Scents/Attractants: Useful or Gimmick?

[BigBassin144]

Are scents and attractants a useful tool in your bass fishing arsenal or just another gimmick. We've got everything from the Kevin Van Dam endorsed FishSticks, to anise, garlic, and coffee infused soft plastics.

Check out what the members of the forum think at our new location, which is open to new member registration:

http://basschat.yuku.com/topic/233/C...Up-Human-Scent

To the remaining members of BF.com, it is appreciated that you don't post your responses here, but rather on the active thread at http://www.BassChat.yuku.com. Thanks!

[Marty]

Originally Posted by BigBassin144

Are scents and attractants a useful tool in your bass fishing arsenal or just another gimmick. We've got everything from the Kevin Van Dam endorsed FishSticks, to anise, garlic, and coffee infused soft plastics.

Check out what the members of the forum think at our new location, which is open to new member registration:

http://basschat.yuku.com/topic/233/C...Up-Human-Scent

To the remaining members of BF.com, it is appreciated that you don't post your responses here, but rather on the active thread at http://www.BassChat.yuku.com. Thanks!

Your war on bf.com is not warranted as I see it. Trying to give publicity to your forum is one thing, specifically asking people not to post on a given forum is out of bounds. It looks like you may have has success with your war, but part of it was done with below-the-belt punches.

[MO_CPA]

Originally Posted by Marty

Your war on bf.com is not warranted as I see it. Trying to give publicity to your forum is one thing, specifically asking people not to post on a given forum is out of bounds. It looks like you may have has success with your war, but part of it was done with below-the-belt punches.

Ya, this kind of sucks, Anthony. Everybody that remains on this forum knows where you are and, either deliberately or by lack of action, has decided to stay on BF.com. I continue to visit both and will do so until one or both fail.

[mikechell]

I would say they are a gimmick, except I don't know. I've never used them on hard plastic baits, and I've caught tons of fish on them. I don't put any on, but most soft plastic baits now come with some kind of "attractant" on them already. I catch even more on those, but I use them more often.
So ... I believe one can catch fish without scents, which means they are a gimmick. I also believe scents can diffuse or cover unnatural odors we might accidentally apply to a lure, which makes them a benefit.

Basically, I believe scents aren't necessary, but they don't hurt either.

[Raul]

Originally Posted by mikechell

Basically, I believe scents aren't necessary, but they don't hurt either.

Exactly my thoughts. On the other hand, you won´t see me purchasing a bottle of them.

[mikechell]

I bought a spray can of ... I think it was "snake oil" shad scent ... about 10 years ago. I think the can's still in my van somewhere.

[Marty]

I use scents when I think (imagined or not) that there's a negative odor on my lures that needs to be masked.

[keithdog]

I have a spray on garlic scent that I use for fishing jigs and soft plastics. I don't know if it helps or not, but there seems to be times that it does. I know it won't hurt though. Especially, when as mentioned by Marty, I might want to mask an odor.

[bassinbob]

Tried a few different brands. Don't seem to work for me.

[Thornback]

If you think they work, they probably do. If you think they don't work, they probably don't

[OkobojiEagle]

I use a scent product as a lubricant on the hook and in the bait hole when I T-rig a Brewer's jig head through a thick grub body. I'm hoping the hook slides through the grub body easier allowing a better hook-set using light line.


oe

[Captmikestarrett]

As Thornback says it is all about perception. If you think it works then it does. But I have one exception to the confidence rule. Cold water ..... in cold almost frozen water the bass will only hold a bait that tastes .. well different is the best way I can describe it.
Coffee, garlic or may be anise can allow the bass to hold it long enough to detect the strike. I have caught many bass on injected tubes on a tide change along a sea wall. They smell the scent and follow the tide to it. The strike is just a slight twitch in the line and they swim off with the lure being sampled by the million receptors in the tongue while the pebble sized brain try's to figure out if it is edible.

Capt Mike

[bassindon69]

It's only good if you like it. It never convinced me to be needed at all for bass.

[OkobojiEagle]

I occasionally use a scent product to "grease" my hook when Texas rigging a thick plastic. They may have some merit when used on baits that are easily examined by a bass such as when being fished with a drop shot.


oe

[Tavery5]

I like to add a cap full of garlic scented worm oil to a bag of plastic baits. It keeps the baits nice and helps mask the odor of plastisol. Fish don't seem to not like it, and it gives me a little more confidence in the bait so I see it as a win win.

[senkosam]

Never use it or I would have switched to those stinky Power Baits years ago. I catch all species on my hand poured baits almost every outing - no scent or salt.