What Happens To Swallowed Baits?

Kawabuggy · 09-07-07, 10:06 AM

I was wondering about this recently. Since we all generally love the sport of fishing, and want only what is best for the fish-those that we catch & release anyway. How does a bass' stomach digest, process, or pass items like soft plastics?

Has there been any research done on this subject? It would occur to me that a bass CAN'T digest it. If this is truly the case, how does he pass it? I have seen fish poo before, and it does not look like they are capable of passing anything very big in size.

Won't the plastics block their intestines? I ask these questions because I know a bass will pick up a discarded worm, or a worm that is lost due to line breakage and they will eat it. My mother is a dead stick fisher person. She casts out plastic worms and leaves them where they lay until a bass comes a long and picks it up. I know that if she is catching fish this way, that bass will eat plastics that-for whatever reason-are found on the bottom with no one there to remove them from the fish' mouth.

I would hate to think that lost soft plastic lures are painfully killing the animal that ingests them. This is why I thought I would post this. Does anyone know what happens to a bass that ingests plastic...?

chjohnson622 · 09-07-07, 12:04 PM

I do not know if a fish can digiest a plastic worm but I have seen fish in my livewell with worms being passed. Not spit out but being passed fish with worms hanging out. I have not seen this alot but I have seen it a time or two

scrap · 09-07-07, 12:09 PM

i have actually witnessed a hook pass through a fish and try to come out
the anal end. i gently removed the hook and let the fish go. whether or not bass can breakdown plastics in their stomachs, i do not know. try not to dwell on the fish so much. it will take the sport out of catching em.
c.p.r. is all we need to do.

bassfisher02 · 09-07-07, 04:14 PM

Well, all stomachs have some level of acidity in them, from humans to fish to other animals. So I'd believe that the worm would be broken down in some way, maybe making it softer, or maybe even breaking it down entirely... But some kind of breakdown will occur, how much is another story. I dont think a swallowed plastic is something that needs to be worried about much, litter and polution do more killing than a plastic worm I'd think.

Kawabuggy · 09-07-07, 05:15 PM

Does CPR stand for Catch (the fish), Picture (as in take one), and then Release?

Rebbasser · 09-07-07, 06:30 PM

Yep, it does.

lizardsrule · 09-07-07, 07:26 PM

Bass can always regurgitate anything in their stomachs. I've had a few thing pop up in the live well before from this LOL.

Lizards

Raul · 09-07-07, 07:37 PM

Bass can only digest biodegradable baits, if a bass swallows a plastic bait two things will happen:

1.- It will regurgitate it
2.- It will transit unadultered through the digestive system and will be pooped out.

NEVER pull a bait protruding from the anus if you happen to catch a fish pooping out a soft plastic bait, you are going to do more harm by doing what you think it´s right, you think it´s right but certainly it´s not.

BigBassin144 · 09-07-07, 10:04 PM

Yeah, if a bass gets a plastic, and it can't digest it, it'll regurgitate [sp?] it. I honestly don't think it will do any harm to the fish though.

bb144

09-07-07, 10:06 AM	#1
Kawabuggy BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 57	What Happens To Swallowed Baits? I was wondering about this recently. Since we all generally love the sport of fishing, and want only what is best for the fish-those that we catch & release anyway. How does a bass' stomach digest, process, or pass items like soft plastics? Has there been any research done on this subject? It would occur to me that a bass CAN'T digest it. If this is truly the case, how does he pass it? I have seen fish poo before, and it does not look like they are capable of passing anything very big in size. Won't the plastics block their intestines? I ask these questions because I know a bass will pick up a discarded worm, or a worm that is lost due to line breakage and they will eat it. My mother is a dead stick fisher person. She casts out plastic worms and leaves them where they lay until a bass comes a long and picks it up. I know that if she is catching fish this way, that bass will eat plastics that-for whatever reason-are found on the bottom with no one there to remove them from the fish' mouth. I would hate to think that lost soft plastic lures are painfully killing the animal that ingests them. This is why I thought I would post this. Does anyone know what happens to a bass that ingests plastic...?

09-07-07, 12:09 PM	#3
scrap BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 217	plastics i have actually witnessed a hook pass through a fish and try to come out the anal end. i gently removed the hook and let the fish go. whether or not bass can breakdown plastics in their stomachs, i do not know. try not to dwell on the fish so much. it will take the sport out of catching em. c.p.r. is all we need to do.

09-07-07, 04:14 PM	#4
bassfisher02 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 4,765	Well, all stomachs have some level of acidity in them, from humans to fish to other animals. So I'd believe that the worm would be broken down in some way, maybe making it softer, or maybe even breaking it down entirely... But some kind of breakdown will occur, how much is another story. I dont think a swallowed plastic is something that needs to be worried about much, litter and polution do more killing than a plastic worm I'd think. __________________ Good Fishin'

09-07-07, 06:30 PM	#6
Rebbasser BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 10,141	Yep, it does. __________________ It's happened to the best of them: John 21:3

09-07-07, 07:26 PM	#7
lizardsrule BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Saint Augustine, FL Posts: 7,374	Bass can always regurgitate anything in their stomachs. I've had a few thing pop up in the live well before from this LOL. Lizards __________________ There are three types of Snakes I hate 1. Live Snakes 2. Dead Snakes 3. Sticks that look like Snakes. And Gators too!

09-07-07, 12:04 PM	#2
chjohnson622 BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Lumberton, TX Posts: 3	I do not know if a fish can digiest a plastic worm but I have seen fish in my livewell with worms being passed. Not spit out but being passed fish with worms hanging out. I have not seen this alot but I have seen it a time or two

09-07-07, 05:15 PM	#5
Kawabuggy BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 57	Does CPR stand for Catch (the fish), Picture (as in take one), and then Release?

09-07-07, 07:37 PM	#8
Raul BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 1,030	Bass can only digest biodegradable baits, if a bass swallows a plastic bait two things will happen: 1.- It will regurgitate it 2.- It will transit unadultered through the digestive system and will be pooped out. NEVER pull a bait protruding from the anus if you happen to catch a fish pooping out a soft plastic bait, you are going to do more harm by doing what you think it´s right, you think it´s right but certainly it´s not.

09-07-07, 10:04 PM	#9
BigBassin144 BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Toledo, Ohio Posts: 9,463	Yeah, if a bass gets a plastic, and it can't digest it, it'll regurgitate [sp?] it. I honestly don't think it will do any harm to the fish though. bb144 __________________ As of June 14, 2014 the members of the BF.com forum have moved to basschat.yuku.com!

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)