Scent, does it make sense?

[MMT]

I've heard so many people swear that scent has no effect on bass. I think many people are mistaken when they say that certain scents attract bass. I don't think that bass are attracted by scent at all. The bass may actually hold a scented bait longer than an unscented one becasue it tastes alive. I am a huge fan of garlic and craw scent. I actually make my own and really load my handpours with it. In the leat, it helps mask un natural odors. It also gives me the confidence to fish more effectively because I think it works for me. Confidence is key! Any thoughts on this? I just worked out a deal with a major bait company to do work with their baits and apply my own scent to them. I've been testing them this season and have been very impressed with the results so far.

[JT_BAGWELL]

Personally, I am not a big believer that scents will actually cause bass to strike. However, I do believe that in some cases adding attractants to your baits will cause the bass that has already struck a lure to hold on longer. For the most part I rarely use attractants unless they come premixed into the soft plastics. On occasion if I am feeling desperate I will add some scent to a jig.

Jeremiah T. Bagwell

[johnnie crain outdoors]

Making Sense of Scents.
Having fished for fifty years, with and without scents, I have come to believe that scents do make a difference. I normally start my day without using any added scents, why waste them if the fish are active? If I'm not getting bit , then I pour or spray on the juice. All the bass' senses are used when a bass feeds and the sense of smell is very important. Have you ever pitched a bait into cover so heavy if is virtually impossible the bass could actually see the lure, yet the fish still finds the bait and strikes. How about very muddy water which I am constantly bombarded with? Visability is reduced so the senses of smell, sound and the vibrations picked up by the lateral line kick in to make up for the lost sense of sight. Even completely blind bass will survive for a length of time before they die, the sense of smell is definately a factor in their survival. Outdoor Technologies (Berkley) has run exhaustive tests on this subject and every test proved how important the sense of smell is to a bass. One tournament my partner and I fished on the Mississippi river proved at least to us how important adding scents can be. We faced absolutely solid mud water, it was during a flash flood. The area we knew held bass was so thick with mud that when we dipped a black jig in the water if disappeared in less than 1 inch, actually less. The water was also cold, so we knew that fast moving or vibration baits probably wouldn't do much. We opted for black jigs tipped with black Uncle Josh frogs soaked in Original Fish Formula Crawfish. We flipped the bait right against the rocky shoreline and never moved the bait. The fish were drawn to it by the scent, no doubt in my mind. A lot of crawfish that think they are hidden in rock cover and do not move when a bass approaches end up being lunch, simply because of their odor. After all that, in short, YES, I believe in fish attractant scents. Johnnie Crain Iowa Pro Staff.

[Scott Johnson]

My belief is that scents work. I tried alot of baits with different kinds of scents in them and tried the same baits without, in more cases the baits with scent produce alot more fish.Although there are times when baits with no scent produce fish.I think the smell helps fish find the bait along with makes them hold on longer.There are all kinds of scents that can be used, I know guys who create their own mixtures.My vote goes in favor of scents.Good fishing to all

[britchie]

Using scents makes sense.
Not only does it mask the human odor but it is a confidence builder for myself.
I've seen it when the scented lure was out producing the unscented one.
Maybe my presentation was a little different
or my target was different than the other guys.
I have seen the scented lures work better when I was crappie fishing with a jig under a float. I have seen the scented jigs even out produce live minnows.
Was it the scent? Was it the color? :rolleyes:
About ten years ago Berkley put out a
video clip of the power worms versus the ordinary plastic worm.
The power worm out produced the ordinary worm, something like 4 to 1.
Not only did this make me a believer in the power worms, which I hardly throw anymore,
but it made me a believer in a scented bait.

[MMT]

Johnnie, you mentioned the testing done by Berkley, do you think that is credible testing? It isn't done by an outside, independent organization, it is done by Berkley. If they get poor results, do you think they will tell us about it? I tend to discredit all scientific testing done by the maker of a product. It is too biased to sell that particular compani es baits. I totally agree with Jeremiah about the bass holding a bait once it decides to strike. I do feel scents are a little extra insurrance. I like Bang and Real Craw, used to use them all the time. I've concocted my own special blend of totally organic materials for a really good scent that I feel forces a fish to hold a bait longer.

[JoeM]

Fellas- You have taken "thinking outside the box" to new levels. Keep it going. No telling what the next post will say.

While each of you seem to have a guarded optimism about the effects of scents, none of you seem willing to support it totally.
Am I reading you right?

While I'm at it, let me thank you for your continued support of the goals of Bassin'USA
Much obliged. JoeMo

[JT_BAGWELL]

Guys,

What I find very interesting is that we all have differing views. Some of our views are very different, while some are relatively the same. The most unique aspect of this, is that we all still strive for and accomplish the same goal. To Catch Bass.

Maybe the correct answer is "All of the above"

Jeremiah T. Bagwell

[johnnie crain outdoors]

Doubter,
Yes, I do believe Berkley's tests, I have been with Berkley for years and trust them explicitly. I also however; use different brand of attractants, I use Original Fish Formala or B.A.N.G., and they just fine. You are right about one thing, if the tests had failed, I'm sure the results would have never been published. I certainly don't come on this site and tell everyone why I failed to catch any fish when I get skunked, do you? I know that every new or improved product is supposed to revolutionalize fishing, but we all know that's not the case. But, guys like us have to sort through the info and judge for ourselves. Thanks for the input. Johnnie Crain Iowa Pro Staff.

[d.mcgarry]

If you think it could make a difference, it is making a difference. In other words if you use csent keep usind it and if you are not perhaps you should try some at least you will have nothing to lose. I use berkley bass attractant, and I know it doesn't attract Bass but it does kill the smell of motor oil,gas and chewing tabbacco on my hands!! Before that I used Real Craw!! Good Bassin Dan Bass