Fishing Fads that Fizzled.

Dad and I were talking this past weekend about some of the fishing fads that we’ve seen come and go. In the never-ending battle to sell us more gear, some huge fads are born, everybody follows them, and then they disappear.

Anybody remember…

The Color-C-Lector – Circa the early to mid 1980s. These device purported to help the angler zero in on the best color for the water conditions. These were wildly popular with gadget fiends looking for every advantage as the electronics boom really took off in the 1980s. By 1990, they were gone.

– The Fish Formula (and other scents). Again, in the 1980s, this was a huge fad and everybody who was anybody was spritzing their lure, bait, etc with some kind of fishy-smelling condiment.

They even made racks to mount in your boat, so you could have a whole selection of herbs and spices to spray on your lure. Pros swore by them for everything. Some pros even rubbed them on their hands like lotion, claiming that this eliminated human scent.

While the trend to some degree continues with things like scented plastics, the spray on formula fad fizzled completely by the mid 1990s.

What are some of the other fads that fizzled? These two seemed like good examples, but I’m sure there are more.

Grouse

Quote:

---

While the trend to some degree continues with things like scented plastics, the spray on formula fad fizzled completely by the mid 1990s.

Grouse

---

It did?

I still use spray on scents on a regular basis and have used many other scents for many, many years. I also know quite a number of other anglers who use them as well.

Any of these look familiar?

Baitmate Spray on Scents

Bang spray on fish scent

Kicking Walleye (or bass)

Yum spray on scent

And that’s just touching the tip of the ice berg.

Actually, I think scents are bigger now than they ever were.

And this is one trend that isn’t going away anytime soon.

Technically, I believe that would mean it never was a fad at all.

How about the Banjo Minnow or the Flying Luer! I’ve never used either and I don’t even know if they’re still on the market.

I had the banjo minnow as a child. I liked it but I did not know any better. It produced fish so that is good enough for me.

Pocket Fisherman (another one named after Pug)
Color C Lector

Catfish guys have Team Catfish Dead Red Blood spray as well.

Quote:

---

How about the Banjo Minnow or the Flying Luer! I’ve never used either and I don’t even know if they’re still on the market.

---

Although I’ve never used one, I know they still sell them.

Banjo Minnow

catch and release

non-lead sinkers

clubs for stunning/killing fish

ice fishing

dynamite

gill nets

My dad had a Color-C-Lector for years. It always sat in the bottom of the rod locker we had in the garage. From my understanding the thing never actually worked, I don’t mean that it picked incorrect colors, it just never worked period. I was actually flipping through Cabelas the other day at work and they still make a version of the Color-C-Lector

Quote:

---

Actually, I think scents are bigger now than they ever were.
And this is one trend that isn’t going away anytime soon.

---

As I said, while it hasn’t gone away, the use of scents is nowhere near as common now as they were in the 1980s at the peak of the fad.

Most of the larger sporting goods and fishing stores had an entire side of an aisle devoted to them. Dr. Juice, Fish Formula, Strike, Trigger, just a few brands that I recall and then there were species-specific variations of everything. Every pro on every major circuit had a scent endorsement deal, it seemed.

I’m sure the Color-C-Lector is out there as well, but in terms of overall attention and popularity, scents are nothing like they were in the 1980s.

Grouse

24-hr-turn-around trips to Upper Red for a bucket full of crappodiles

Using canoes to fish with nets.

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Actually, I think scents are bigger now than they ever were.
And this is one trend that isn’t going away anytime soon.

---

As I said, while it hasn’t gone away, the use of scents is nowhere near as common now as they were in the 1980s at the peak of the fad.
Grouse

---

Nice spin. Although I seem to remember you also saying….

Quote:

---

the spray on formula fad fizzled completely by the mid 1990s.
Grouse

---

I won’t argue about what you said anymore but as far as scents go, I still disagree.

While all fishing supplies were sold on the shelves of sporting goods stores back in the 80’s, that itself is a fad that’s going away. It no longer appears to be the way business prefer to sell their products. Not with the age of the internet & computer.
I would be willing to bet that there are not only more scented products now a days, I would also be willing to be there are more companies making scented products, including sprays.
Don’t believe me? Do a quick search for the following:
Scented Fishing Attractants

Have fun counting how many different scents there really are out there.

This had to be 35 years ago but my uncle had a device that was supposed to call fish. I think this fad has come back because it seems that I recently saw something that excites fish to eat. Anyway I was a kid and we tried it one summer a lot and never called in one fish.

Fishing websites that provided actual detailed fishing reports on specific bodies of water.

My Aunt had a pocket fisherman, it was the only thing which would fit into her luggage on the bus.

This is a great topic as it makes me laugh. I had another uncle (yes my uncles where fish challenged) that went on a Canadian fishing trip. He went into the local bait shop and they had a lure that they would not sell unless you signed their pledge card that because the lure was so effective that you would not keep more than the legal limit. When he told me this story he said he never has caught a fish on it.

Quote:

---

Fishing websites that provided actual detailed fishing reports on specific bodies of water.

---

I think this killed that
(or at least the perception of this)

I think scented plastic has stolen some thunder from sprays. I however was going to pick some up because I have some old powerbait worms that could use a recharging.

Is it me, or does anyone else find powerbait scent delightful? It also seems like they changed the formula of the worms to be more durable, which I do not like. Before powerbait, all I used were culprit worms.

Homemade Secchi disks made from a white cup, the helicopter lure, Mille Lac walleye fishing.

How about those fake weeds?

Quote:

---

As I said, while it hasn’t gone away, the use of scents is nowhere near as common now as they were in the 1980s at the peak of the fad.

Most of the larger sporting goods and fishing stores had an entire side of an aisle devoted to them. Dr. Juice, Fish Formula, Strike, Trigger, just a few brands that I recall and then there were species-specific variations of everything. Every pro on every major circuit had a scent endorsement deal, it seemed.

I’m sure the Color-C-Lector is out there as well, but in terms of overall attention and popularity, scents are nothing like they were in the 1980s.

Grouse

---

You are very far off base on your assumptions…..

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

As I said, while it hasn’t gone away, the use of scents is nowhere near as common now as they were in the 1980s at the peak of the fad.

Most of the larger sporting goods and fishing stores had an entire side of an aisle devoted to them. Dr. Juice, Fish Formula, Strike, Trigger, just a few brands that I recall and then there were species-specific variations of everything. Every pro on every major circuit had a scent endorsement deal, it seemed.

I’m sure the Color-C-Lector is out there as well, but in terms of overall attention and popularity, scents are nothing like they were in the 1980s.

Grouse

---

You are very far off base on your assumptions…..

---

Whatever. You seem to be off base with your assumption that this was some kind of scientific analysis of fishing trends and the current marketplace.

Unclench a little. I’m just having a bit of fun with this thread based on my recollections.

So we’ve now established that there are at least two guys still spritzing their lures with yummies, let’s move on.

Grouse

keep yur worm fresh

Quote:

---

Quote:

---

Fishing websites that provided actual detailed fishing reports on specific bodies of water.

---

I think this killed that

(or at least the perception of this)

---

Yes!!!!! We all finally figured out how some of our favorite areas “suddenly” were getting so much more fishing pressure. Lol. We burned ourselves, most of us anyways. Live and learn. Sorry Self.

Quote:

---

H about those fake weeds?

---

I ice fished with a guy back in the 80,s he alway,s fished in a triangle, 2 tipups and jigged a rap in the last corner. In the middle of said triangle he sunk a tampon soaked in Dr juices and fish formula. That was his edge, i think he was just nuts

how about the MOM and Pop bait shop..where I grew up in Milwaukee, there were sport shops all over town.. and in fact in was close to the “perfect economy” .. one were prices were close, good profit margins on items.. few wholesalers with much different pricing, and lots and lots of competition.. but in truth FRIENDLY COMPETITION.. these dealers worked well with each other.. calling each other.. helping the other… and competing against each other.. and few if any BIG BOX STORES.. now, its all big box stores, few sales.. No sport show pricing.. and little anticipation of “going to the show”.. to see what so and so has a deal on.. its one now of an oligopoly.. Few GIANT DEALERS, and little profits available for the MOM AND POP places , except on bait.. ( and how much bait sales have dropped).. all big box stores.. most of whom, are clothing oriented, due to the price margins.. there is a fishing fad that has fizzled.. the death of the MOM AND POP STORE..

Pistol grip rods
Helicopter lure
People on forums giving as much or more info than they take.

I hope having fun once in awhile and leaving the serious side at the door isn’t a fad.

Quote:

---

Pistol grip rods

---

OMG! I’d like to throw a reel on one of those again just to see what it felt like.

I have to agree with Grouse that even sprays were the big thing in fishing, but now no one really talks about it. I think everyone is right.

What does everyone think the big fad is now? Braided line? Kayaks? walleye? Tiny rod eyelets? UV lures? Red Hooks? Self tuning lures? Gill nets?

That should be enough chum for now.

Quote:

---

What does everyone think the big fad is now?

---

fishng off your deck in nothing but hiking boots, dark socks, and undies (at least I hope it’s a passing fad)