Attracting Common Carp to a bait site with food reveals strong positive relationships between fish density, feeding activity, environmental DNA, and sex pheromone release that could be used in invasive fish management

Abstract

Voluntary Ingestion of Soft Plastic Fishing Lures Affects Brook Trout Growth in the Laboratory

Abstract

Thirty‐eight brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis were fed a commercial trout diet mixed with a free‐choice assortment of soft plastic lures (SPLs) over a 90‐d period. Fish growth was recorded and compared with that of a control group. The brook trout readily ate the SPLs from the water's surface as well as from the tank bottom. At the conclusion of the study, SPLs were recovered from the stomachs of 63% of the test fish. Several fish stomachs contained multiple lures. Twelve percent of the fish voluntarily ingested more than 10% of their body mass in SPLs. These fish lost a significant amount of weight during the study, had a significant decrease in body condition factor, and began displaying anorexic behaviors. For these reasons, anglers should be discouraged from discarding used SPLs in trout waters.