What do you use to mask the human scent?

[keithdog]

I've never really used spray on, drip on, slime on attractants before. I've always had my doubts about how much they help, and how long the attractant holds to the lure before being completely washed away through repeated casts and retrieves. I did however wonder if it would be an advantage to use a product to mask any odors from my hands that may actually turn off a bass just before striking a bait. I don't think this is an issue with faster moving reaction strike type baits. But when using a slower presentation where a bass has time to get close and inspect a bait before choosing to inhale it, perhaps it would be to ones advantage to use something to mask the odors on your hands. I was at Cabelas today, and started opening several bottles of attractant to see just how they smell. Nasty was the best choice of words to describe some of those attractants. I thought about first buying a crayfish attractant to smear on my hands. I figured the crayfish was something I might actually use on my jig-n-pigs, but OMG do they stink. I can't imagine using that on my hands. Garlic isn't bad, but also not something I care to smell all day on my hands either. I remember when I was a boy that anise was used as an attractant for rubber worms. You never see that used anymore. At least I havn't seen it anywhere. So I was currious if anyone uses something to treat your hands with before starting to fish in order to mask any offensive odors on your hands? AND....Does the garlic scent seem to really work as an attractant on baits? Bass and Garlic only sounds like a good combination in the kitchen.

[flfireman]

Biggest thing I don't do. I never fill the gas tank on the day Im fishing. I make sure all my fueling and oil needs are done 1-2 days before. I do have a homemade attractant that I use sometimes. I usually spray it on a lure and rub the residual into my hands. This hopefully decreases whatever smells Ive picked up while unloading,etc. Only bad thing, I dip snuff, you can just imagine some of the unique flavors my mouth has experienced while fishing.

[MrPhotographer06]

oh yeah i if you look at that stuff you spray on.. when it drips to the water.. RAINBOW EFFECTTTTTT

thats in your mouth lol

[Lancer6]

Keithdog,

I usually just borrow a neighbor's twin pet skunks and use them for a towel after my ritual pre-launch shower. But seriously, folks...
Keithpuppy, I was "in the game" when we all swore by oil of anise (See: Licorice). It did, of course, mask the human scent, and most of us developed a typical fisherman's superstition; "OMG! We forgot the oil of anise! We're doomed!", and we made certain we had it on board. There was one guy in our club who didn't hear well and the poor sap rarely caught anything but the occasional catfish or carp. The rest of us wondered about that until one of the guys looked in Hard-luck Harvey's boat one time and noticed a small bottle sporting a home-made label that read "Oil of Anus". We got Ol' Harv straightened out in a hurry and the sorry &%^%#! won the next six tournaments in a row. No good deed goes unpunished.
Nowadays, I normally tote three different "masks" with me and use them as follows:
Crawfish imitations (soft plastic and/or jigs) get Kick'n Bass Crawfish scent.
OR Berkley Powerbait Scent.
Most others get either Kick'n Bass Garlic or Power Bait but sometimes, if throwing lighter-colored stuff, such as a ZOOM U-Tail worm in Smokin' Blue (a favorite clear water item) or maybe a Senko/Tiki/YUM Dinger in Ozark Smoke, Shad, Baby Bass, etc, I'll use Kick'n Bass Shad.
I will, fairly often, apply scent to a spinner bait's skirt, usually if a slow retrieve is employed OR if fishing a Black/Blue Strike King Midnight Special during the wee hours.
Toads (See: Ribbit, Horny, etc.) and frogs (See: SPRO) might get a dab of Garlic, but that's more related to... (See next paragraph, re: Confidence)
That said, and despite what some others may offer, it's really more of a confidence matter, just like an almost religious devotion to a certain brand or model of lure; The Lucky Lure Syndrome, or believing that you'll strike out unless you're wearing that ratty and stinking old hat you've worn for ten years.
Don't waste time in researching all this. Just grab a couple of scents, REGARDLESS OF BRAND or the preferences of others, and go fishing.
A caution: IF you opt for the Kick'n Bass stuff, be aware that it is messy and a potential disaster if you leave it in the original container. Most folks unscrew the top, remove the little red "plug", replace the top so that the product is fed directly to the folding spout. Well, this stuff, regardless of flavor, easily leaks, especially when heat creates internal pressure.
So, if you DO choose that brand, trot down to WallyMart and purchase
some small plastic bottles with the pop-up cap, usually found in the cosmetics/personal care area...ask the nice lady in the blue vest. After all, that's what she gets the big bux for. (The top/spout is like on a bottle of French's Mustard.) Place a stick-on label on each bottle, listing the contents.
These are FAR less messy and more easily kept clean.
Sprays, BTW, are most wasteful and cost more to use. They can land on seats, windshields, graph screens, etc., too.
At least one brand uses a "wick" applicator. Nice, but the little sponge wick can come apart long before the product is used up.
Also, most scents will, sooner or later, accumulate on your rod handles. I recommend that you clean the handles/grips fairly frequently 'cause they'll get pretty slippery when wet.
Well, you asked!

Good luck and, above all, be safe.

Lancer6

[keithdog]

Thats a pretty good point I never thought of Lancer about the buildup on your rod handles. Definately something to keep an eye on. That was the first thing I did this winter was recondition my rod handles which had become rather slick from use. Pretty funny story about hard luck Harvey! LOL So I take it you use whatever scent your using at the time to rub into your hands to mask any odors? Some of those scents don't smell very good. What about eatting lunch???

[Lancer6]

Originally Posted by keithdog

Thats a pretty good point I never thought of Lancer about the buildup on your rod handles. Definately something to keep an eye on. That was the first thing I did this winter was recondition my rod handles which had become rather slick from use. Pretty funny story about hard luck Harvey! LOL So I take it you use whatever scent your using at the time to rub into your hands to mask any odors? Some of those scents don't smell very good. What about eatting lunch???

KeithCanine,

I do NOT rub it on my hands but it does accumulate and I try to wipe it off often (Slick Grip Syndrome, y'see?), especially on hot 'n sweaty days.
Re lunch: I rarely eat more than Peanut Butter Cheese Crackers or a granola bar when on the water. Eat much more and one can get sleepy.
When I DO carry more than the above it's usually my one of my very favorite sandwiches, to wit; Bagel, with Cream Cheese, Red Onion, and...hold on tightly...Anchovy or Anchovy Paste. Yummo!
The best part is that my partners NEVER mooch my grub.

Lancer6

[keithdog]

Actually, there is something I've done many times in the past. When I catch my first fish, I rub in the natural slime that gets on my hands from handling the fish. At least that way my hands have an odor that is natural to the fish I'm after. I do this for the first couple fish I catch.

[Lancer6]

Originally Posted by keithdog

Actually, there si something I'vve done many times in the past. When I catch my first fish, I rub in the natural slime that gets on my hands from handling the fish. At least that way my hands have an odor that is natural to the fish I'm after. I do this for the first couple fish I catch.

That's OK. But remember to NOT take any more slime off the fish than normal unhooking and releasing require.

Lancer6.

[MrPhotographer06]

Originally Posted by Lancer6

That's OK. But remember to NOT take any more slime off the fish than normal unhooking and releasing require.

Lancer6.

and why?.....

[bamabassman]

slime is a fishes protectant from nature, like removing the skin off of your back.

[Lancer6]

Originally Posted by MrPhotographer06

and why?.....

Here's why: A fish's slime is almost a second skin. Besides "lubing" his path as he swims, it acts as a shield against infection, some parasites, or injury should he ricochet off an obstacle, perhaps during a battle with YOU (if you're lucky.)
So, after boating a fish, don't say "Oh, you poor thing, you're all cold and wet. Let me towel you off!"

Lancer6

[MrPhotographer06]

yeah so he could get infected and beaten in my livewell?

[bamabassman]

no not in your livewell. just if you handle him too much with your hands. don't rub im too much with your hands. lip him and hold him that way. look at the pics on here. you'll get the idea.

[MrPhotographer06]

oh i was j/w.. i always lip them..

[BassMoJo]

I dip and never really have a huge problem that I know of because im always catching fish either with my partner or way ahead of him

[zooker]

Originally Posted by bamabassman

no not in your livewell. just if you handle him too much with your hands. don't rub im too much with your hands. lip him and hold him that way. look at the pics on here. you'll get the idea.

seeing most of those afore mention pic's are mine i'll say thats about right..


now me i like fish formula or spike it. both i like are in the jars as lancer stated above in that long winded post spray type scent baits waste alot..to be honest i don't scent horny toads. i caught 50 bass this morning on a horny toad not once did i pop the top on the scent jar..

zooker

[3dkicker]

Originally Posted by zooker

i caught 50 bass this morning on a horny toad not once did i pop the top on the scent jar..zooker

No topwater here today. Threw the toad off and on through out the day without any success. Can't wait until it turns on and stays on.

A lot of my baits come with scents either in them or added to them. I carry a bottle of Jack's in my boat somewhere just in case.

[MrPhotographer06]

Originally Posted by zooker

seeing most of those afore mention pic's are mine
i caught 50 bass this morning on a horny toad not once did i pop the top on the scent jar..

zooker

you mean i put those back and they work??? AHHHHH

[zooker]

if you fish any grass that is near or above the surface the frog works.. they have been iffy latly but the top water bite is cranked up and goin big time now..i'll be launchin the boat same time same place as this morning. -3 am old whitey launch- takin my "wormy" with me tomarrow morning..-girlfriend aint keen on the 2am stuff-



zooker

[Bob Smith]

First of all, I keep a bar of ivory soap in a soap dish in the boat, for washing my hands after the gas pump, putting on sunscreen, putting insect repellent, etc.
As for the fish attractants and dyes, you bet! I love that stuff and use it all the time on my soft plastics! Spike it chartreuse with garlic goes on the tail or pinchers of just about every thing I throw. My favorite attractant is Chompers "G" formula, next is Kck-N-Bass Garlic and Shad formula, and third is the YUM Garlic/alewives formula (kind of getting the idea yet?). I have absolute confidence that garlic attracts fish. Like Zooker pointed out it also helps the baits slip through vegetation better and a third attribute that seldom gets mentioned is that it puts out a visible "cloud" of oil like natural prey does. Most attractants will last for several casts, some even longer.
Yes, you can also wipe it on your hands if you feel like you need a mask, but I would suggest you wash those cork handles once or twice a year in a warm dish soap solution and a washcloth to cut through all the stuff that gets on the handle (even if you don't use attractants!).

[3dkicker]

I rub my hands in 7 day old nanner peels and coffee grounds. Takes the scent right off of 'em.

[bamabassman]

hahaha, 3d you gonna get ol zookie mad at me agin, lmao.

[BigBassin144]

Anyone every use the Wonder Bar? Does it work?
As for lure scents I like the Baitmate stuff. I've only found it at cabela's though.

BB

[Mac10]

Two heapinng tablespoons of garilc powder into two cups hot tapwater, add one half teaspoon salt and mix well. Pour some in each baggie of soft plastics, re-seal and mush about........float the baggies on a bucket of hot tapwater for a half hour.....pour off excess liquid from each baggie and re-seal. The bucket float puts the garlic and salt into the plastics itself....it, being a water based scent, will penetrate the plastics well.

Just remember they are salted and should be kept away from corrosive prone metals such as metal hardware and hooks.

[keithdog]

Hey BigBass, whats the Wonder Bar? There is a neat little odor removing bar we have here in our home. It has rub-a-way across the top of the bar. It is shaped like a bar of soap. I am not sure what it's made of but it has the look of stainless steel or brushed aluminum. The porpose of this handy little item is to wash your hands with it under running water to remove odors from your hands. After years of using this little bar, it still works like a charm. Even fish and garlic odors are removed. Now that I think of it, I should get a bar to keep in my tackle box.