Larry Roland – Minnesota B.A.S.S Nation

As a Lakes Area, Minnesota Bassmasters member, Larry has been involved in collecting and recasting Soft Plastic Lures for the past 15 years. He collects used SPL’s from anglers throughout the state, melts them down and recasts them as new ones that he gives out to young anglers interested in getting into the sport.

How long have you been recycling soft plastic?

I’ve been interested in recycling soft plastic lures since I joined the Minnesota B.A.S.S. Nation in 2000. In 2013, Mickey Goetting, the club’s Conservation Director at the time, and I got together to encourage our young anglers to collect soft plastic lures and send them to us.

The first year, we collected about 70 pounds which I melted down into 300 packages of new baits which the Minnesota clubs distributed to our clubs. Now, I’m making approximately 800-1000 packages of Re-Baits a year from the 180 to 200 pounds of spent soft plastics I now receive.

Last year, in the spirt of doing something uplifting, we did something different. Since fishing was one thing parents and children could do to cope with the COVID pandemic and get outside, I’m proud to say we donated 225 Re-Bait packages to Toys for Tots as part of their holiday gift giving efforts.

How do you address anglers improperly disposing of line or lures?

When I see someone improperly disposing of line or soft plastic lures by dropping it in the water, I try to use it as a teaching moment. I’ll speak with that person about how important it is to keep used line and lures out of our waterways because of the impact it has on the fish. I’m glad to say that more bass anglers are aware of the importance of properly disposing of their soft baits but there is plenty of room for improvement.

What are some ways to help ensure that soft plastic baits stay out of our streams, rivers and lakes?

I use several home remedies to hold onto my soft lures. Super glue will help. Barbed products to hold them in place. Something as simple as paper clips or rubber bands wrapped around the plastics and the head of my hook will help. I also use O rings and pieces of shrink tube. Keeping your soft plastic lures in place helps your catch more fish with one bait saving time and money.

We encourage all our club members to use zip lock bags to corral their used soft baits. Other options are slipping them into a water bottle or soda can. At the least, when fishing from a boat, use the vessel’s glove box for storage. If you collect them and then dispose of them properly, that’s much better than in the water. We’ve had success in letting youth anglers look through the ones we collect for re-baiting and let them take the baits they feel can still be used.

Do you have any tips or advice for clubs or young angler programs who want to get into recycling soft plastic lures?

Check to see if your state’s BASS Nation has a recycling program. Check online for recycled plastics in your state. When on the water or at a boat landing, check to see if there are recycling boxes or bins nearby. Making your own baits, or engaging your people in a re-bait program, is a very rewarding.

Were you aware that Maine has threatened to ban soft plastic lures multiple times?

I had not heard of the effort in Maine. When issues such as this arise in Minnesota, our BASS Nation club will ensure we weigh in by going to meetings and participating in legislative sessions. We are diligent in ensuring our members throughout Minnesota are kept up to date on issues that impact them.