garlic vs coffee vs salt vs anise shad vs crawfish

[bigtimfish]

I know there have been test done by some guy in a lab. but what really is the best or do any of them work at all? is it psychological or is there really something to scents. also WHO does these tests, and where can i find the truth about them?

[KevO]

I think the same way.  I know some people swear by scents and others don't.  I've had some carolina lunker sauce for over a year and I think I've used it five times.  I just forget to use it, when I do use it I don't seem to catch any more fish.  The lunker sauce I have is made for hardbaits like cranks, but the one question I've had has been if you put crawfish scent on a crankbait that looks like a shad wouldn't the bass be weary?  I don't know maybe I'm just over analyzing things.

[WRB]

The proof is in the pudding, if it taste good to you, then it's good.

If you put gasoline and motor oil on your soft plastics and fish with it, your strike ratio could be affected negatively. Most bass fishermen agree that both gasoline and motor oils are negative odors and avoid those two common compounds from getting on their hands and transferred onto lures.

If the bass respond negatively to some odors, then it makes sense that a positive response is possible to odors that represent the prey the bass is eating or mask the negative odors.

There isn't a simple answer, however the Berkley Corp has performed thousands of hours and a invested lot of money odor response testing their products.

We know from experience that salt, anise oil, cod liver oil and garlic are not negative odors to bass. We also know that bass eat; shad, crawdads and other baitfish, therefor oils from those sources tend to get a positive response from bass.

The one thing that I can share from experience is; do not mix natural attractant scents with (the exception of salts), artificial scents; example don't add a natural scent like anise oil to Berkley Power worms, as that tends to get a negative response from bass, IMO.

WRB

[Matt Fly]

I like to add scents when water clarity is highly stained to muddy.

[CODbasser]

i like the bang anise in the spray can...it sprays a mist and i use it when i remember to haha...i dont think a bass would notice if you had a crawdad scent on a shad bait..i have heard of people using it not as an attractant but as a cover scent.. just a fair warning to those of you who use the lunker sauce..i have seen the bottles that have the roller in the top of them explode in my brothers face and in one of my fishing partners face..the thing just popped and that stuff went everywhere..i have to admit..i was laughing my but off..but if that stuff gets in your eyes im sure it wouldnt be pleasant...im like the guy above..i dont use it on powerbait..i dont put it on roboworms either...mostly just on jig and spinnerbait skirts and baits that arent slick when i pull them out of the pack

[5bass]

[movedhere] General Bass Fishing Forum [move by] five.bass.limit.

[CRFisher]

Crawfish on a shad to a bass may be like chocolate plus peanut butter to us.  Until they start talking we won't know.

What scent is powerbait?  I have a few guesses but most of them involve roadkill.  Nasty smell seems to work.

[Hot Rod]

There are some days when sent doesn't help one bit, but then there are other days that I swear it makes a huge difference.  Mostly I think it helps on the days when the fishing is slow.

I think it has to do a lot with the mood/attitude of the fish.

I also think that perhaps the biggest bennefit is not that scents are attractants but that they are cover sents.  That they cover or mask any human or other foreign or unnatural odors that might be on a bait.

[DINK WHISPERER]

I am a firm believer that scent makes no difference in the number of actual bites you get. However, i do believe that by masking foreign odors on the lure with scent, the fish will hold on to it way longer. That comes in handy when the bite is slow/soft and hard to detect. In any case, it cannot hurt to use it.

[The_Natural]

I know there have been test done by some guy in a lab. but what really is the best or do any of them work at all? is it psychological or is there really something to scents. also WHO does these tests, and where can i find the truth about them?

Berkley scientists have done the tests...It's up to you if you want to believe the data. The subjects were bass in aquarium tanks that lived on food pellets and were fed at a certain time daily. They switched the food pellets for compressed cotton pellets soaked in salt solution, anise, garlic, and powerbait scent. A cotton pellet unsoaked got spit out nearly immediately. Anise was next....with a 1 or 2 second time I think. Garlic was next, and then salt....I think salt was 7 seconds or so. Powerbait scent was like 27 seconds or something. This test was done a while back, and I had no trouble believing it after using powerbait. My gut-hooked fish rate went up 300% using power worms. I'm convinced scent works, and so is my favorite fisherman (ike).  You are going to catch bass either way, I just use every edge I have available, whether it be fluorocarbon, scent, etc.  That way I never have to wonder......

[Hopper]

Ive read a few things lately on baits and sprays with pheromones, like trigger X and Mustad Activate.  Anyone have an opinion on these?

I usually think of scent as a mask from human scent, but plastic smell can't be as good as a scented bait.....err maybe.

[Maxximus Redneckus]

All i know is a lot of scents smell pretty good to me .manns jelly worms mmmmm mmmmmm ,, powerbaits smell good so does yum and gulp mister twister smells good too that exude scent

[Gone_Phishin]

All i know is a lot of scents smell pretty good to me .manns jelly worms mmmmm mmmmmm ,, powerbaits smell good so does yum and gulp mister twister smells good too that exude scent

I enjoy the smell of most fishing scents, but that Exude crap is some of the nastiest stuff I've ever smelt.  I've used their version of the trick worm, coupled with other bait, for cats.  Stinky stuff.  

[Hammer 4]

Maybe you should experience some of JJ's magic..   ;D

All i know is a lot of scents smell pretty good to me .manns jelly worms mmmmm mmmmmm ,, powerbaits smell good so does yum and gulp mister twister smells good too that exude scent

[Chris]

To be honest it depends on how they make the scent and what is in it if it works or not or how it works.

Base ingredients:

Enzymatically digested hydrolyzed liquid fish- This liquid fish may be using enzymes to digest the nutrients from fish waste instead of using heat and acids. This retains more of the proteins, enzymes, vitamins and micronutrients.

Fish meal-Fish meal is ground and heated dried fish waste

Fish powder- fish powder is dried with heat and turned into a water soluble powder.

Fish hydrolysate- oil and the protein included

Fish protein concentrate- byproduct of extracting out the oil, screening out bones and drying which is high in protein 85-95% since its oil content is low the fishy taste is less

protein-organic compounds made of amino acids. The sequence of amino acids in a protein is defined by the sequence of the gene which is encoded in the genetic code

cod liver oil-high in omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA made by cooking whole body tissues of fatty fish during the manufacture of fish meal it has a mild sardine flavor.

Pharomone- chemical cues that are given off that tell the fish that a predator is present also known as kairomones. The cues can also tell if a baitfish is hurt called alarm pharomone which is located on the outside of the fishes skin found in club cells. When the cells are broken it releases this chemical. Sex pheromones tell the fish that the other sex is near and when it is time to mate. (there are more pharomones if you want to look them up)

Of all the amino acids the free floating (L) amino's are found in fish. Some of these amino's effect fish behavior in higher concentrations. They can cause fish to start looking for food given them the indication food is around ect.

*amino acids tell fish that what they are about to eat is a crawfish or shad or whatever because it is the the correct amino profile of said bait. This gives the fish both taste and smell profile of a bait.

*oil profile is the taste of the bait

*pharomone give fish the chemical cues in the case of alarm pharomone that a fish is hurt and easy prey.

* some amino acids are not the best tasting things in the world and fish might be drawn to the odor of the amino but when they eat it they reject the taste of the amino. cover oils cover the taste of a amino acid and anything else that might repel the bass based on taste. It helps them swallow a bitter pill so to speak. Some additives actually help the amino work better than by itself like citric acid. other taste items like garlic, coffee, anise are not found in the natural environment and become more of a curiosity scent and cover scent. Salt is a great courier of amino acids because as it melts if the bait is baked with amino acids the amino's release into the water. Salt is also used to weight baits and give the bait some flavor.

[Chris]

Google:

ontogenetic changes in the response of largemouth bass to heterospecific alarm pheromones

Alarm pheromones in fish functional and evolutionary aspects

citrate ions enhance taste responses to amino acids in the largemouth bass

These are research titles the link would have been to long to list.

[bigtimfish]

To be honest it depends on how they make the scent and what is in it if it works or not or how it works.

Base ingredients:

Enzymatically digested hydrolyzed liquid fish- This liquid fish may be using enzymes to digest the nutrients from fish waste instead of using heat and acids. This retains more of the proteins, enzymes, vitamins and micronutrients.

Fish meal-Fish meal is ground and heated dried fish waste

Fish powder- fish powder is dried with heat and turned into a water soluble powder.

Fish hydrolysate- oil and the protein included

Fish protein concentrate- byproduct of extracting out the oil, screening out bones and drying which is high in protein 85-95% since its oil content is low the fishy taste is less

protein-organic compounds made of amino acids. The sequence of amino acids in a protein is defined by the sequence of the gene which is encoded in the genetic code

cod liver oil-high in omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA made by cooking whole body tissues of fatty fish during the manufacture of fish meal it has a mild sardine flavor.

Pharomone- chemical cues that are given off that tell the fish that a predator is present also known as kairomones. The cues can also tell if a baitfish is hurt called alarm pharomone which is located on the outside of the fishes skin found in club cells. When the cells are broken it releases this chemical. Sex pheromones tell the fish that the other sex is near and when it is time to mate. (there are more pharomones if you want to look them up)

Of all the amino acids the free floating (L) amino's are found in fish. Some of these amino's effect fish behavior in higher concentrations. They can cause fish to start looking for food given them the indication food is around ect.

*amino acids tell fish that what they are about to eat is a crawfish or shad or whatever because it is the the correct amino profile of said bait. This gives the fish both taste and smell profile of a bait.

*oil profile is the taste of the bait

*pharomone give fish the chemical cues in the case of alarm pharomone that a fish is hurt and easy prey.

* some amino acids are not the best tasting things in the world and fish might be drawn to the odor of the amino but when they eat it they reject the taste of the amino. cover oils cover the taste of a amino acid and anything else that might repel the bass based on taste. It helps them swallow a bitter pill so to speak. Some additives actually help the amino work better than by itself like citric acid. other taste items like garlic, coffee, anise are not found in the natural environment and become more of a curiosity scent and cover scent. Salt is a great courier of amino acids because as it melts if the bait is baked with amino acids the amino's release into the water. Salt is also used to weight baits and give the bait some flavor.

          good answer  

[CWB]

I prefer coffee in the morning and if I'm having Italian, I always use at least some Garlic. The only time I use salt is on French Fries. I think my wife bakes with Anise. I prefer Shrimp over crawfish. ;D

Seriously, I do not think scents will ever hurt and could even provoke strikes. Better to use it and not need it than need it and not use it.

Fish do smell their prey. I have caught several bass and even pike at night off my dock using dead bait on the bottom while catfishing. Only explanation would be they sniffed out the bait.

[CRFisher]

Here's a question, especially for tournaments, ever think there will be a line crossed where scents are no longer considered "artificial" and thus a lure with them not artificial?  The main ingredients in many of these seem to be real fish.  Not an issue for recreational fishing, but grinded up fish put in gel seems very similar to things that are banned in tournaments.

[CODbasser]

Here's a question, especially for tournaments, ever think there will be a line crossed where scents are no longer considered "artificial" and thus a lure with them not artificial? The main ingredients in many of these seem to be real fish. Not an issue for recreational fishing, but grinded up fish put in gel seems very similar to things that are banned in tournaments.

if its not a living minnow, alewive,shad,crawfish, worm or whatever and its not dead bait that used to be live...im talking like a minnow body or dead crawfish or somthing...it is very doubtfull it will ever be banned...if they ban one scent, they would have to ban them all..it would cause to many issues...

[The_Natural]

Here's a question, especially for tournaments, ever think there will be a line crossed where scents are no longer considered "artificial" and thus a lure with them not artificial? The main ingredients in many of these seem to be real fish. Not an issue for recreational fishing, but grinded up fish put in gel seems very similar to things that are banned in tournaments.

I'm not worried about 'potions'....it's electronic equipment that may make bass fishing a lot easier in 50 years.  

[Chris]

I would say no for the most part you still need to have the skill of the fishermen to be able to work the bait in such a way that the bass will bite it and have the knowledge of where to put the bait. You are still dealing with a fake lure that you are trying to trick the bass into thinking it is real scent puts you that much closer.

[CRFisher]

The manufactureres always talk about leaving a "scent trail" etc.  I just wonder as they chop up real fish and concentrate the stinkiest parts into a gel, liquid, etc.  if it will ever get to the point that it's no different than chumming.  Or if they'll perfect it to get to the point where a scented cottonball with a hook through it will catch fish.   It will be interesting to see if tournament rules change over the next 20 years or so.

On electronics, I remember when I was a kid a lot of older fishermen seemed to view it as "cheating".  That part of the skill was finding where the fish were.  It's a moot point since everyone has them though.  

[Chris]

A scent trail would be left if water soluble particles washed off the bait and mixed with the water. If the scent was designed to stick to the bait and not able to wash off then you don't get a scent trail just a stinky bait. Think of it like this you have a bass that has been dead and baking in the sun for awhile. the stink from the bass would mix with the water. now different situation a bass is dead on shore and stinks bad from baking in the sun. now dip it in vasoline and let it float in the water. You just coated the fish and the result is that the coating is going to take awhile to wash off before the stink shines through. with some scents the water proof coating prevents or retards the amino's from washing off the binding agent. if the scent is unable to wash off and mix with water then the amino's become more of a taste cue and as a result makes the fish think it is food by its amino profile.