Scents?

[Bone_Collector]

Well after reading the springer thread and putting in my  I thought I would start another thread on scents and see what people thought about how they work! I personally dont add a lot of scents when I am fishing but I do see a lot of people who do use them. So what are your guys opinions on using scents and how they work?
I am not looking for your secret scents just your opinions on them!

B_C

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

First used scents when a kid on the trout lakes. It has progressed to lots of trial and error. Now i only use or carry a couple scents as i narrowed down my best ones for the the different species.

[Button Nubbs]

Don't use them much. Only sometimes if I'm boondoggin, and in my egg cures. Other than that not very often. Presentation presentation presentation. If they're curious they only have one way to check it out.

[Dhoey07]

If i use any it's either Mike's shrimp scent or WD-40 on my bucktail jigs for steelhead on the clearwater

[Fish4Fun]

More to the question than just "What Scent To Use". You have to look at the fish and how you are fishing. For Salmon in Salt Water it is sight, sound and smell. With that much water you have to think all 3 of these. for scent, I use either Smelly Jelly Herring or Salmon Mix.
Sturgeon fishing ?  All about scent, here is where the pure spices come into play. Pure Garlic Juice and Anise Extract are the hands down go to scent.

Like it or not, mammals, humans included, are stuck with a scent that gives off a chemical that contains the amino acid L-Serine, of which fish find very offensive.   Some fisherman unfortunately have more L-Serine in their system than others, this is most likely the problem with your fishing buddy who is in the dry spell all of his life.   Also this is why some people just can not seem to catch fish as they give off more L-Serine than others do. Scents can do a great job covering this up.

[Bone_Collector]

Here is another question than what are the bases of the scents water or oil? And are you using them as an attractant or a cover to keep the human scent from being dispersed into the water?

B_C

[Fish4Fun]

Depends, when I am using pure scent it is in the liquid form.  Such as Garlic juice or Anise, not reduced at all straight out of the bottle. For salmon scent it is based on Vaseline, since that is a neutral scent it can be melted down, the scent of choice added and then let it solidify.

For salmon in salt water it is used at both a cover scent and as an attractant. We try and stay with scents that are the same as foods for the area.

I have seen days Sturgeon fishing where we have sat side by side with other boats and out fished them 10 to 1 by using scents. As soon as the other boat switched to our scent they started a feeding frenzy too.

[Bone_Collector]

What happens to oil based scents once they leave your lure? Do they disperse into the water column or do they float?

B_C

[WSU]

The use of scents is important.  It is more important for salmon that steelhead, but there are times when it makes a lot of difference.  Those that say they don't need scent are either not fishing at times when it matters or catching far less fish than they could be.

Kings are especially big scent junkies.  Sugars, salts, sulfites, nitrates, oils, etc. can all be very important.  Lately I have been fishing eggs a lot for kings.  I have the most luck on eggs that contain quite a lot of chemicals in the cure.  I also have a lot of luck using scents.  I will carry anise, garlic, sardine, shrimp, WD40 and others, and use the scents randomly and in various combinations while fishing a hole.  It does produce extra fish.  Some produce better than others, but they all have their moments.

[jeepster]

the best "scent" is a fresh plug cut herring, or a herring strip/teaser

ive tried using most of the various oil-based scents, and i havent had any luck.

the oil gets on the flash, and if you are using uv spoons or anything uv, the oil gets all over it and they dont preform as well, and if you dont clean the living poo out of your gear once its done, then it has gunk caked on it, and will not preform at all next time you use them. once that smell is on your gear, you can never get the funk off of it unless you run your gear through the dishwasher or something

id say its all a gimick
 
btw im talking about trolling the salt for summer salmon and blackmouth

i think that the flash and or glow of a spoon/plug, paired with the right color and depth is waaay more important than the way it smells.... oh wait... thats called presentation!

[Button Nubbs]

If you aint fishing right but your using scent you still aint gonna catch fish.
If your fishing right without scent your still gonna catch fish.

[6x6in6]

If you aint fishing right but your using scent you still aint gonna catch fish.
If your fishing right without scent your still gonna catch fish.

 

[boneaddict]

WD-40 is the only scent I have ever used

[h20hunter]

A very reputable fisherman that had logged 1000's of hours fishing, smoking, and drinking told me this about the wd-40:

Put it on every time. Why? Cause it sticks to your smelly oil and this disapates when it his the water. That leaves your lure virtually scent free.

[WSU]

If you aint fishing right but your using scent you still aint gonna catch fish.
If your fishing right without scent your still gonna catch fish.

Correct.  But, in some situations, if you are fishing right and not using scent you are going to catch a small fraction of the fish you could be.