Using scents

[Orabbit]

???

The post re: WD-40 got me thinking - how many of you use bait scents on your baits?  Do scents really make a difference?

[roadwarrior]

I experimented with a couple of different products throughout '04 (MegaStrike, Kick'n Bass, Yum & Powerbait). I like MegaStrike the best mostly because it's easy to apply without getting it all over yourself. In theory scents are suppose to cover up the "bad" scents and create a slime like you find on most live bait. My experience was that they do NOT add anything to my fishing success. I'm still applying it to soft plastics, but that's mostly just to use it up. I don't recommend scents and won't be buying any more.

[duncast48TN]

I used RealCraw but I,m not sure if its still on the market. I thought it helped. 8) Dont know what I,m gonna use now. Iaalso use garlic powder on my soft baits.

[John Cullum]

I believe in using them everythme I fish a soft plastic. They're not gonna get you a bite every cast but I would think they might get you an extra bite or two a day. I also think they hold on to it a bit longer if you have scent applied to the bait. I use scents as more of an masking agent than anything. I would rather my bait smell like craw or garlic than human. I use Mega Strike and Jel Scent and like them both ALOT.

I believe they work and don't feel comfortable unless I'm using them. Exspecially if I'm skippin' docks. Adding scent will give your soft plastic a slim coat they will help you get better distance out of your skip. I know one thing thou it can't hurt to use them so why wouldn't ya?

[Stickling]

has any1 ever used shad sent? i bought some the other day and sprayed some and i honestly couldent smell a thing. Since i dont smell anything im kina nervous to put it on my 15$ lures. ne advice?

[crankbait]

Here's the deal....! The largemouth bass feeds from sight and lateral lines located on the sides of the fishes body....It uses scent or smell lastly..... Most fisherman are conditioned to using attractants on their baits....When a largemouth picks up a bait it may hold onto it longer with scents....This has always been the theory.....Now anglers are finding that the attractants provide a slippery consistancy to the bait which helps it slide through the weeds......A great help to flipping and pitching heavy cover....As with any fishing though, conditions and situations change and nothing is constant.....That's why the call it fishing and not catching....Nothing can replace TIME ON THE WATER EXPERIENCE...........

[John Cullum]

Valid point, but other than money is there a reason why you wouldn't use a scent eveytime. Even if it was only as a masking agent?

[crankbait]

Well, that's a tough question.....This past year I used scents on every cast......I had Realcraw crawfish formula and tournament formula, Bang attractant in garlic and crawfish, megastrike, Yum crawfish, and reel and line magic......I'd have to say overall I didn't seem to catch more fish than the previous year....I will finish by saying I'm not going to use the attractants as much and only use when flipping or pitching heavy cover....

[JD_fisher]

STICKLING  in the  fishing articles  on this site it  is stated that  bass's smell  is 700 times  stronger  than ours=    even better  than a dog.  So what  does or doesnt  smell to  us  is way differnt  if you  muliply by 700 times

[Will]

I use scents all the time. Whenever I tie a lure on I always cover it with scent be it worms, crankbaits, or spoons. From my expierence I can't get more fish to bite the lure, but I can get the fish to hold on to the lure longer.

[earthworm77]

if scents give you the confidence that they work then that is all you need.

[Big_Bass_Rich]

I tend to put the commercial scent on my hands throughout the day just to mask odours, and use my own personal scents on the actual lures. Reason being I don't like to waste expensive scent by applying non stop to baits every cast. And I think there is such a thing as too much scent. Think about it if they smell 700x better than a dog, then strong odours could offend them.

Like cologne.. a little bit attracts 'em, dump a whole bottle on yourself and you're guaranteed to have no friends for the day (or lady friends).  

[Nick_Barr]

i use BANG crawfish formula and it works great, i like the spray feature do its easy to put on. also i saw that crankbait or whoever that was said that bass feed lastly on smell, well what i read in all bass books is that they feed by sight then smell then lateral lines/vibrations then sound, bass can taste their food before they even have it their mouth