Trying to think what i use that goes into the water/fish that is plastic If i use a hair rig i use a bit of grass as a stop dont use bait bands or bait stops occaisonally use float stops small rubber jobs they get taken off and re-used the float dont go in the fish .
I can see very little need for all this plastic maybe it just me being old schoolish i also hate plastic bags we need to get back to paper ..
PG ..
To be fair mate , I hear your concern.
Nowt wrong with searching for way's to keep the old methods alive (that are time served and proven to increase catch rates) but rely less and less on "new this or new that" to achieve it, anyone who knows me will already of noticed I haven't the spare cash to keep up with most of the new additions in the tackle world since my long hiatus, but can be easily imitated...for example the netting could be swapped for that which Garlic is often sold in in sets of 3 bulbs etc, some I hear use it in winter as a weighted chum, filled with pastes that release scent and small amounts to attract fish.
I use fake maggots since gaining confidence in them recently but one at a time as its sometimes cheaper for me than going to fetch some in the car at already inflated petrol prices while losing a small window of time allocated to a quick fishing session.
I switched from lead to childrens non-toxic plasticine after losing to many expensive leads to snags while ledgering, then from plasticine to pebble's held on by elastic bands (even cheaper and again leaves less to pollute the river) and my catch rate has gone up (?).
Half the stuff I see on the shelves at the local tackle shop are unnecessary bits of highly priced injection moulded plastics, attached to a sales pitch, itself further attached to a documented video or magazine catch that others yearn for and convince themselves is the only way to catch that fish, when it clearly isn't.
Free-lining is a most under rated fishing technique that avoids all the terminal clutter but is hard to use in certain or every set of fishing circumstances, the switch from petroleum plastics to plant cellulose plastics is one we should all welcome though, its not perfect but plant based plastics have a lot going for them in decomposition stakes and in production, people are not content with the basics, my generation are probably the worst for not living within their means.
Each to their own I guess.
My conscience has so far taken me to asking what actually does happen to a large fish that snaps your hooklink and has to feed with what is effectively potential pain from an existing hook everytime it wants to feed, what is the eventual outcome of this? I have had many answer but no one has been able to show or document what really happens to the fish, I know that a high proportion of Pike that are able to run away with a lure attached to their mouth will ultimately die a slow death from starvation, what about say for example Carp, Barbel and large Chub left with say a size 10 barbed specialist hook with 12inches of braid trailing out of their mouth? Adding to that an increased risk of making fish try to digest plastic products seems a bit to far if its only to deter crayfish (that can be used to good effect as a swim holding bait and its free....as long as you have a licence :/ ) when did using a catapult or dare I say it your own hand clenching some freebees using centrifugal forces, become so unpopular?
mg: