Bait scents, softness, and such

[Tin]

Ok want some feedback and thought on this little issue that me and a fellow LBH Clubhouse member talked about.

I hear everyone talking about baits like a Yamamoto Senko or others and how the fish hold on to them longer because they are soft and the salt.  Bass EAT and live off spiney sunfish or hard craws, why does something being soft make them hold on to it longer? I use generic plastics all the time and I have the bait swallowed more times than spit. And it usually isn't even spit, its just that the hook wouldnt penitrate. Whats up with this THEORY?

[paul.]

scents and nonsense. lol. ;D good question. my belief is that most of the time, bass are primarily visual feeders. i think they use their olfactory system at times to reinforce the choice they made to munch on something. mmmmm, tastes good, i'm gonna hold on to this. or yuck, that's nasty, i'm gonna spit it. bass are curious by nature and have been known to try to eat some crazy things. they can't really pick up and examine things like we can before making a decision, so i guess their only alternative is to chomp first and ask questions later, provided that visual cues stimulate their interest. once they do, i think their sense of taste/smell takes over sometimes and dictates the decision to spit or swallow. hence the importance of scents.

however, you made some very good observations. i question how effective these attractants really are myself sometimes. salt washes off on the first cast. even it it's impregnated, the fish would have to bite through the plastic to get to it. even the folks who make these things will grudgingly admit that the whole notion of bass following a scent trail like some kind of underwater bloodhound is complete nonsense. they will tell you that due to current and other scent particles swirling around in the water that a bass has to be very close to "smell" even the most potent attractants. this of course is in sharp contrast to catfish and other species which have much keener olfactory systems and use scent as their primary sense for hunting and eating.

i am in definite agreement with you. i think visual stimulation first, scent second (or maybe even third in dark or muddy water where the lateral line comes into play).

they have done tests on this stuff that i have read about. they've soaked plastic worms in gasoline, and bass bit 'em b/c they were sufficiently convinced by the power of the visual presentation.

i guess the best way to sum it up is that in my opinion a bass will bite a bait that LOOKS RIGHT even if it SMELLS WRONG. but a bass will not eat a bait that SMELLS RIGHT if it LOOKS WRONG.

just my opinion. anxious to hear what others say on this.

[Tin]

Wish I could take credit for all the observations but I really cant, it has just been on my mind a lot and has gotten me thinking and I wanted to know others thought and opinions.

[grimlin]

I want to say a softer bait will come through easier to set the hook better(but with a crappy hook it's pretty pointless).Salt just controls the fall rate of plastic...I have played with making plastic baits and salt is definely an important factor in that.

[Other.]

IMO scented baits do there job. There are often sometimes smells or chemicals on your hands that go on your bait that might repel bass. The scents will cover the smell up.

I understand what you mean by craws being hard but if a bass closes its mouth on a craw it will crunch. Plastic or wood not so much. I am sure a fish can relies the difference between a normal juicy craw and a super armor craw.

[mpharris1989]

scents and nonsense. lol. ;D good question. my belief is that most of the time, bass are primarily visual feeders. i think they use their olfactory system at times to reinforce the choice they made to munch on something. mmmmm, tastes good, i'm gonna hold on to this. or yuck, that's nasty, i'm gonna spit it. bass are curious by nature and have been known to try to eat some crazy things. they can't really pick up and examine things like we can before making a decision, so i guess their only alternative is to chomp first and ask questions later, provided that visual cues stimulate their interest. once they do, i think their sense of taste/smell takes over sometimes and dictates the decision to spit or swallow. hence the importance of scents.

however, you made some very good observations. i question how effective these attractants really are myself sometimes. salt washes off on the first cast. even it it's impregnated, the fish would have to bite through the plastic to get to it. even the folks who make these things will grudgingly admit that the whole notion of bass following a scent trail like some kind of underwater bloodhound is complete nonsense. they will tell you that due to current and other scent particles swirling around in the water that a bass has to be very close to "smell" even the most potent attractants. this of course is in sharp contrast to catfish and other species which have much keener olfactory systems and use scent as their primary sense for hunting and eating.

i am in definite agreement with you. i think visual stimulation first, scent second (or maybe even third in dark or muddy water where the lateral line comes into play).

they have done tests on this stuff that i have read about. they've soaked plastic worms in gasoline, and bass bit 'em b/c they were sufficiently convinced by the power of the visual presentation.

i guess the best way to sum it up is that in my opinion a bass will bite a bait that LOOKS RIGHT even if it SMELLS WRONG. but a bass will not eat a bait that SMELLS RIGHT if it LOOKS WRONG.

just my opinion. anxious to hear what others say on this.

maybe bass are attracted to gasoline  ;D and that could be the new sent that will be hot on the market :

[Catt]

I started fishing plastics in the middle 60's with Nick Crème's Scoundrel Worms which aren't exactly soft, later during the 70's it was Mann's Jelly Worms which were not very much like jelly despite the name, now I did use Yum Yum Worms which were way to soft and would only last for 1 bass at most. Through out this wide menagerie of soft plastics they were all capable of producing bass regardless of softness or hardness. My plastic of choice is Gene Larew Salty Ring Worms; the rings give the worm a larger profile while offering less plastic for the hook to penetrate. Gene Larew Lures are manufactured using the finest soft-plastic injection molding equipment in the industry and are the originator of the salt impregnation process. The reason I believe in salt impregnation is that all blood contains salt and if the bass mouths the worm for another second it's worth it.

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

[roadwarrior]

I am a HUGE fan of soft baits. The texture and salty taste of the GYCB plastic I think feels natural to bass. I am 100% convinced bass hold these baits longer. What is especially intriguing is that bass that drop the bait will often come back for it a second time.

[Raul]

Salted baits are usually softer than unsalted baits, does the fact of being softer helps attract or make the bass hold their longer ? some are going to say yes, others like me are going to say no.

Reason why I like softer baits has nothing to do with them having salt to attract or make the fish hold the bait longer, I prefer softer baits because they move better than harder baits. Salt content also modifies the rate of fall.

Fish can sometimes be extremely picky with what they want and how they want it and many times just by changing from a salted bait to an unsalted one with a different rate of fall between makes the difference catching them and not catching them at all.

As usual, and what everyone seems to forget ---> PRESENTATION

KNOW YOUR TACKLE !

[bmadd]

I agree with Raul. I think that a softer bait would have way more action under water than one that is harder. For example any worm with a curl tail, the appendages on creature baits, skirts on tubes, and claws on craws. It makes sense that the softer the bait the more realistic actions those parts would be able to duplicate.

Braden

[Tokyo Tony]

I'm convinced that scents make a difference in that the fish hold on to scented plastics longer, which means more room for error on the fisherman's part.  I never throw plastics without MegaStrike.

As for salt-impregnated plastics, the saltiness doesn't wash off after a couple casts.  Next time you're out (in clean water), make a few casts with a Yamamoto Senko, then taste the bait.  Still salty and delicious  .  I think this makes a difference to the bass.  

I'm not sure whether or not softness makes a difference besides the fact that softer baits generally have livelier action.  But I don't think softness makes the fish hold on longer.

[Tin]

As usual, and what everyone seems to forget ---> PRESENTATION

KNOW YOUR TACKLE !

Exactly what I go by. I was just asking what peoples' thoughts were about scents and softness. I think they really dont matter unless you use a scent as a cover up and how salt increases the fall rate of baits. Just wondering if there was any new evidence out there. But after hearing Hawg Callers gasoline fact, I really doubt it matters.

[flippin]

i never throw plastics without spraying bang pure craw on them first

[Cory20]

I like salt impregnated baits.  

Fish need salt, they lose it and need to get more through the food they eat.  

It's in a lot of livewell additives to help those stressed fish stay healthy.

Cory