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Patrick Mc

Colorado DOW banned salt and scent from artifical only lakes

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My state has banned plastics that contain salt or scent from certain lakes. I am bummed! Several of them are fantastic bass lakes. I primarily use tubes and senkos at these lakes and occasional hog or finesse worm. My question is how difficult and costly is to hand pour some of these baits? I maybe fish these lakes 10 times a year and I need to decide whether its worth implementing a pouring operation or just say the heck with it. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

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Yep I'm sure it for real. We had a lake in my area that was that way for a couple of years. Its pretty hard for them to enforce and pretty soon they will have to change the rule. Its doesnt make any sense for Bass fisherman but the real reason they do it is for the trout fisherman, catch and release rates and all. Lots of pro and cons but overall it just sucks when they do it. There are baits out there without either and you can make your own quite easily. Whenever we fished it we just made sure we didnt have any packages in boat and ever wondered how they would be able to tell unless they tasted it. Not too many Fish cops want to taste your lures! :P

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What is the reason behind this? Most scents are organic and biodegradable. You will never lose enough salted baits to change the alkalinity of the lake and these too are biodegradable. Now if they are looking at the fact that some fish may be more prone to be gut hooked when using these things in conjunction with soft plastic baits, it might make a little more sense but you can gut hook a fish on baits without as well. I just do not understand the reasoning behind this.

After all, it isn't a ban on a toxic substance like lead.

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I kid you not! Here is the link to the Colorado DOW chapter 1 article 1. http://wildlife.state.co.us/NR/rdonlyres/279EA0CB-C63F-4B49-8150-8B1DD38FB390/0/Ch01.pdf It does seem pretty crazy and as some one said are they going to lick the baits??? I wish! The DOW was upset with people using gulp and Berkley imitation worms to take precious trout. I could take things out of the package but I do try to play by all the rules no matter how stupid. I will make it a mission in life to get the rule changed but until then need to adjust what I am doing.

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I got the information from a local web site www.coloradofisherman.com. The moderators and other have attended meetings and spoke personally with department personal. I think I have found some people to pour some baits. Looking for tubes though. Concerned about how a senko will work without salt. May have to go back to sticking trim nails in them. Thanks to all for helping out a newbie. I am very intrigued about making my own baits though. Looks like interesting experiment.

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Earthworm

the reason is they want lakes that are artifcial only, meaning for example no fake salmon eggs with the scent texture etc,

one of the reasons is so that fish will not inhale the bait and it could be caught and released for someone else to catch it. if the fish taste the scents or salts it could easily mistake it for a bait fihs and inhale the bait into its stomach so it cant be released.

this is mainly used in catch and release lakes for trout.

it has nothing to do with baits being biodegradable or having the bait affect the water, its mainly for the safety fo the fish and to give it the best chance of being released.

Theres quite a few of those lakes here in AZ and I know of a ton fo them in washington and a few other states.

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Some lakes have these implementations. I believe it has to do with increased hook mortality in these fish do to the fish more likely to hold onto the bait longer and deeper. Not that big of a deal in my opinion. I have always found sent/taste to be the least important factor for bass. Do the Zoom tubes have sent or salt, I didn't think they did, but could be wrong.

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The plastic has a scent with or without adding scent and salt.I contend that feathers,hair,and fly flotation oil,plus line floatation,silicon or oil,all have oders,so really it is a matter of amount of oder.If this is the case then the use of flies(heaven forbid)should also be banned.All metal spoons,spinners,would have to be sanitized too eliminate human oder.This should allow the trout to die of old age.Can you imagine tying on a flie with rubber gloves(Oh wait,Latex has a strong scent) O'well???

It is a stupid law.and I have faith in our DOW that it will change.This is a law that was pushed by the pure fly fishermen that can't compete,even when using a $500 rod,$300 dollar reel ,and $50 line to throw thier precious little smelly ball of preseved hair,and feathers,dripping in the scent of all types of oders.

This is much the same way that warm water fish were almost put on the back burner for many years.The attitude,in Colorado,if it was not a trout,it was a trash fish was held by the DOW,or at least the public, for many years.Thank God they finnaly came around.

The only way that this whole issue can be resolved,would be if warm water fish can survive the water temp,then trout shouldn't be stocked.They would be in the high country only.I really wouldn't like to see this because when they stock the rainbows,the bass,and wipers go on a feeding frenzy.The really get fat on stockers.

Sorry about the long post.

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Just pour scent free, salt free sticks and tubes and use... LEAD WEIGHTS!!!!! DUH!!!!!

Seriously, I use the "sugar flakes" for weight in stick baits and they work great.

I happen to think salt free stick baits used with a small giggy head are more deadly than the "salted" baits. You will also get the benefit of having translucent baits if you pour them with nothing and just use a weight or weighted head. Crystal clear baits with just glitter are killer!!!

Can't comment on tubes but sure you can do them salt free, scent free..

Jim

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