Scent

[Fairly Reliable]

In the 70s and 80s scent was huge. You had to have scented baits. Or bottles of scent so you could apply drops or spray so you could mask the human scent of L-serine. During this period, Yup I was a user I was addicted. Did it help me catch more fish well I'm not so sure.

 

During the 80s I started reading about "Buck Perry" the father of structure fishing. He stated he would dip his spoon plug in gasoline and troll. He would catch fish with no problem with his lure smelling like gas. After reading this I was lucky enough to have two radio shows on fishing one in Minnesota and one in Wisconsin.

 

I wanted to check this theory out so live on air I drilled a hole in the ice on White Bear lake, Minnesota.

I dipped my ice ant and wax worm in the gas tank of my ice auger and found no difference between no gas on lure and gas on lure catching bluegill. 

 

How many times have you cast toward your target and the bass would explode at the lure the second it the water? I am a firm believer that most fish hit a lure do to movement or vibration not scent. And to go even further I watched a video of a guy that put a hook on a go pro camera and cast it until he caught a bass on it. I would have went one step further and smeared limburger cheese on it. 

[GRiver]

I use scent when finesse fishing… but I really don’t think of it as an attractant, but a bite longer additive.

I saw an article years ago, wish I could find it, talking about scented bait and attracts. It stated that unless it was pungent and was designed for like catfish and other fish where you dead stick or bobber type fishing. The “attracts don’t work per-say to attract as much as make them hold on a little longer to where you can detect the bite.
Your bait movement and color gains thier interest and attracts them, they come closer, maybe close enough to smell it, but once they bite it. The enzymes and taste make them hold on longer and try to swim away, that’s when we set the hook.
A bass, probably other fish too, can inhale your bait and spit it back out, in under 1/2 second. Heck that’s pretty fast, I probably wouldn’t even feel that, especially 30 ft out, and in water and grass and what not. 
On baits that requires strikes, like jerk baits, crank baits, topwater, spoons and spinners. I don’t think it helps with the bite. Although, an angler on here said he felt it helped the bait move through the grasses better, I definitely don’t think it hurts your strike any. 
Not that any of what I just said is right but that’s my theory .

[Lottabass]

I believe everything that @Fairly Reliable and @GRiver wrote.  I use Bang on jigs and plastics.  If I make a cast without the scent on my bait I have a strong feeling that it won't get bit.  My mind knows better but I reel it in and spray it, then when I cast I KNOW I'm gonna get bit.  It's all between the ears!

[rangerjockey]

I got a bottle of the Norries bite powder. Too early to call but it's worth a try . 

I got mine from Japan but I understand that Spro is going to distribute it here in the states.

[scaleface]

Remember Real Claw. It was crawfish oil and oil based scents reportedly dont work. Anyhow, I was fishing a worm doused with Real Claw around 20 foot deep  . I detected a bite and slowly reeled a keeper bass to the surface, then set  the hook. Dont know if the scent played a part in the bass refusing to let go or not.

[DaubsNU1]

Back in the 1990's, buddy read a book that talked about scent....

 

For comparison:

• Human's can smell a drop of vinegar in a 2 liter bottle....
• Dogs can smell a drop of vinegar in a 50 gallon drum
• LMB's can smell a drop of vinegar in an Olympic sized swimming pool

True? I dunno.

 

Did we use scent back then...yep, all the time. Did we catch more fish? Again, I dunno.

 

Throw it on if you have it.

[Pat Brown]

We did a thread about this last year and we concluded that 9 out of 10 certified hog snatchers agree that above average sized pre-spawn female LMB prefer Dior ™.

[A-Jay]

Said this at least one or two times a year here since it came out.

I use Megastrike on Everything All The Time. 

Does it Help ?

I can not say for sure.

But what I do believe right down in my soul,

is that it certainly doesn't hurt.

YMMV

(Obligatory Big Bass pic below)

A-Jay

[gim]

Not necessarily used as an "attractant."  I see it as more of a "cover up" of other nasty smells that might turn a neutral fish off from biting.  Certain things in a boat have a lot of scent and I don't want them on my lures (sunscreen, bugspray, hand sanitizer, etc). 

[JHoss]

Any oil based attractant is essentially useless because it can't be diffused in water. 

 

I sometimes use Baitfuel on my soft plastics. I've had times I've worked a bed fish for 10 minutes with no interest, but as soon as a I put some Baitfuel on there, I get bit. I've had other times I've put it on and watched fish ignore it all the same. I think a lot of it just depends on the mood of the fish. 

 

I don't see a point trying to use it on reaction baits, though I may play with it on something like a jerkbait. 

 

Like many have said, it's all about what gives you confidence. If putting a little stink on your bait give you confidence, then keep doing it. 

 

7 minutes ago, gim said:

Not necessarily used as an "attractant."  I see it as more of a "cover up" of other nasty smells that might turn a neutral fish off from biting.  Certain things in a boat have a lot of scent and I don't want them on my lures (sunscreen, bugspray, hand sanitizer, etc). 

 

I'm with you on this. Plenty of studies out there to show that certain smells in the boat repel fish. If I think I came in contact with something like that, I usually wash my hands in the lake as best I can and sometimes if I'm feeling especially paranoid, I'll pour some Baitfuel on my hands and rub it in like hand sanitizer. 

[Swamp Girl]

I bought Megastrike and used it because @A-Jay suggested it a couple years ago. I used it more in 2023 than 2024 and I caught more six-pounders in 2024. Was there quality causation because of Megastrike? I don't know. I caught more bass in 2024 without using Megastrike. Was there causation for quantity? Again, I don't know. I think Andy and others are right: Likely doesn't hurt and might help.

[F14A-B]

I believe in scent. Here’s just one example. Fishing with my 3 yo son in the Ohio River on the Devonian fossil beds (Falls of the Ohio State Park) I was fishing for Sauger. I had on a power bait of some shape that was orange-brown w an owner sled head of about 2/0. Bait was 3”. Had my bait at the shore line in water about 1’ deep me and my boy were taking a food break but my rod tip was displaying vibration, this went on for 10 minutes, finally I picked up the rod and felt it and I jerked.. it was a 2 1/2 pound sauger, with the bait inside it’s mouth and it was chewed up pretty badly. That fish picked up that power bait and sat there chewing on it for 10 minutes. 
 

Totally unreal. Made me a believer 

[Reel]

I'm not a  big believer... I try things !  When scents came out I gave them a good try.  Set up two identical rods with the same lure ( weight, lenght, color ) and tried one with scent and one without, for crappie.  In the same spot, ten cast with one, ten cast with the other.  I would say that scent improved catch by about 10 to 20%.  Better results when water was cold.  No improvement in size of fish.   Is it worth it ?  Applying scent takes time and you are not fishing during that time.  I do it when fishing is tough.

[MediumMouthBass]

I dont think scent works for bass where i fish. Ive tried Berkley (Powerbait), Netbait (Baitfuel), Strike King (Coffee scent) and other brands with garlic, anise oil, fish oil, etc.... I didnt catch more bass, or less bass.

 

But i am a believer in it for trout, walleye, and catfish.

 

I think the argument can be made that in certain places the scent works, and in others it useless but gives the angler confidence. And i think we can all agree if you use some that gives you confidence you will catch more fish. But are you catching more bass because of the scent, or because that confidence makes you work the bait to your best.

7 hours ago, A-Jay said:

Said this at least one or two times a year here since it came out.

I use Megastrike on Everything All The Time. 

Does it Help ?

I can not say for sure.

But what I do believe right down in my soul,

is that certainly doesn't hurt.

Ill use A-Jay as an example, he doesnt know if it works or not. But look at the bass he catches with it. I think he will agree that the level of confidence he has when using scent puts him on his A game.

 

And thats worth more than anything.

[Sp33dSnake]

Well, this one is a big can of worms.  I've heard both arguments for and against it.

A family member I knew made their own garlic scent and dipped the worms in it marinade style and swore by it.  I've heard store bought stuff is hit and miss.  I've heard it only lasts a couple of casts and is not worth the trouble.

Somebody in the thread mentioned it was better to catch catfish and other larger fish.  I believe it, because the times I've used it, that's what I would typically catch with it.  BUT...my father caught his PB (a 7+lb bass), using a magnum worm that he just hit with some sort of garlic scent he bought at a store.

I like to think of it like having a nice stereo in a car.  Sure, it sounds better, but you can get by with a stock radio.  It's not necessary, imo.

[A-Jay]

A-Jay

 

 

 

[Bolar]

That's all great for you guys, but not in my boat.

[Bankbeater]

I used scent many years ago.  I never noticed any difference so I stopped using it.

[OkobojiEagle]

3 hours ago, A-Jay said:

 

So in the end, I DO NOT CARE if this stuff smelled like Gorilla breath

 

YMMV

A-Jay

 

 

 

Naw... just the bait monkey breathing over your shoulder.

 

oe

[Bird]

A lot of soft plastics are pre-scented.

The ones that aren't, I give the whole bag a squirt.

I don't carry any scent on the boat though.

[Catt]

I use "worm juice" for two purposes first as a lubricant because I fish in grass a lot and the "worm juice" helps my plastic baits slide through easier. I use Fish Formula II or Baitmate (clear) with a ½ oz of 100% pure anise oil added; this is to mast any odor my plastic may have pick up.

 

 The only place y'all find 100% pure anise oil is at your local pharmacy, the rest will be 40-70% max

 

 

[crypt]

9 hours ago, gim said:

Not necessarily used as an "attractant."  I see it as more of a "cover up" of other nasty smells that might turn a neutral fish off from biting.  Certain things in a boat have a lot of scent and I don't want them on my lures (sunscreen, bugspray, hand sanitizer, etc). 

This....

[33oldtimer]

Not 100% sure about scent with bass. But I had two catfish slam a Texas Rigged Ribbon Worm with scent added.

[Fairly Reliable]

I use a line winding machine, I used to put a few drops on a rag and run my line through it as it went on my reel. I was really sold on it. I no longer use any kind of scent for Bass fishing. However if you believe in scent and it gives you more confidence I'm all for it. It's like using the best rod and reel your money can buy, It doesn't mean you will catch more fish but it gives you a lot more confidence. 

[Jar11591]

I’m in the camp of “I know it can’t hurt so may as well use it”. I also agree with those who say it probably doesn’t attract bass, but it may make them hold onto a bait a little longer. Another thing I use it for is a lubricant to come through weeds a little easier. Always megastrike.