Fishing with toothpaste, an internet hoax or a smart idea?

Fishing with toothpaste? You heard me right. After learning of this topic I thought, now I’ve heard it all! It’s the latest myth swirling the internet megasphere after a viral video showed a man allegedly catching fish with toothpaste out of a hole in the ground.

For most logical reasons, this shouldn’t need to be myth-busted. Any decent angler will tell you that the notion of catching fish with toothpaste is pure tomfoolery—but it appears people are out there testing this theory for themselves by fishing with toothpaste and other products such as eggs, mint candies, and sodas.

I dug deeper and here is what I could find on the topic:

• There is no scientific evidence or data to support this claim
• Fish and wildlife agencies do not recommend dumping foreign products on wildlife
• The brands behind the products would not comment on the video or the tactics used
• The video is thought to be staged for entertainment purposes
• Apparently, there is some truth to using toothpaste to clean fishing lures

If engaging in the sport of fishing, one should always exhibit humane and sportsmanlike catching and handling methods.

If you’ve stumbled on this page wanting to learn how to catch fish the right way, you’re in the right place! We have plenty of tips for beginners throughout our site, including how to choose the right bait for the type of fishing you plan to do and how to hook bait. I can promise you that fishing with toothpaste isn’t on the list!