradable because classic plastic will be banned.

In the meantime, I pick every piece of debris I see out of the water, especially fishing line and/or hooks/baits. Everyone else should do the same... I just keep a little garbage bag with me. Never know when you'll need it.

[OutdoorActionOntario]

We keep all our crap in the boat ... including Maverick's cigarette butts and my plastic cigarillo tips.
However, the odd sandwich and apple cores go overboard.
Ripped plastics usually stays on board. It's discarded in the recycle bin.

You can always find one or two empty Tim Horton cups on the Mississippi.
I worry more about the garbage and excrement floating on the Ottawa.
Do you know what happens to a backyard in the springtime? After a long winter if you haven't picked up after the dog?
Well, that is what Mclaurin bay looks like in the Springtime.

There was so much crap floating in the O.R. last weekend that I honestly thought I was going to throw up. It's disgusting.

The thing is, most fishermen are actually truly concerned and do their best to preserve and protect these resources, even though most people point fingers at us first (which is bs in my opinion.) I find its the people who don't take an interest in the outdoors that are the most destructive and usually hypocritical about things as well...

[Jimmy_1]

Not to hijack but........

I can hunt turkey in a field with lead shot.
I cannot hunt Canada geese in a field with lead shot.

The reasoning is lead getting into the water when hunting waterfowl....

SO then why does it matter if I am hunting geese on land?

LOGIC

[TheMaverick]

I use plastic baits so I am not trying to be high and mighty, but on a more positive note, I have met with a leading tackle manufacturer in the recent past and I told them if they could develop a truly biodegradable bait that caught fish I would never use another plastic bait again and would promote their product endlessly.

Their answer was good: They are working on it, as even their own science shows them there are issues with plastic baits.

BioSpawn, Big Bite Baits, Greedy Bait…all available as of now.

Not to hijack but........

I can hunt turkey in a field with lead shot.
I cannot hunt Canada geese in a field with lead shot.

The reasoning is lead getting into the water when hunting waterfowl....

SO then why does it matter if I am hunting geese on land?

LOGIC

No clue, but what I do know, is that you aren’t allowed to be fishing lead weights in bird sanctuaries.
Regardless, we’ve been using tungsten for quite a while now….but most won’t buy it because it’s too expensive, yet everyone seems concerned by polluting our waterways, ironic.