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  1. #1
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    Scent fish attractants?

    What do you guys think about scents? Do you think they work to attract fish or just fishermen?

  2. Member Walkabout7781's Avatar
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    #2
    I've tried about 1/2 dozen different brands. IMO, they make the fish hold onto my bait longer, allowing me to get an effective hookset. I mostly fish soft plastics, rigged in various ways. I don't always use a scent, but will if I get bites and no hookups...that tells me that the fish are not chewing the bait 8 times before swallowing.
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  3. Member Solitario Lupo's Avatar
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    #3
    Some work some don’t. Had luck with the gulp alive minnows. I make my own plastics so I just fish them plain. So I think more the size, colors, and patterns.

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    #4
    In my opinion scents can make a huge difference sometimes. I make my own plastics too & use spike it dip & glo on tails etc. & use to use nothing but berkley power baits because of the scent & the fact that i caught a lot of fish on them. I've had folks mention soaking baits in gulp alive minnow juice. I'll probably try it & get some of the powerbait scent to try as an experiment this summer too. I use to have faith in the powerbait so why not try the scent on the baits i make?

  5. Member DrewFlu33's Avatar
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    #5
    I've seen times where I was positive it mattered. One early spring tourney, I was on a killer swim jig bite, burning it then killing it in holes in the grass. I was dipping trailers in JJs, then got lazy and quit as they were biting so fast and furious. I didn't get another bite for a good 30 minutes, finally relented and dipped it, then tossed the jig over the side of the boat so I didn't stain my carpet while I was putting it away. One of my better fish of the day nearly jerked the rod in the water before I could get set back up. Another time I was fishing a solid smallmouth bite with a buddy, both of us tossing identical tubes. He was absolutely kicking my tail, no matter what I did. Finally I realized he had been basting his baits with some type of crawfish scent. I tried it, suddenly it was game on.

    There have also been other times where I honestly felt it hurt me, and many many many more where I felt it made no difference whatsoever.

    I think at the end of the day confidence plays a big part in it. We all know how confidence works in fishing--If you "know" something will work or not work, you're almost always right.

    FWIW, I've heard some pros (e.g., Iaconelli) say that it matters more for smallmouth than largemouth. Those guys have every incentive to tell us scent always matters, that's how they sell baits for their sponsors, so when they say something like that I tend to listen. It's definitely matched my experience as well!
    Last edited by DrewFlu33; 05-16-2022 at 11:14 AM. Reason: fixing reversed smallmouth/largemouth
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  6. Member Solitario Lupo's Avatar
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    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Les Young View Post
    In my opinion scents can make a huge difference sometimes. I make my own plastics too & use spike it dip & glo on tails etc. & use to use nothing but berkley power baits because of the scent & the fact that i caught a lot of fish on them. I've had folks mention soaking baits in gulp alive minnow juice. I'll probably try it & get some of the powerbait scent to try as an experiment this summer too. I use to have faith in the powerbait so why not try the scent on the baits i make?
    I bought the spray on in the gulp alive minnow. Used it a couple times even sprayed it in the bags and left the plastic in there soaking. Looks like it just washes off fast like a couple throws. On top of that haven’t caught anything off of it. Must be me lol. Let us know how it goes.

  7. Member Mr.Bass's Avatar
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    #7
    Some things that people don’t take into consideration is that most of these scents especially oil based keep skirts and plastics from sticking to each.
    Only the fish will know if it makes a difference

    I will say this I will never fish the Great Lakes without a jar of smelly jelly for brown fish

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    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Mr.Bass View Post
    Some things that people don’t take into consideration is that most of these scents especially oil based keep skirts and plastics from sticking to each.
    Only the fish will know if it makes a difference

    I will say this I will never fish the Great Lakes without a jar of smelly jelly for brown fish
    I've used it on float n fly jigs years ago & think it helped. The smallmouth hit harder & held on better in my opinion than a jig without it.

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    #9
    In the summer I use the to cover the sent of sunscreen on my hands. Don't know if it helps, I keep ask but they never answer.

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    #10
    There are two different categories here. Masking agents and attractants.

    Bass detect (smell) particulates in the water column through glands called "nairs", two on either side of their head. In order for a bass to detect (smell) anything at any distance it has to be water soluble. The downside to water soluble is exactly that. Even soaking soft plastics will have a limited effect as more and more "scent" is essentially being washed off the bait each cast.
    Masking agents, anything oil based, do not disperse particles into the water column so the bass will have to come in contact with the bait to detect anything.

    I truly believe masking agents are a waste of time and money. I'm a smoker so let's take nicotine as an example. Nicotine is water soluble while my spike it garlic scent is not. The bass will be able to detect the nicotine in the water column before it makes contact with the bait and detects the masking agent. Secondly, since nicotine is water soluble it's only going to take a couple casts for that scent to completely disperse from the bait.

    I'm a true believer water soluble scents can make quite the difference in a situation with current but my personal opinion based on the science is masking agents are more of a confidence thing for most people.

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    #11
    Good point Andrew M.

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    #12
    Procure is all I use

  13. Member ou1dadgumit's Avatar
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    #13
    I have been trying to get bit without it this year and have failed
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    #14
    The only thing I can confirm works with certainty is the Powerbait gel and Procure. Smallies especially, are suckers for the Powerbait.

    I'll be trying a bottle of Baitfuel this summer. Why not!

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    #15
    Bang

  16. Member reelman's Avatar
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    #16
    My preference is the gel MegaStrike… sprays and fluids are so very messy and wasteful… tried them for years.

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    #17
    Used Smelly Jelly for years.Switched to Berkley Spray and like it much better.