An Early Christmas Present

[stephensonswille]

Went out saturday (Christmas Eve) to the groveland mine ponds with only one gill to show for it from daylight to noon. The fishing was so slow so we packed up and headed to another lake I knew of that holds trout. Fished for a few hours and landed this lake trout. 28" long with a full stomach. The stomach was full of JUMBO rubber worms and a rubber salamander, which made me wonder if they are able to digest them or if they just remain in the stomach of the fish because there is no way the fish would be able to pass such things.

[surflizard]

Congrats on catching the Laker ! On average a 28" laker will have a 14" to 16" girth and normally run between 8,5lbs to 10 lbs ! The rubber worms prevent them from digesting their food and in most cases make the trout enemic and eventually starve to death with food all around it ! You did that trout a huge favor by catching it and ending its suffering ! Plastic baits Do Not Degrade over time, a bass worm dropped 20 years ago won't have degraded one bit, that is what make the plastic baits so dangerous !!

[Mike47]

nice fish and it looks like your all decked out with gear. ( let the goodtimes roll).

[KeepaCatcha]

nice fish...looks like a fatty

[skinnytrucker]

Very nice catch!! Better yet, if you had that Eskimo gear delivered to your house it was delivered by the company I work for so thanks.

[BiG ARN]

Nice job!

[stephensonswille]

Thanks everybody!

[stephensonswille]

Congrats on catching the Laker ! On average a 28" laker will have a 14" to 16" girth and normally run between 8,5lbs to 10 lbs ! The rubber worms prevent them from digesting their food and in most cases make the trout enemic and eventually starve to death with food all around it ! You did that trout a huge favor by catching it and ending its suffering ! Plastic baits Do Not Degrade over time, a bass worm dropped 20 years ago won't have degraded one bit, that is what make the plastic baits so dangerous !!

Here's a picture of the rubber baits that were in the stomach.

[bronzwhaler]

I just read an article about this same issue.  Even though I lost my appetite, the pic shows why we need to take care our waters .

[steeliebob]

Just goes to show that a lake trout will eat anything. Looks like someone lost a tackle box.

[BiG ARN]

I just read an article about this same issue.  Even though I lost my appetite, the pic shows why we need to take care our waters .

Well said!   

[stephensonswille]

After catching this fish it makes me wonder how many more fish in this lake have the same issue. I've only caught one other laker there and that one is at the taxidermist. May have to make a call and ask him if there was any in that ones stomach as well.

[Yooper350]

If I'm correct on the lake by looking at your background in the pics I think its pretty common to find the soft plastics in them.  That lake is very popular among largemouth guys so it doesn't surprise me.  A couple other lakes I know have the same problem.

[Yooper350]

After catching this fish it makes me wonder how many more fish in this lake have the same issue. I've only caught one other laker there and that one is at the taxidermist. May have to make a call and ask him if there was any in that ones stomach as well.

stephensonswille,
I got your PM but for some reason I am not allowed to send any of them yet, probably because my account is new.  Once I am able to send a PM I will send you one.

[stephensonswille]

stephensonswille,
I got your PM but for some reason I am not allowed to send any of them yet, probably because my account is new.  Once I am able to send a PM I will send you one.

I'll PM my personal email to you

[browning13]

nice fish! the picture of it's stomach contents in unbelievable

[stephensonswille]

I started a post in the General Ice fishing chit chat about the rubber bait digestion just thought for those of you interested in the topic it would be good reading material
http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=205834.msg2031056#msg2031056