Scents

My last few outings in the cold water I’ve noted a definite preference for scented plastics(both power bait and exude) over regular or salted. This is year is the first time i’ve done any serious bass fishing in water below 45 deg. and I can see the benefit when fishing that slowly around a lot of fish that are just so inactive just want everything you can get in your favor. I’ve never really used any of the spray on scents just wondering if anybody has a favorite or reccomendation or experience and opinion on wether or not its better than the scented plastics.

PS
yes I know I could just use bait, but thats not really the tip I was looking for so if that is your reply you can save yourself the trouble

Superfluke,
Thanks for your observations. I haven’t been out on the river in awhile since the hockey season has begun. I know you made a post a while back about throwin a fluke over wingdams, were you using a zoom, or a powerbait version. Thanks again for the observation.

bass boy,

At the time I was using zoom flukes, but since that weekend the last 3 times I’ve been on the Mississippi I’ve only caught a total of 4 smallmouth shallow, and the rest have been from 15-30 ft deep. I’ve caught a lot of the fish using exude fry worms & the powerbait version of the fluke on either a carolina or mojo rig, and also using a drop shot rig with a jig on the bottom – on this rig I’ve been using powerbait split-tail spinnerbait trailers in place of finesse worms. (it was experimenting with 2 lures at a time on this rig that made me believe in the preference for scented)

Cosmic here from Sunny Arizona… the guys on FTR and FTL have had a lot of discussion on scents and using an Aqua View camera to record the results. On FTR it is under the first heading of River gereral. On FTL it is under general discussion. All relate to Kick’n Bass fish attractants. Cos>

SuperFluke In reply to your inquiry about scents, I can only say that I have had success using Kick’n Bass the past few years on both lakes and the river. KNB seems to be extremely concentrated and stays noticeable on baits fished in the current. I have been using RubberMonkeyTackle’s MonkeyClaw which comes secented with KNB and alsow has an open pocket like a tube, that works wonders when filled with a little garlic KNB and crawled or C-rigged for inactive to neutral biters. I like to use added scent products, vs. impregnated, because I can add it to any plastic bait, brand, or style that I want to match what the fish are in the mood for that particular outing. I, like you, have concluded that scented baits produce better in cold, inactive conditions, but am interested to hear of others experiences.

When Fish Formula first came out I tried it and forgot it. Several years later there was Real Craw. Many times after several casts to a good looking spot, I would douse my jig with Real Craw and git bit the next cast. A couple of years ago the guys on the Bass Fishing Homepage were raving about a new scent, Kick’n Bass. Bought some KNB garlic that winter and on first trip that spring, I was fishing a rock point in a small lake. No bites, doused jig with KNB, 23″ largemouth. No I don’t catch a fish everytime I put on scent, and most of my success has been in cool water, but I truly believe it can make a difference at times. I was doodling a Power Worm in a tree, when they first came out, and the gills would grab it and not let go. I put on a similar worm in the same color and they basically lost interest. I thought it must mean something. While fishing and not wanting to hook the fish, I’ve pulled fish to the top of the water with Power Baits, but I’ve done it with other baits, too. That may have more to do with their mood than anything. But, I know they can smell, and when the going gets tough, the tough go for the Kick’n Bass.