[Pt.2] : Striped Bass eating habits - Weirdest

[Capper]

What are some of the weirdest things you've found in a stripers belly, if any? Digestible or not. I'm guessing that since fish will attempt to eat some very unrealistic lures, that they probably end up eating all kinds of strange things.

The reason I ask, is that I've always wondered if a striper can survive, and remain healthy, after consuming things like plastic shad bodies, and lead weights. I think I've mentioned it here before, that I once caught a good sized striper on a 4" Wildeye, and by the time I got it in, the only thing left was the hook. The plastic body and lead weight were gone, and I assume, ingested by the fish.

[BrianZ]

never cleaned a bass with a lure in its belly but a rusty baitholder hook once. "wierdest" stomach contents i found were mantis shrimp(i dont think its wierd that they eat them, just dont normally see them free swimming) i have cleaned more than a few that had fair size gravel in their belly, some say that they ingest stones for ballast during a storm, i think it is "bycatch" from when they scarf up bottom critters like flounder and crabs. .02

[Ralph78]

I once had a bass puke up a red bic lighter. It looked pretty new, and it worked after it dried up. I caught the bass on a bucktail, and she swam free after i released her.

[Ragtacker]

French fries, yup french fries! Some of the Sea food resaraunts in Boston have outdoor seating, the Barnies (tourists) like to feed the "rats with wings" and the stripers answer the call! I've seen a half acre of good size bass blitzing on french fries tossed out by the tourists!

Still the Bic lighter made me laugh!


Rags

[johnmlodynia]

The other day there was a pair of bass on the ramp so I quickly disected them. One had 2 bunker chunks and the other a whole sea robin about 8-10". This bass was small about 30". I meant to take a pic upon my return to the ramp after fishing but I think the birds got the robin. Heres a photo from my neighbors 24#er.

[SteveC]

Ouch.... that would of hurt coming out..

[SouthShoreCoffeeGrinder]

Originally Posted by Ragtacker

French fries, yup french fries! Some of the Sea food resaraunts in Boston have outdoor seating, the Barnies (tourists) like to feed the "rats with wings" and the stripers answer the call! I've seen a half acre of good size bass blitzing on french fries tossed out by the tourists!

Still the Bic lighter made me laugh!


Rags

Not so long ago big bass used to cruise under the warf at Gosmans in M and eat all the scraps that would fall into the water. There are pictures of them feeding somewhere.
-Ive found rocks, lead weights, and a piece of a license plate in them before

[Ditch Jigger]

A partially digested bird.

[John B]

Originally Posted by SouthShoreCoffeeGrinder

...and a piece of a license plate in them before

Did he eat a car?