Do scents applied to baits really help that much?

[jimB]

Any recommendations and if they are worthwhile are they only for soft baits?

[Crestliner2008]

What really works with any kind of fishing - or nature related activities of any kind - is what goes on between your ears. If applying scent to a bait builds your confidence and increases your concentration, then do it.

[Big-O]

On hold time it does.

Big O

www.ragetail.com

[roadwarrior]

The lubricating feature of MegaStrike is a reason for using "scent" on

hard baits. Otherwise, "moving lures" will not be enhanced by adding

an attractant to the presentation.

8-)

[Davis]

On hold time it does.

Big O

www.ragetail.com

Bingo...I'm addicted to Megastrike. Days when they are biting and spitting right away, I'll apply a dab of megastrike and in turn that gives me a LOT more time to get a good hookset and making sure the bait is all the way in there mouths.

Seriously have never been a big scent guy. Don't think it attracts the bass but when they bite down and taste that stuff.....that's another story.

The only baits that I don't use megastrike on are the Berkley Powerbaits and hardbaits.

[fishfordollars]

I don't use it on hard baits. JMO

[Big-O]

Some time back, I posted the results of two years and four months of intense testing on a scent that I developed for bass fishing. I was designing it for my Rage Tail subsurface baits ie craws - chunks etc. Only recently has this scent been produced in the plastic itself and on craws and chunks only. Some of the latest manufactured product is now on the market and the scent is noticeably different than the standard Anise style scent that we began with. Does it increase hold time... YES definitely. But it is also my opinion that a topical lube like Megastrike has an advantage even over cooked in scents because it is much more easily transferred. Here's the info. from that post.

Do scents attract predator fish, YES! And bass included both small and largemouth. I have recently finished extensively testing a new prey scent that actually had largemouth following the scent trail to the boat. I tried testing several times with one of my staff in heavily fished waters and it showed me enough to take it to the next level. I fished the front of the boat in all cases with the same color and bait as staff member on each occasion and he was using the scent and I wasn't. He consistently tied or beat me in numbers and he had never even come close to doing this before. We were fishing Texas rigged craws on each outing and he would spray a small amount of the oil base scent on bait every 3rd or 4th cast. We then went to three different small lakes that have little or no fishing pressure. It was then that I saw the big effect. Identical situation as before but on these test we noticed that when we stopped to re tie etc. he would cast behind the boat in areas we had already covered and his strike percentage increased exponentially. The bass were actually following the scent trail that he had left.  Did I cast back there and get in on the frenzies, of course I did, who wouldn't and I caught them just like he did until we gave em all sore mouths. I have since started cooking the scent into my baits and it works great but spraying has the edge, which apparently leaves more of a scent trail on the bottom structure ie weeds, timber, rocks etc.  All of these test were done while fishing down bank structure and as most of us front enders do, I covered it closely.  This scent isn't available as of yet but will be sometime in the near future. It is my opinion that many scents on the market are equally as effective but I don't get paid to test other companies scents. All I know is for a fact, SCENTS WORK!  And not just water based scents.

After this post, I began to test this scent cooked in plastic against the most popular baits with cooked in scent and equal results were found except when topical spray was again involved on either style and the topical gained the advantage again. This testing was documented and studied at every stage and proved the findings with certainty.

Now there are those who will say that bass can't smell or taste anything that is oil based but if they want me to believe it, They'll have to convince the Bass of their theories first !  

Big O

www.ragetail.com

[jhoffman]

Some time back, I posted the results of two years and four months of intense testing on a scent that I developed for bass fishing. I was designing it for my Rage Tail subsurface baits ie craws - chunks etc. Only recently has this scent been produced in the plastic itself and on craws and chunks only. Some of the latest manufactured product is now on the market and the scent is noticeably different than the standard Anise style scent that we began with. Does it increase hold time... YES definitely. But it is also my opinion that a topical lube like Megastrike has an advantage even over cooked in scents because it is much more easily transferred. Here's the info. from that post.

Do scents attract predator fish, YES! And bass included both small and largemouth. I have recently finished extensively testing a new prey scent that actually had largemouth following the scent trail to the boat. I tried testing several times with one of my staff in heavily fished waters and it showed me enough to take it to the next level. I fished the front of the boat in all cases with the same color and bait as staff member on each occasion and he was using the scent and I wasn't. He consistently tied or beat me in numbers and he had never even come close to doing this before. We were fishing Texas rigged craws on each outing and he would spray a small amount of the oil base scent on bait every 3rd or 4th cast. We then went to three different small lakes that have little or no fishing pressure. It was then that I saw the big effect. Identical situation as before but on these test we noticed that when we stopped to re tie etc. he would cast behind the boat in areas we had already covered and his strike percentage increased exponentially. The bass were actually following the scent trail that he had left.  Did I cast back there and get in on the frenzies, of course I did, who wouldn't and I caught them just like he did until we gave em all sore mouths. I have since started cooking the scent into my baits and it works great but spraying has the edge, which apparently leaves more of a scent trail on the bottom structure ie weeds, timber, rocks etc.  All of these test were done while fishing down bank structure and as most of us front enders do, I covered it closely.  This scent isn't available as of yet but will be sometime in the near future. It is my opinion that many scents on the market are equally as effective but I don't get paid to test other companies scents. All I know is for a fact, SCENTS WORK!  And not just water based scents.

After this post, I began to test this scent cooked in plastic against the most popular baits with cooked in scent and equal results were found except when topical spray was again involved on either style and the topical gained the advantage again. This testing was documented and studied at every stage and proved the findings with certainty.

Now there are those who will say that bass can't smell or taste anything that is oil based but if they want me to believe it, They'll have to convince the Bass of their theories first !  

Big O

www.ragetail.com

I made my own scent just for something to do the other night. Man was IMPRESSED. It kept up with my yum and gary yamo(strike king) fish for fish. My buddy was so impressed he wants a batch. Best thing is, most people have all the ingredients, its just how I got to the finished product. Im not planning to sell it, nor am i planning to share how I made it. Ill be like gary and hide it from you all for a few years. My ace in the hole!

Do i believe in scents? Better believe it, got 4 different ones in my tackle bag. I like them all. Biggest thing about scents is it covers human scent!

[hawgchaser]

I absolutely believe that scents will increase your hookups when fishing slow plastics or jigs. I have had good success with Bang Shad and YUM scents.

[Bassn Blvd]

I had some natural scent going on tonight that no marketed scent could conceal.

[Perfect Hook Set]

I never really thought that fished wouldn't hit a bait because, of human scent.

Our hands carry many scents, from touching the cork of hour rods to the buttons on a gps.

I never use scent but, I do believe, especially when fishing is slow and the bass are not as aggressively hitting the bait/lure, certain scents will have them lock jaw on your bait/lure.

[grid]

I have a large jar of minced garlic in the fridge.  Wonder if I mixed the garlic juice with olive oil will it work? :-/

[jhoffman]

I have a large jar of minced garlic in the fridge.  Wonder if I mixed the garlic juice with olive oil will it work? :-/

Yep, if you want a paste mix it with vasoline or Crisco. Melt either in the microwave, add your scent, stir well and put it in the freezer so the particles suspend fast.

In regards to human scent dont think so much about your rod and such but things like GAS, Cigarette smoke, SNUFF ! Ever notice how it seems easier to catch fish after you catch that first one. Gets that fish smell on them, then they think hey... that smells like fish. Im not a fish wisperer or anything but Ive seen that scenario many times.

[red team rn]

The human body exudes an amino acid called L-serine which has been proven to stop spawning salmon mid stream, I am sure that it probably is also very offensive to bass. I am also sure that some humans give off more L-serine than others, probably the reason some fishermen catch more fish than others.  I, therefore, opt to use scentsunder the logic of better safe than sorry. Its all part of the confidence thing. ;D

[MaxDal]

A lot of us also have cigarettes or oil/gaz scent on our hands.

Megastrike can help hiding those.

Honnestly, I don't think a bass will travel miles to the source of the scent. I'm not sure they really relate to scent in their predatory behavior. But I personnaly think that adding scents to my softbaits and jigs will give me an edge in terms of hookset on difficult day.

Anyway, maybe it does nothing at all, but as long as it doesn't hurt my fishing, I'll take it. At least, that will give you extra confidence in your presentation, and confidence always accounts for the vast majority of your success.

[TrailerHook]

I had some natural scent going on tonight that no marketed scent could conceal.

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

The question is.....did it attract fish?

[roadwarrior]

Tennessee bass have a strong preference for tobacco and beer scents.

8-)

[JCrzy4Bass]

I don't use scents but when the bite is slow on a body of water around here my dad swears by them on his senkos and other plastics.  He will normally catch a bass or two and normally they will hold on longer than average as well.

I have seen and heard of bass engulfing the entire worm in some instances and being hooked further down.  So does the scent work?  For some I guess.  

I am in the court of human scent and or other less than appetizing scents we may have on our hands when tieing baits can turn the fish off a lure.  In times like these I may borrow my dads scent he uses (bait mate or whatever) or bust out my older bottle of bass attractant and put some on.  Just too much work for me, I'm lazy.  I already have to waste time tieing baits on the water, I don't want smelly nasty hands that I have to clean up... oh oh, but wait...

Thats why the have MEGASTRIKE!  Lol.  Lunkerville w*ores that stuff out.  But I haven't tried it so I can't knock it.