Ban on Soft Plastic Baits 2024

Woodsman reply :

Due to the evidence that trout are ingesting and not passing soft plastic baits, it seems likely that the State of Maine, may in the near future, attempt to pass legislation banning soft plastics. Does anyone have any idea if plastic bait companies are moving toward biodegradible baits?

It would be awful to lose plastics as we have today without having something to replace it. On the other hand, if trout are indeed being harmed then something should be done.

Looking for feedback and opinions. This is not going to be easy.

George Welcome reply :

Two companies that I know of: Pure Fishing and Yamamoto.

Avalonjohn44 reply :

Berkley too. Gulp is biodegradable.

Wayne P. reply :

A hook may harm a trout too. Are those going to be banned too? BS

CRFisher reply :

Just think of the number of senkos that have fallen or ripped off hooks the last few years alone. I believe whatever chemical makes the plastic "soft" may potentially leach out of the bait, I think this is why there are "worm proof" tackle binders. I believe Europe banned it in all kids toys, I wouldn't be surprised to see it banned for fishing soon too.

avid reply :

So live bait is bad because the fish swallow the hooks.

And plastic artificial's are bad because trout can't poop.

Lead sinkers are bad because it pollutes the water.

I say we just ban all fishing and be done with it.

CRFisher reply :

Tungsten ($$$) steel, tin or brass weights with Gulp or similar types should be OK. My guess is that once a state bans it (a big if) you'll see a gigantic amount of biodegradable types of "plastics" come out. Maybe they'll go back to being "rubber" worms.

Crestliner2008 reply :

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So live bait is bad because the fish swallow the hooks.
And plastic artificial's are bad because trout can't poop.

Lead sinkers are bad because it pollutes the water.

I say we just ban all fishing and be done with it.

I think you pretty well hit the nail on the head! Can't do this....can't do that.....just plain can't!!

Dan: reply :

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Berkley too. Gulp is biodegradable.

Berkley is owned by Pure fishing.

Avid says it all, all we can do is the best we can to avoid harming the fish. No fisherman wants to hurt the species they fish for...

burleytog reply :

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So live bait is bad because the fish swallow the hooks.
And plastic artificial's are bad because trout can't poop.

Lead sinkers are bad because it pollutes the water.

I say we just ban all fishing and be done with it.

Didn't you get the memo? That's the plan. :-X

Titleman reply :

_ B_u_r_l_e_y

You may be more right than you think. BTW, really like your signature. 8-), Tom

bass wrangler569 reply :

That surprises me coming out of Maine. When I read ban on soft plastics California immediately came to mind (they seem to enjoy banning things). I bet California will jump on the on the ban-soft plastics boat soon though. They'll probably discover that wild condors are eating the trout and are dying as a result and we just can't have that.

Max-in-Mn reply :

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That surprises me coming out of Maine. When I read ban on soft plastics California immediately came to mind (they seem to enjoy banning things). I bet California will jump on the on the ban-soft plastics boat soon though. They'll probably discover that wild condors are eating the trout and are dying as a result and we just can't have that.

Well said ;D

Marty reply :

I'd be interested in reading the story. Does anyone have a link?

mayassa reply :

I guess you should stock up, before the ban.

Woodsman reply :

I don't think you can access it via the web. The article is in this months Maine Sportsman magazine.

The article was written by the editor who suggest that a ban should be debated.

Sam reply :

I sincerely hope the Main Legislature takes the same amount of interest in all of the freshwater fishing concerns you all have and helps make freshwater fishing better in the entire state.

Time will tell.

quant PT reply :

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A hook may harm a trout too. Are those going to be banned too? BS

And bears - ban them too. They eat trout!

Brian_Reeves reply :

I say eat all the trout before they eat all of the plastic.

That ban may actually make sense in places that aren't heavily dependent on bass populations. Fishing down here in the south revolves around bass, so that ban would be very, very hard to push through. I wouldn't worry about it. If it does go through, use foodsource or GULP baits. I'd rather not fish, personally.

moby bass reply :

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So live bait is bad because the fish swallow the hooks.
And plastic artificial's are bad because trout can't poop.

Lead sinkers are bad because it pollutes the water.

I say we just ban all fishing and be done with it.

Careful! We've already banned cutting certain trees because of the little

critters that live in them. Better to protect them than to build a house for a human. : When it happens, it shouldn't come as a surprise.

GonzoFishing reply :

The fishing will go on but you can bet that we will have to pony up alot more money replacing all our "old plastic baits" with "the new improved bio version". d**n greedy trout!

-HAWK- reply :

Seems like this would be a hard Ban to pass with all the fisherman that fish plastics. :-X

B-o-b reply :

Better start practicing sneaking up on bass with my hands and grabbin em

NBR reply :

This is likely in response to a Field and Stream article a few months maybe several months back. The research for the article was not well done and in my opinion was full of holes. If the Maine legislature goes forward with this they will prove my theory that state legislators are at the low end of the spectrum in intelectual capacity. Just below their federal counter parts and a bit above toads.

I have seen bass with Senko like lures coming out of their vent. Seeing it doesn't mean they expelled it saferly but in doesn't mean they didn't either.

Pencil Pusher reply :

There was an article in Field and Stream earlier this year, march or April I think, that had this information about Maine perhaps banning plastic baits. There was also some statements about private areas already banning some soft plastics. But, the biggest concern for plastic baits is not that they specifically will be banned in some areas but that the chemicals used to soften plastic for production may be banned entirely because its use in other soft plastic items such as baby pacifiers, teething rings, etc. is harmful. If the chemicals are banned, it won't matter how many fishermen use soft plastics, they won't be available until someone comes up with different softening chemicals. Remember, lead shot got banned and every shotgun hunter in the world was using lead shot.

MichBassMan reply :

How about banning hot grease? Most fish may survive an encounter with soft plastics, but very few if any survive gutting and a trip to the deep fryer.

Glenn reply :

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I don't think you can access it via the web. The article is in this months Maine Sportsman magazine.
The article was written by the editor who suggest that a ban should be debated.

Perhaps it's the magazine that should be banned. :

Tokyo Tony reply :

There's no way a law like that could be passed (outside of California). Someone would have to prove that there's a significant number of trout dying as a result of discarded plastics. That is something that cannot be proven, IMO.

skronky reply :

I say good. Ban them. We don't need to be leaving thousands of plastic worms in the bottom of lakes that will be there for years anyway. They will be replaced with biodegradable plastics anyway. The market will work it out so stop wining. We could all be more responsible in our hobby anyway.

BassBandit35 reply :

Lots of fishing line wrapped in brushpile, stumps, rocks, and docks like a spiderweb. Ban all crankbaits, soft plastic, and lines! :

Blue Streak reply :

I always though trout were very finicky eaters. Does this mean that the fly fishermen have been wrong all of these years?

Blue Streak reply :

What if we all stopped throwing our used plastics in the water and took them home and threw out them in the trash? I don't think I lose enough plastic baits off of my hook in a season to hurt any body of water if I fished every day for the rest of my life.

Big Matty L reply :

Quote

Quote
I say good. Ban them. We don't need to be leaving thousands of plastic worms in the bottom of lakes that will be there for years anyway. They will be replaced with biodegradable plastics anyway. The market will work it out so stop wining. We could all be more responsible in our hobby anyway.

anyways ;D

b

what-ever! ;D

maseyferguson05 reply :

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So live bait is bad because the fish swallow the hooks.
And plastic artificial's are bad because trout can't poop.

Lead sinkers are bad because it pollutes the water.

I say we just ban all fishing and be done with it.

Or we could fix the problem and keep fishing? I think this world is filled with enough smart ass's as it is. Tone it down because if your not part of the solution, your part of the problem.

CRFisher reply :

'What if we all stopped throwing our used plastics in the water and took them home and threw out them in the trash?" -

I assumed that's what we were all doing.

" I don't think I lose enough plastic baits off of my hook in a season to hurt any body of water if I fished every day for the rest of my life. " -

Guess you're not fishing Senkos - D'oh! I don't want to get that started again!

bass slayer 17 reply :

i think in the next 5 years many states will make the change but i think the bait companys will try to change over to biodegradable plastics anyways....

are they going to ban eagles also because they eat and harm trout

maseyferguson05 reply :

Sorry about that snap, i really didn't mean anything by it. It just seemed like you were complaining about something that you helped cause.

Anyways, the ban will never happen but it will push for biodegradable plastics. You take one cast and they will just disappear > It might actually be better for the company's as there will be a way bigger demand as you need to replace them more often and the always present fact that the price of these things are gunna skyrocket.

Blue Streak reply :

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'What if we all stopped throwing our used plastics in the water and took them home and threw out them in the trash?" -
I assumed that's what we were all doing.

" I don't think I lose enough plastic baits off of my hook in a season to hurt any body of water if I fished every day for the rest of my life. " -

Guess you're not fishing Senkos - D'oh! I don't want to get that started again!

Do you assume that we are all throwng them in the water, or that we are all throwing them in the trash?

avid reply :

Or we could fix the problem and keep fishing? I think this world is filled with enough smart ***'s as it is. Tone it down because if your not part of the solution, your part of the problem.

Ever notice whenever there is something that some people enjoy, someone will always point out that it's a problem and want to ban it?

As for toning it down? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. Where have I heard that before?

SPEEDBEAD. reply :

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Or we could fix the problem and keep fishing? I think this world is filled with enough smart ***'s as it is. Tone it down because if your not part of the solution, your part of the problem.
Ever notice whenever there is something that some people enjoy, someone will always point out that it's a problem and want to ban it?

As for toning it down? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. Where have I heard that before?

LOL Be nice Avid. I dont think the kid has ANY idea who he is poking his stick at...

CRFisher reply :

I assumed most people tossed ruined plastics in the trash, same with line. Typically I'll tear off any pieces from plastics I might be able to use as a trailer, throw those in my tackle bag and pocket the rest until I get home or find a barrell.

Blue Streak reply :

It would be great if everyone cleaned up after themselves but I don't think I have ever been around a marina or an area where people fish from the bank a lot that I have not picked up gobs of line and other trash.

BassFishingMachine reply :

Soft plastics killing the trout!? HA! Ban the friggin Cormorans, they kill more trout in a day then soft plastics do in a year.

Just a bunch of jacks imo...

Cyork reply :

I, as a Mainer do support efforts to try and save our trout/ salmon fishery but a statewide ban on plastics is ridiculous. If they are so worried about the trout they need to do something about illegal introduction of non-native fish species. That's the real problem. In most of the waters where trout are the main sportfish, bass aren't even present so I would seriously doubt lots of people are using plastics there to begin with. Our state legislature really needs to get it's act together and address the real issue facing our trout and salmon fisheries. They need to enact laws that severely punish people for illegal stocking (thousands of dollars in fines, jail time, life-time ban from fishing in Maine).

boondocks reply :

Al Gore have something to do with this???

thefishingone reply :

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I, as a Mainer do support efforts to try and save our trout/ salmon fishery but a statewide ban on plastics is ridiculous. If they are so worried about the trout they need to do something about illegal introduction of non-native fish species. That's the real problem. In most of the waters where trout are the main sportfish, bass aren't even present so I would seriously doubt lots of people are using plastics there to begin with. Our state legislature really needs to get it's act together and address the real issue facing our trout and salmon fisheries. They need to enact laws that severely punish people for illegal stocking (thousands of dollars in fines, jail time, life-time ban from fishing in Maine).

I agree with you! (finally some people from Maine on this site!)

Cyork reply :

Yeah people are doing some dumb stuff, someone put pike in the androscoggin river and bass in the RAPID RIVER (arguably the best brook trout river in the lower 48). Makes me sick.

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Ban on Soft Plastic Baits 2024

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