Scents/attractants

[Tuckahoe Joe]

So I hear a lot of people on here talking about using scents/attractants on their lures. Im thinking about maybe trying some this season. How much of a difference do you think it really makes? Does pretty much everyone use them? Anyone not use them at all and think they don't really do much? I'd like to hear both sides of the argument (if in fact there are 2 sides to it).

[tomustang]

I put my sweat on every lure and the fish jump out of the water to get it

[Bluebasser86]

At times it can make a huge difference. I like to use scents in colder water when I'm really letting the bait soak and fish are moving slowly and often examining the bait more. A slippery, gel scent can help a lot when fishing thick weeds or with swimbaits, not so much to attract fish but to help the bait slip through the weeds or through a fishes teeth easier. 

[Bankbeater]

I think I do better with sunscreen and bug spray.  I have never had any luck with scents.

[Snakehead Whisperer]

I agree with Bluebasser86. Scent can make a bigger difference in cold water where presentation is slower. Usually in the winter I fish Gulp baits, so it's less of an issue. 

 

With that said I soak all of my baits in scent year round, but this is mostly to take the human smell off of them. I just add some to the bag I store them in and that's it. I never re-apply it.

[Jig Meister]

I dont know if this helps, but I always soak my baits in BANG! Gralic. It is cheap and it is easy to spray in the bags. I do this mostly to keep them nice and moist when they sit all year. I wont spray them right away, just when they get a little dried out. I always feel this helps the colors to pop for a while, at least it makes them prettier to me....

[joetomlee]

I've not had any luck with scents personally. Tried a few different brands/scents and I generally do not notice any difference in the amount of fish I catch. I've heard a lot of people tell me that scents really do work, and so I will still use them from time to time (can't hurt, right?). It's so hard for consumers to tell the difference between a genuine product and a marketing gimmick, and so most of the responses you get will be clashing opinions. You'll probably end up as confused as before you asked, lol.

[Darren.]

I've had luck, but don't use scents all the time.

 

Squeezing some Megastrike into a bag of worms and mashing it all around is one way I've used scents.

 

Other is dipping into JJ's Magic.

 

Since I don't keep stats, I can't really say whether I've caught more or less with scented baits. But I have confidence in the two mentioned...

[Jaiden]

I use Kick'n Bass in garlic. I use it whenever I can't get bit. I honestly don't know if the fish care for it, but it does give me a little more confidence which can help any angler.

[Bobby Uhrig]

Come watch some of our demos at the Hawg Trough-Watch and Learn Danielson

[J Francho]

I use Megastrike and JJ's Dip.  I find, especially so with Megastrike, that fish hold the bait longer, giving you more time to feel the bite and set the hook.

[LgMouthGambler]

I use Yum attractant, it seems to be pretty good. Also, mixed some Yom and spike it Chart. Seems to add a good touch.

[Darren.]

I use Yum attractant, it seems to be pretty good. Also, mixed some Yom and spike it Chart. Seems to add a good touch.

 

I've got some Yum F2 as well, crawfish scent in the squeeze-spray bottle. I'll use it sometimes if it is handy to grab.

[eyedabassman]

They have there place! Do I use them all the time NO ! I like the Megastrike alot and I use it when I have heavy weed growth so it helps my bait slid throught the weeds better and I do think they will hang on longer! With JJ's Magic,I use that ALWAYS, if I am fishing after a cold front and I think it makes a BIG impact on my fishing after a front.And both sents/dye mask our human sent that we put on the bait by handling the bait.I will use one of these two sents about 70% of my fishing.I have at times out fished my boat partner 3 or 4 to one with me fishing JJ's or Megastrike>and I have used just about every sent out there and I always cam back to the JJ's & Megastrike!!! And I will fish these two untill they stop making them or untill I stop puffing air!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LgMouthGambler]

I've got some Yum F2 as well, crawfish scent in the squeeze-spray bottle. I'll use it sometimes if it is handy to grab.

Its also good on steak, lol.

[nwmike]

smelly jelly craw scent.I agree with scent when fishing colder water I also use it in really dirty water.

[Crestliner2008]

I've been using Megastrike for a few years now. No actual "proof" that my bait is more "effective" with it or without it. The way I look at it, it's just another step in putting the odds in my favor. And it can't hurt to mask odors. With all the folks I've fished with, I've never been in a situation where the guy, not using scent, did better than us that did use it. So, I guess I'll keep on using it.

 

I do agree however, that spring through early summer - and again fall through early winter - are probably the best time to be using it, regardless of the make. Brand names are only as good as the effect it has on individual confidence. JMO!

[tomustang]

Bass never cared about my smoking smell.

 

On the other side, I use to reek of cigarettes and ended up catching trout all the time, now since I quit I think they hate me since I haven't caught one yet.

[ClackerBuzz]

 we've all heard plenty of stories in person, tv, to the forums: #1 guy in a boat fishing lure x and getting skunked...#2 guy next to him boating endless fish with the same lure x but his had 'gold flakes'.  on that day it clearly made the difference and guy 1 has to swallow his pride as ask guy 2 for a bait.  i've never heard of 2 guys fishing an identical lure and one out fishing the other b/c he had attractant on it.  i guess you never know and i may hear that story soon. we are creatures of habit so i haven't started using it b/c i know i won't stop.

[nascar2428]

All I know is the majority of my plastics have scent in them and I've caught fish on all of them. The ones without will have megastrike on them this year.

[BassinLou]

I have been bassfishing for a while now and I never used scents until a few months ago I started using JJ's, unfortunately I did not handle it properly and it clouded up on me (my mistake) then I came across Megastrike thru this forum of course and I find myself using it 100% of the time. Fish hold the baits longer and if I miss they comeback and sometimes pick it up again.

[keith71]

Bang! I love all their scents but craw/shad combo spray has been killer for me for twenty years.I have turned many a non believer into cant leave home without it users.Try it and see,

[eyedabassman]

I do put Megastrike or JJ's on plastic that already has sent of that worm. I fish alot of the Netbait product that has pork cooked into the plastic and I still will use JJ's or Megastrike on it! Maybe some don't beleave in sent or dye's and that is there wright! But for me I won't be without it! I know many of the pro's also use sent, and that sent they use is not there sponser. I have been on the water way too many times that I can say for sure that the sent that I had on my bait DID make a inpact on the fish and not me!

[Tuckahoe Joe]

Sounds like about 50/50.  I guess Ill just have to try some out and see for myself.  So heres another question.  What kinds of baits do you scent?  Do you only use it on soft plastics or do you put it on hard baits like cranks and topwaters too?

[eyedabassman]

 

Sounds like about 50/50.  I guess Ill just have to try some out and see for myself.  So heres another question.  What kinds of baits do you scent?  Do you only use it on soft plastics or do you put it on hard baits like cranks and topwaters too?

 

I only put sent on soft baits.For me a crank and a top water are reaction baits and the bass don't to get a good look at them as they would with a plastic.