fish attractants or scents

[bpraz]

What is your favorites an do they get stronger or weaker the next year , can you use them for longer than 1 year?

[BARON49_Northern NY]

I am not a big fan of using scents for the scent, but use Mega Strike to lube my swimbaits so they come through cover easier.  Also use Fish Formula "Gamefish" to keep my plastics from drying out.  I have tubes and bottles of this stuff that is several years old and it is still good.

[roadwarrior]

Two of our sponsors have great scents: MegaStrike and JJ's Magic.

If you're looking for coloring baits and strong garlic, JJ's is the ticket.

For a more "user friendly" product, MegaStrike is THE BOMB!

As for storage, both last indefinitely.

8-)

[CWB]

Do Not Let Them Freeze!!

[Bobby Uhrig]

The New Formula MegaStrike- www.megastrike.com    The absoulute best of the best

[Sam]

MegaStrike.

JJ's Magic when you need color.

That's that!  

[whitwolf]

Most of the boys around here in Hickory/Lenoir NC use a product called Smelly Jelly....I have found nothing that works better although I will admit that I've only used the origanal fish formula, Berkley, and carolina lunker suase.....It stays with the bait for quite sometime and I have had a jar on occasion for over a year....

[Blue Streak]

I think you could use an under arm deodorant and if the fish liked the TASTE it would not matter what brand it is. I think taste is the only thing that counts. Bass are not scent feeders. Scents are very over rated.

[eyedabassman]

I think you could use an under arm deodorant and if the fish liked the TASTE it would not matter what brand it is. I think taste is the only thing that counts. Bass are not scent feeders.

Not so sure about that! Fish use sent more that you think! When in dark waters sent and sound are number one for the bass to home in-on.

[eyedabassman]

I just ordered some JJ's and Megastrike, I love to use sents, it can turn fish on.

[Blue Streak]

Consider this. When we apply scent to the outside of a bait it quickly disperses as soon as it hits the water. A bottom bait such as a jig or soft plastic loses most of it on the fall and a crankbait or spinnerbait in the first few feet. So therefore the strongest scent area is where most of the scent is released at the entry point of that bait. As we move the bait away from that spot the scent becomes weaker and weaker, the closer you get to the prey the less scent there will be creating a cold trail. If a bass were to get on a scent trail it would most likely follow the hot trail to the  strongest concentration which would be the baits entry point exactly the opposite of what we want. Critters who hunt by scent always follow a hot trail to their prey.

     Now if a bass is attracted to your lure by sight when he gets close enough maybe the scent would prompt it to strike if there was any left. I do believe that these products make a bait taste better and a bass will hold the bait much longer and I believe that taste is their most important aspect. Throughout the years that I have fished, and they have been many, I have tried several different scent products and I can honestly say that none increased my catch rate. Also I have never heard a bass pro contribute his success to the scent he uses, never.

  But, we all know that fishing is all about confidence so if you believe in it then follow your dream

[eyedabassman]

Consider this. When we apply scent to the outside of a bait it quickly disperses as soon as it hits the water. A bottom bait such as a jig or soft plastic loses most of it on the fall and a crankbait or spinnerbait in the first few feet. So therefore the strongest scent area is where most of the scent is released at the entry point of that bait. As we move the bait away from that spot the scent becomes weaker and weaker, the closer you get to the prey the less scent there will be creating a cold trail. If a bass were to get on a scent trail it would most likely follow the hot trail to the strongest concentration which would be the baits entry point exactly the opposite of what we want. Critters who hunt by scent always follow a hot trail to their prey.

     Now if a bass is attracted to your lure by sight when he gets close enough maybe the scent would prompt it to strike if there was any left. I do believe that these products make a bait taste better and a bass will hold the bait much longer and I believe that taste is their most important aspect. Throughout the years that I have fished, and they have been many, I have tried several different scent products and I can honestly say that none increased my catch rate. Also I have never heard a bass pro contribute his success to the scent he uses, never.

But, we all know that fishing is all about confidence so if you believe in it then follow your dream

I do agree with alot of what you are saying! Lure companys put or, cook sent in the plastic. Like Garlic, Pork Fat,Salt ! The Garlic and Pork Fat do give off a sent  for along time. Did you ever fish a Chompers Grub? It wiil smell you garage up for weeks! And the sents that you put on, cover up any human sent on your hands and it will come through cover better!

 I am not trying to give you a hard time, I know when sent at certain times has been a factor for me!

[roadwarrior]

Well, I'm not a believer in "attractants" for bass, but I do think once bitten,

the bass may hold on just a bit longer. Many times, this makes the difference

in whether the hook-up is successful or not.

Regarding dispersment, MegaStrike is a jelly and lasts as long as you fish a soft

plastic. JJ's Magic stink is permanent! Both products will improve your hook-up ratio,

but MegaStrike has an additional attribute: it's slimey. I think that's an advantage

for soft plastics, but especially important for swimbaits.

8-)

[rondef]

I just bought some of the Megastrike and I am looking forward to trying it out.

[Bobby Uhrig]

Fish are sight feeders by nature. Yes a dispersion of flavor will entice a fish to strike a bait if it is in a negative feeding mode. They are opportunists for the most part. Fish will not be able to track down scented baits moving at typical fishing speeds like we do when fishing spinnerbaits crankbaits ect. Those are reaction strikes.Slower moving or worked baits sitting for a while are easier to find such as worms ,jigs ect. (drop baits) They only way they can detect a location would probably be from being downstream in a river or any type of flowing current. As for the scent with the oil -based sprays. -oil and water do no mix-They will never aid in attracting fish. In the ocean -fisheries biologists have found that bait fish give off or disperse oils when excited or frightened. They claim predator fish can detect these oils not by smell but by sight on top of the water. Fishermen have looked for these "oil slicks" to find feeding schools of fish feasting on the baitfish.

[Blue Streak]

I do agree with the cooked in scents those can be very strong and last a while. But I still do not believe scent of any kind is an attractant in so far as a bass hunting it down and attacking. I agree with RW that it is all about taste and that is the only effect they have, I do agree that a slimy bait goes through the cover better. I just cannot believe that a scent of any kind that is applied to a bait will last indefinitely even the cooked in scents will disperse when left out of the bag for a while. I would have to be convinced of that. It is not impossible but improbable.

  I guess scent is the magic ingredient that we all look for that will drive bass into a feeding frenzy when actually it is all about location, presentation, and action. But has anyone ever smelled anything that smelled as good as a Jelly Worm? Those things would make you hungry.

[BassFishingMachine]

I said it once and I'll say it again, I use Megastrike on my soft plastics, and Yum Crawfish Spray on my jigs.

[Catt]

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 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.

[zbass]

Everyone has brought up good points. Whether it's scent or taste, I believe they help. If for nothing else, covering up the human scent/taste.

I agree with blue streak about the scent washing off. That would apply to the spray on scents. A bait that has the scent cooked in during the manufacturing process that does not apply. As far as the taste factor, I believe it is more of the salt in the bait that gives the fish that taste. Or the pork fat or what ever it may be.

As far as being an attractant, I have my reservations on that. Attracting a fish solely on scent, maybe. I know that sharks can detect a drop of blood in hundreds of gallons of water, but is that scent or chemical recognition? I guess chemical recognition is technically what this is all about. Not being a scientist, I'll stop here

Just my 2 cents.

[Bobby Uhrig]

I truly believe what I have formulated in the New MegaStrike can be considered an "ATTRACTANT". It scares the living heck out of me but I really think I nailed it this time. I'm not blowing my horn here but I think this product is superior to anything on the market. It tastes,smells and performs like nothing I have ever seen or used. I can put it in front of a bass-not move the bait and the bass will find it by smell-THEN THEY WILL SWALLOW WHATEVER BAIT I PUT IT ON. I started to see that with The Original MegaStrike but this new one -lookout!!!!  Be careful opening up the tubes also-Potent stuff www.megastrike.com

[Blue Streak]

I truly believe what I have formulated in the New MegaStrike can be considered an "ATTRACTANT". It scares the living heck out of me but I really think I nailed it this time. I'm not blowing my horn here but I think this product is superior to anything on the market. It tastes,smells and performs like nothing I have ever seen or used. I can put it in front of a bass-not move the bait and the bass will find it by smell-THEN THEY WILL SWALLOW WHATEVER BAIT I PUT IT ON. I started to see that with The Original MegaStrike but this new one -lookout!!!! Be careful opening up the tubes also-Potent stuff www.megastrike.com

I am sorry but I don't swallow it. I am not convinced that any odor will attract a bass to the point that it will follow the scent and attack and devour whatever it is on just because it smells good. There just is not any scientific evidence to support that claim. If something else gets a bass's attention and it comes to investigate that bait maybe when the bass is nosing the bait the scent may prompt it to inhale it and certainly the taste would make it hang onto the bait for a long time, I really do believe that the taste is what makes these "attractants" worthwhile. I don't want to be difficult but someone will have to show me, more than once that a bass will do what you claim it will. But if you have a product that really does do that then you will be rich and famous because every pro will be buying it by the gallon. Good luck good fishing.

[CWB]

I would not fish soft plastics without "scent".

First it is a confidence boost which is always a good thing.

Second, I have very acidic skin which has been shown in several studies to repel fish. In-Fisherman did an extensive study and although "scents" did not significantly improve strikes for most people,

the fish did hold on to the bait longer, especially for those with lousy PH skin like me.

Al Lindner is God! Although he seems to have caved to sponsorship as all he use now are Shimano, Berkely, and Rapala. Not bad choices but the show now seems to be an ad for all three.

[Bass_Fanatic]

I was not convinced that scents worked until last year me and a buddy were both fishing Bandit 200 series Tenn. Shad color cranks and we caught something like 60 fish stacked up in the current running out of a huge colvert.  I caught like ten before he even caught his first.  the only difference was BANG shad scent.  I was using it and he wasn't.  And curious me wanted to know if it was really the scent or if my bait had a tweak his was lacking.  I gave him the scent and he began to catch the same number of fish I was catching.  We pretty much halved from there on out!!!

But I admit, I wouldn't believe it unless I saw it and I did.  Now wether it actually attracted them or just covered my scent, I dont know, but I do know that whatever it did, it WORKED!!

[uiubassmaster]

I picked up a bottle of Mustad's "Ultrabite" when if first came out. It was talked up quite a bit so I broke down and bought some when I saw it on sale at Gander Mountain.  I was just wondering if anyone else has used it and if they've had any success because I've used it some but haven't really noticed too much of an increase in bites like it's supposed to do....