Adding scent/attractants to commercial soft plastics

[CrashVector]

I've read through about adding scent to custom made poured lures, but what about purchased ones...like from Yum or Strike King?

 

Since I put my soft plastics in a storage box, I regularly spray them down with Bang spray, mostly to keep them lubricated.

 

However, I've noticed that z-man lures seemed to soak up the spray or even pro cure or liquid mayhem.

 

Do conventional PVC based soft plastics absorb scents in the same way?

[J Francho]

I use Megastrike.  I put it on right before I fish it.

[WRB]

I use a few different scents but always apply to soft plastics as I use them. Some soft plastics like Berkley Power or Max I use as is out of the bag.

Tom

[GaryH]

Same here. Megastrike when I’m ready to fish a particular lure.

[CrashVector]

2 hours ago, WRB said:

I use a few different scents but always apply to soft plastics as I use them. Some soft plastics like Berkley Power or Max I use as is out of the bag.

Tom

Powerbait Pit boss has been murdering em out my way the last few weeks...and yes, I never add scent to any powerbait lures 

[MN Fisher]

37 minutes ago, CrashVector said:

Powerbait Pit boss has been murdering em out my way the last few weeks...and yes, I never add scent to any powerbait lures 

I never add scent to any plastic.

 

Fish in my avatar pic was caught on a 3/8oz double willow White/Chartreuse spinner with a 4" Pit Boss in Skeet's Chartreuse Shad as the trailer.

[Hammer 4]

Another Mega Strike user here.

[Scott804]

I only apply if it doesn't have a scent in the first place. Although it feels like a majority of them do come with out of the bag nowadays. 

 

I have had a lot of luck with those KVD chapstick style scents. They made a new set that is supposedly 4x stronger but without the garlic or anise. Haven't tried those yet but they seem interesting. 

[CrashVector]

Just curious because z-man released an article saying that their lures will absorb scents.

[Skunkmaster-k]

Bang crawfish 

[Spankey]

I use it. But never use it on PowerBait worms, craws, grubs or tubes. 

[throttleplate]

i use it on my sandwich when taking a break right after i applied it and rubbed it all over my lure.

I am used to eating with smelly fingerless gloves on and the attractant smell just adds more aroma to my sandwich.

I use berkley bass powerbait attractant.

[T-Billy]

Another vote for Megastrike. 

[Smells like fish]

You can catch them with scent or without it. Adding scent don’t hurt none. 

[Darth-Baiter]

On 10/20/2021 at 11:03 AM, J Francho said:

I use Megastrike.  I put it on right before I fish it.

Thanks bud. It’s the one item I keep forgetting to add. I’ve used a scent stick before. Easy application for sure.  
 

you just rub in some gel?

 

crayfish?

[J Francho]

Yep and yep.

[Darth-Baiter]

6 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Yep and yep.

Thx.  

[TOXIC]

Getting ready for a crappie trip Sunday.  Found that some of my jars of crappie nibbles were dry so I squirted some mega strike in the jars and shook them up.  We’ll see if they get soft or dissolve?. That being said, I also never leave home without a jar of Shad scented smelly jelly.  I don’t fish any plastic other than Yamamoto for bass and although it’s unscented, I do not add anything additional.  

[CrashVector]

I was just curious of the plastic itself absorbs the scents or if it's just a coating.

 

I have the powerbait liquid for my MaxScent lures, which is what Berkley said I should use to keep them "wet" in an email I sent to them asking.

 

I use procure on the Z-Man lures, which is what Z-Man recommends, and they say it soaks into the plastic.

[J Francho]

I like to use Megastrike in my hair. Smooth and silky! A dab will do ya!

[DitchPanda]

3 hours ago, CrashVector said:

I was just curious of the plastic itself absorbs the scents or if it's just a coating.

 

I have the powerbait liquid for my MaxScent lures, which is what Berkley said I should use to keep them "wet" in an email I sent to them asking.

 

I use procure on the Z-Man lures, which is what Z-Man recommends, and they say it soaks into the plastic.

 For standard baits I don't feel like the plastic absorbs any of the scent. Just coats the outside which is good to cover your scent and also keeps the baits lubed up in the bag so they don't stick and lay straighter.

 Now with zman stuff that may be a different deal. I've found that when a z man bait is really well broken in...TRDs in my example...they lose all salt and soak up water like a spong. I would think if you stretched or soaked a bag of zman baits until they are spongy they should absorb scent.

 Scent is an up and down topic and nobody can seem to agree on it. Some guys swear by it and some guys say it doesn't do crap..but most people agree that at the very least it doesn't hurt. I only use scent in super cold water when I'm soaking a bait for a long period of time working it painfully slow. Does it help? No clue...but I like it and feel like it works...and you know what they say about confidence.

[CrashVector]

30 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

 For standard baits I don't feel like the plastic absorbs any of the scent. Just coats the outside which is good to cover your scent and also keeps the baits lubed up in the bag so they don't stick and lay straighter.

 Now with zman stuff that may be a different deal. I've found that when a z man bait is really well broken in...TRDs in my example...they lose all salt and soak up water like a spong. I would think if you stretched or soaked a bag of zman baits until they are spongy they should absorb scent.

 Scent is an up and down topic and nobody can seem to agree on it. Some guys swear by it and some guys say it doesn't do crap..but most people agree that at the very least it doesn't hurt. I only use scent in super cold water when I'm soaking a bait for a long period of time working it painfully slow. Does it help? No clue...but I like it and feel like it works...and you know what they say about confidence.

 

I CAN say this, because I have the proof: powerbait MaxScent baits DO attract fish.

 

I threw out a MaxScent stick bait and a yum dinger.  Same color, with a 1/8th oz black weight glued to the bottom and a 1/0 rigging hook thru the top to make them stand upright.

 

Both were on 8lb clear Trilene Sensation, and were 2 feet apart in 3 feet of water.  I could see them both.

 

In 5 minutes, the MaxScent lure was chewed up.  Chunks taken out of it and everything.  I still have it and can post a pic.  It got hit multiple times.  The dinger never got a single nibble.

 

[islandbass]

4 hours ago, J Francho said:

I like to use Megastrike in my hair. Smooth and silky! A dab will do ya!

Indeed. Works better than bryllcreem, lol.

 

Another vote for megastrike.  
 

 

[Catt]

8 hours ago, J Francho said:

I like to use Megastrike in my hair. Smooth and silky! A dab will do ya!

 

So do I ?

 

 

[ChrisD46]

You can try a liquid (i.e. Kick'n Bass) or a spray (i.e. BANG) scent applied inside the soft plastics bag . Message the soft plastics real good afterwards and let the bag sit 24 hours before using on your next fishing trip - it will at least eliminate the chemical production smell (i.e. Zoom) of what ever soft plastics you use.