Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Plastics

This question has been on my mind since the article in pond boss was posted about fish dying from eating plastic baits. Remember when Bob did the autopsy on the skinny bass and it was full of plstic baits? I have had a few baits lost to fish when they took them off the hook. Does this mean that every fish that eats one of these baits is doomed to starvation? Some of the other baits that claim to be biodegadable like burkley gulp are they any better?

James,

After the article, and after the convention, I really questioned whether or not I should quit using my plastic baits. I was pretty well convinced that the number of plastic baits I lose in my pond was not significant.

But, I've really cut back and become far more cautious of having plastic baits around. It is not my fish I'm concerned about -- it is my chickens. Our chickens run loose whenever we are home. I have to be extremely careful what I leave laying around on the dock, on my cleaning bench, or almost anywhere the chickens might wander. They will eat anything. I've seen at least two Berkley while plastic grubs eaten by my chickens. It didn't seem to bother the chickens.

In my pond, I figure I'm going to lose a lot more fish to natural mortality than I am to ingested plastic baits. I'm not quite that optimistic in public waters, or even private waters where there are large numbers of people fishing.

Ken

Back when I had more people helping me harvest fish, one day I came out to a most disturbing erie sight. It was a Robin hanging by what appeared to be the neck by a section of fishing line off of my deck. Turns out someone (I'm biting my tongue here not to use a different word) had apparently left a length of fishing line with a hook on the end on the ground. I'm thinking the Robin piked up the line to use in it's nest and somehow got the hook into it's head and got tangled in railing of my deck and probably fought it until it died of exhaustion. I have a picture of it if I can find it and I will post it. It's keen reminded not to leave tackle on the ground.

I felt so bad for the Robin I gave him a decent burial.

James,
I personally wouldn't worry about that much.