Do spray on scents work?

[chi0082]

I was reading an article on In-Fisherman.com about using scents for bass fishing and was wondering if you guys have had success in the past using scents? Do they work is it just another gimmick?

[cheesemaster]

They help for sure. Fish have a great sense of smell.

[MOBass]

I believe keeping your scent off stuff is more important than adding scent.  I try to thoroughly clean my hands with some Berkley hand wash if I have to touch sun screen, bug spray, ect...I treat it like deer hunting.

[eyedabassman]

I like the JJ's Magic sent or Megastrike! The JJ's Magic works into the plastic where other sents just lay on the surface of the bait. And if you have a cold take a good smell of the JJ's it will open you up in a hurry!

[dtrs5kprs]

I used some of the stick scents last year, especially the KVD craw stick. It sure seemed to work. Couple other members fished with me, and had the same thoughts.

At times we would apply the scent, and get bit almost immediately. At other times it seemed to upgrade the size.

Will be trying them again this spring. Generally, I think if they are really eating it doesn't matter. During tough times and lulls it seems to.

[Mitch f]

I'm a firm believer, but I wouldn't use a spray on. The gels will last much longer. 

Since I don't put salt in my Craws, I rely on a gel scent, which can also add a little UV as well

[MOPanfisher]

My theory is human smells especially gas and oil are bad and some scent on a lure at the very worst doesn't hurt anything.  Although some of the garlic scented stuff just makes me hungry.

[Ketchup]

Several years ago I took some unscented 6" worms, stuck them in a ziplock bag, poured in a dose of Fish Formula, and let it soak for months before that bag got a hole. Those old formulas sure would stain the carpet on a boat if it got on there. 

One of the advantages of the spray on attractants is it helps the bait slide thru grass, weeds better as it is coated with the formula and is slick.  

 

I used some scent/dye last year on some jig trailers that was garlic scented and not sure what the difference made. 

[Bill Babler]

I don't think any of it will get you very many extra bites.  What I do think is that it will get you extra fish during your day by fish retaining the bait and holding onto it longer than a totally unscented bait.  Think it works much better on the creepy crawler type of baits.  No reason to put it on reaction hard plastics as that deal is quick charge violent strike thingamabob.  I know that gulp will without a doubt catch more trout than powerbait, they just hold on to it.

I really like the KVD stick in craw and also the gulp in craw, for the little guy.  Fish say its Yummy.

[Champ188]

A few years back, Donna and I pulled up on a gravel point in Schooner Creek. She dunked her jig in PowerBait Bass formula while I threw mine out there with no scent. After she caught 4-5 straight keeper smallmouths while I went without a bite, I wised up and dunked my jig. Immediately, I began catching fish, too, and we ended up catching about a dozen total off that one point.

That is the only time since I started using scents like Fish Formula in the early 80s that I have seen it proven to work. But that was enough to convince me that I need to use it whenever I'm not too lazy.

Since the Power Bait is a spray, I really don't want the stuff all over our boat so I came up with this idea: Get yourself a normal-sized kitchen sponge and put it in a heavyweight Ziploc quart freezer bag. Pour enough of the scent (3-4 tablespoons) into the bag to saturate the sponge, then close up the bag and keep it in your pants pocket during the fishing day. Might not want to do this in tight jeans, but here's hoping most of us don't dress like that anyway.

To apply/reapply scent to your lure, just drop it into the bag, wrap the sponge around it and squeeze. Refresh the sponge as needed.