Scents

An aromatic substance applied to or made part of artificial lures. These substances may be applied to hard or soft lures in the form of a paste, gel, or similar element, or in the form of a liquid that is sprayed or used as a dip; they are also incorporated into soft lures in the manufacturing process, or in some cases are added to a pouch or other receptacle that is part of a lure or attached to it. Most usage with lures occurs with items that are capable of absorbing and retaining the scent for a period of time. Scents are more popular in freshwater than in saltwater. They are viewed with suspicion by many anglers, yet used religiously by some, particularly catfish and bass anglers in freshwater.

The major question regarding scents is whether they attract fish and/or mask offensive odors, thereby increasing hooking success. This is difficult to prove in actual angling conditions due to the number of variables that influence fish behavior and angling effort.

It is well known that some fish have much more developed smell and taste senses than others. Any fish with barbels or whiskers is an example. However, many predatory fish rely primarily on their vision, some rely heavily on their hearing, and some use both; these fish rely little, if at all, on their sense of taste and smell.

Many scents are generally targeted at all fish, and others are targeted for particular species. Advertising claims notwithstanding, whether any fish are attracted to scents, to what extent they may be attracted, and under what conditions (how close it is to the fish, the effect in current versus stillwater, and other factors) is difficult to prove. In freshwater, catfish are well known to prefer baits that emit odors; scents are used regularly in fishing for these bottom-scrounging creatures. Beyond this, however, the major predators are not known to heavily rely on scent in natural environs. Most scents are aimed at bass, but these fish principally use their vision and lateral line for detecting prey when feeding. In saltwater, a high use of bait, and in some cases chum (see), for certain species, plus an abundance of clear water to aid visual feeding, diminishes angler interest in scent products.

Equally uncertain is whether fishing scents mask odors that might be offensive to fish, such as human scent or chemicals (as in sunscreen or insect repellent). This, too, is a claim of scent manufacturers and one that is hard to prove or disprove. Some frequently cited instances of lures that were dipped into gasoline and lubricant and yet fished successfully have been used to refute the merits of this aspect of scents.

It is fairly clear that using scents or scented products is not repelling to fish. Therefore, if it is a confidence booster for anglers and helps them to fish more effectively, it may have some value. But there are many instances in both freshwater and saltwater fishing (using most flies, fishing with surface lures, and casting spinners) where there is little if any merit to these products.

See: Anatomy; Bait; Chumming; Processed Bait.