Fish Scents?

How many of you use a fish scent of some kind (shad, anise, garlic, Gulp!,whatever) and believe it helps? My catch ratio definitely has gone up but my buddy scoffs at the idea. If anything, I think it reduces the odor from my hands (supposedly some chemical there fish don't like?).

What say you all?

I have heard many people disregard the use of scents over the years as well. but I have found with some top water plastics in august they just won't let go if theres some scent on there i don't know maybe i'm crazy. i use the gulp garlic and i just feel the fish hold on better, i don't use it all the time. if the bite is slow and i'm getting nothing but tail tappers then i start using it and it seems to help sometimes.

Well, there are various that our fishing skills applies differently to us. Some people are like using scents to gain their catch rates. some people are just mastered their fishing technique to consist catch fish. Some people just has lot of lucks to catch them. Some people are willing to do anything to catch them.

In my situation, I am mastered with my own preferred fishing techniques in different lakes. (Those thing that I already mastered fishing technique: texas-rigged, weightless fluke/senko, and crankbaits) I can catch them and my catch rate is remain same for last several years. (for bass fishing)

But like I said, there is various ways that anglers has their own beliefs and superstition about the ways from fishing. Such as you, you like to use scents on lures, You seem to master with it, and your buddy didn't. So, that is because it didn't worked out with your buddy in first place. (That's why he was doubtful toward you OR he haven't tried it yet due he thinks that bait is another bait to scam your money.) But hey, this shouldn't stop the way how you fish. If your catch rate is gaining than unscented lures. Then you should keep going with what you believe that you keep consist to catch fish.

its very rare that i willuse scents. in my opinion they dont helpme or give me more confidence. but if it works for you then keep using it

Baits with strong garlic like chompers will smell up your tackle bag, boat car and even your house, I don't buy them. I don't like the smell of powerbait either so I don't use it. I catch the most fish on zoom products and they don't have scent. They actually smell like cheap plastic, maybe thats the secret. However I do find that netbait has a very pleasant aroma, I always hang some paca chunks from my car mirror, nice air freshener.

It depends on the day honestly sometimes i use it sometimes i dont.

I have one of those pump sprays of gulp shad flavor. The only time I ever use it is when I'm not catching anything. I haven't caught anything while using it.

Bass belong to the sunfish family. If you don't believe scent works, this spring when the sunfish are all shallow, drop a tube with no scent near a group of fish, observe. then retrieve, load the tube up with some sort of scent and cast back to the same sunfish, observe.

Bass may not react in the same aggressive manor but they can sense your scents. I will use some sort of scent on my slow moving baits like soft plastics and jigs.

* We would all pull our hair out ( well except Neil) if we saw how many fish looked at our offerings and turned away on any given cast.

Bass belong to the sunfish family. If you don't believe scent works, this spring when the sunfish are all shallow, drop a tube with no scent near a group of fish, observe. then retrieve, load the tube up with some sort of scent and cast back to the same sunfish, observe.

Bass may not react in the same aggressive manor but they can sense your scents. I will use some sort of scent on my slow moving baits like soft plastics and jigs.

* We would all pull our hair out ( well except Neil) if we saw how many fish looked at our offerings and turned away on any given cast.

Ill agree with the scent thing and the sunfish. I have just been screwing around with the fly rod and watch sunfish chase the fly but not hit it at all and one spray of scent and bam there all over it and i have had this happen multiple times

In late fall when the water gets below 50 degrees I'll sometimes use scent. Other than that, not so much.

Non-Scents! Bass use sight, sound/vibration, and smell to track down their prey. All predator fish use these cues to hunt. Of course a bass does not have an extensive olfactory system like a catfish or trout, but if you discount the importance of scent you are missing out on fish. As a bass grows so does its olfactory system, so larger fish have a more accute sense of smell.

I don't really think it matters when throwning reaction types of baits. But when a bass is nose down and has to make a conscience decision on whether or not to eat your bait I know I want my bait to stink!

Test it out on your own. Have you and a buddy throw the same lure with one of them being scented. See who catches more.

Bass belong to the sunfish family. If you don't believe scent works, this spring when the sunfish are all shallow, drop a tube with no scent near a group of fish, observe. then retrieve, load the tube up with some sort of scent and cast back to the same sunfish, observe.

Bass may not react in the same aggressive manor but they can sense your scents. I will use some sort of scent on my slow moving baits like soft plastics and jigs.

* We would all pull our hair out ( well except Neil) if we saw how many fish looked at our offerings and turned away on any given cast.

I was listening to bass edge pod cast the other day and a bass elite pro (can't remember who) said he believes bass in the area will follow a crank or lure 80% of the time it's a matter of retrieval and reaction that makes them bite. I agree with the latter half of the statement but 80% is a BIG number so I'm not so sure about that IMO

if scents are a big deal why isn't there a clear consenus among fishermen as to which scent is the best. anise vs shad, coffee vs craw?? you would think the fish would tell you. maybe they just prefer slippery stuff.

if scents are a big deal why isn't there a clear consenus among fishermen as to which scent is the best. anise vs shad, coffee vs craw?? you would think the fish would tell you. maybe they just prefer slippery stuff.

For the same reason why baits come in 100 different colors and shapes.... to catch the fishermen.

I stick with scents that mimic bass prey. 3/4 of the times its either real craw or reel baitfish for me. Smelly Jelly is another favorite of mine. It's thicker and paste like and stays on the bait longer.

Don't get me wrong. I don't spend all day reapplying scent over and over again. I apply it, then go a while and reapply. If I happen to come across a promising piece of cover or I am pulling up on a new area, that 1st cast will be loaded up.

Interesting topic. Perhaps some of us will do some testing around this notion and report back. Seems to me you would need two setups with the same bait, one with scent, one without. And alternate fishing with them both throughout several days keeping records of all the fish you catch.