Scent additives.... Waste of money or worth it??

[Luke Barnes]

Ive been mulling over using some kind of scent and taste additive on my lures. Whether a spray or a gel. Ive seen videos of people using them and even they admit they dont know if they would have still caught the fish without it. If anything to me, it may help them to hold onto it longer once they bite, but do they actually attract bass who rely on their lateral line so much with finding food?

[roadwarrior]

I have been using MegaStrike for more than twenty years. I do not fish soft

plastics without an application.

 

[Hammer 4]

3 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

I have been using MegaStrike for more than twenty years. I do not fish soft

plastics without an application.

 

Same goes for me...

[Team9nine]

SO MANY past threads on this subject you can look up...

 

But,...

 

Put me in the waste of time and money camp 

[rtwvumtneer6]

There are a lot of explanations out there of why they work.  I can't recall ever hearing anyone say they lathered up a lure and never got another bite.  

 

This is one that I wouldn't think too much about... Just buy enough that always have a back up.  

 

*I also use megastrike.

[MN Fisher]

9 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

SO MANY past threads on this subject you can look up...

 

But,...

 

Put me in the waste of time and money camp 

Only one I use is one that was gifted to me. Berkley, Earthworm 'flavor'...rarely.

[Mike L]

When I think about it, I use baby oil and garlic. 
 

Lately I haven’t even thought about using it 

 

 

Mike

[ww2farmer]

I'm a die-hard megastrike user. It gets put on everything that I use that is not already pre-scented and/or flavored. Stuff like GYCB plastics, Reaction Innovations plastics, I'll put some on my frogs, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, jigs, etc....I even put it on my hardbaits.

 

Stuff  like Berkley Power bait, SK coffee scented plastics, or Keitechs squid scented stuff usually gets none applied.

[A-Jay]

Megastrike and MaxScent

is all I need.

A-Jay 

[JustJames]

Someday it works, most days don’t. I do believe more of location and action of the bait than scent. Do I use it? Sometimes especially when I smoked or used sun screen. These day I don’t bother much (quick smoking for good, I hope)

 

[Dens228]

I use Megastrike also....a tube lasts me all season and it can't hurt so why not. 

[Cgolf]

I use liquid mayhem and seen too many times where it makes a difference to discount it. It isn’t a confidence thing. Only advice is don’t try it on a hot bite when they are basically jumping in the boat, but try it on a slow day. If not liquid mayhem, atlas mikes has worked for me and I believe others that mega strike works. IMO it just needs to be a gel scent. 
 

Best evidence I had is father in law went fishless, not even a hit, for an hour while I landed 5 or 6. He reluctantly allowed me to put some scent on the bait he was throwing and had hits in less than 5 casts and a fish in 5 minutes. Does the stuff work miracles, nope, but it does IMO land you more fish. 

[Big Hands]

Been using 'Hot Sauce' for several decades. One bottle lasts for years. I put it on plastics mainly. Certainly doesn't seem to hurt and just a dab'll do ya.

[Michigander]

I think scent buys you an extra second or two to set the hook before they spit the bait out. Applies more to unsalted, plastics with a strong chemical odor though, IMO.

[rtwvumtneer6]

1 hour ago, cgolf said:

I use liquid mayhem

I've also tried this one (it's been a few years) before switching to megastrike.  The tube of liquid mayhem I had was red and actually stained skirt material.  It seemed to be effective, but just a fair warning I would opt for a clear gel.

[Cgolf]

5 minutes ago, rtwvumtneer6 said:

I've also tried this one (it's been a few years) before switching to megastrike.  The tube of liquid mayhem I had was red and actually stained skirt material.  It seemed to be effective, but just a fair warning I would opt for a clear gel.

It is no longer red. It has some color to it but definitely not the red. Maybe tan or light brown. 

[DitchPanda]

I've tried a few different ones with mixed results. The one I still use is JJs magic to dip my soft baits. I'm not sure if its the color, the scent or both..but it can make a difference.

[Luke Barnes]

I have spike it chartreuse garlic but like above I do it more for the color than the scent. What got me thinking is when crappie and Panfish fishing I will spray some Slab Sauce on the plastics and it seems to make them commit instead or just peck at it. So that made me think if it applied to bass fishing and what products worked best. Sounds like the majority prefer Mega Strike so I'm going to look into it.

 

I agree on the gel, the Slab Sauce is a spray and lasts about 4 casts before I dont seen an oil slick when pulling it out of the water so I have to respray. Crappie nibbles are just a pain in the butt so I quick tipping with them.

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Scent can definitely make a big difference.  It can possibly get a fish to check out a bait that he normally wouldn't look at but at the very least its gives you a little more time to reel down and set the hook b4 he spits the bait.  

Depending on what kind of scents you use there are drawbacks.  Some brands can really make a mess and or stain carpet, clothes, interior and just about anything.  Some scents are just straight up putrid and the last thing you want to do is have some rub off of your bait onto the seat of your car, it doesn't go away fast.  A buddy of mine carried a big jar of JJs magic in his bag.  I dont know if he didnt screw the lid or what but the entire jar leaked into his back seat in July.  He had to drive with his windows down for months.  Im not kidding when I say this if I was downwind from the parking lot at the lake I could tell if he was there or not from almost 1/4 mile away.  So I really think gels are the way to go over liquids for that reason and they also last longer on your bait.

Pro Cure makes some great scents, thats what Keitech uses in their baits.  The natural scents are really effective and they come in a bottle that doesnt make a mess.  I lather up my bucktails and soft plastics when Im striper fishing and it can really make a difference.   Just be careful with it, they use real baitfish and what not for ingredients.  The only downside is that it can spoil if it gets to hot.

I use scents for freshwater bass mostly in the winter.  Even if its just for a confidence boost at the very least.  Both the MegaStrike and GeneLarews Bug Juice are thick gels that come in bottles that dont make a mess.  They don't have a repulsive smell either so if you get it on your hands it washes off easy, but it will stain clothes.  Ive been using the same tube of mega strike and same bottle of bug juice for a couple years now so you get your moneys worth.  I would suggest keeping them in zip lock bags with the slider as a precation.

[Luke Barnes]

Looks like I would have to order Mega Strike. I know I can get Pro Cure locally. I see really good reviews for Bang spray. But being a spray I'm curious how well it holds onto the lures. Anyone have any experience with it?

[tander]

I believe there is something to using scents. Like others, I use MegaStrike and Pro Cure.  I have seen plenty times when I added a scent I caught fish, maybe it was the scent or not. Anyway, I going to keep on using it because I think it does make a difference.

[5/0]

I use it on baits that are not scented, but am always paranoid about spilling it. I fish from the back and don’t want the boaters carpet to look like the floor of a lube room. I usually apply it over the side to prevent this, especially on warm days when it liquifies.

I’ve seen guys apply it to their hands and not on any baits to mask sunscreen or insect repellent that may be transferred to the bait.

[Michigander]

I do like using scent as a tube jig head lube when inserting into the tube bait. So there's at least one practical application.

[sdsc357]

I'm in the waste of money camp.

[Bankbeater]

I will put scent in the same category as color. Sometimes it will matter, and sometimes it doesn’t.