Do scents and fish attractants really catch more fish?

Can YouTube help me become a better fisherman? Do scents and attractants really help you catch more fish? In this video I examine eleven different scents made to attract fish. Some of them claim to make fish hold on to your lure for longer periods of time. Can any of these scents or attractants actually help you catch more fish? Or do they do a better job catching your money? There are many fish attractants out there from shad and crawfish scents to garlic, coffee, or anise. Please comment below with your opinion on scents and if you think they actually help people catch more fish.

[mr.fatbasstard]

I wrote a 28-page term paper on fish scents for my Fisheries/Eco Sys biologist certification. Bottom line without the 28 pages of argumentative crap:
They work for some species in some situations.
For largemouth bass, no real help on the Ambush, Reaction or Pursuit type strikes.
Finesse fishing 'slow plastics' with scents can provide benefits. Bass will inhale a slow-moving bait bounce it off of their taste bud pads and rejected or accept it in a Split Second.

Bottom-line on scents, there is no yes or no. But there is a time and place.

If you're going to use a scent for bass use gels with emulsion and amino acid additives. And this is just my opinion. I have asked several fish what they like and they just don't seem to respond. But I will let you know if one ever talks back to me....

[ITSYOURBOYJLBUnocuvhori]

im from Australia and for a few years anise scents where illegal as people used it to cheat in competitions but now they are legal and they work the trick over here

[lojofishing]

I've always heard that these types of things don't actually attract fish, but rather make the fish hold the bait in their mouth for longer. Who knows man. I've used the Bass Dynasty stuff, the Spike It Garlic dye, and some of that other stuff. But the best days I've had fishing in my life have been just using lures with none of that stuff. So who knows!!!

[daddyosink]

I remember watching my Dad cook a concoction of olive oil, garlic, salt, and distilled water 20+ years ago and it seemed to work very well.... But he could catch fish anywhere at anytime of the year regardless. Also, my grandparents kept a bottle of anise oil in their tackle boxes, my grandmother would catch fish on a piece of cotton ball with anise. If it worked back then I don't see why it wouldn't now.

[russellnotestine]

I know anise is illegal in some countries and states. Which may be an indication that it does work

[Flurgh]

I picked up someone's discarded can of garlic BANG! and put it on a jig. I don't know if it made a difference but that lure still reeks of garlic months later and if nothing is biting I throw it on and usually get something to nibble.

[dwightstewart]

I learned the benefits of scents when I was just a kid. While bank fishing in a shallow creek using greasy bacon, I watched a passing fish do a complete u-turn, swim back & forth upstream following that scent, grabbing the hook without hesitation. Bacon isn't as effective anymore (too lean - not greasy enough), but I still use scents on my lures.

[rodfather_bass_fishing]

I did a video on this same subject back in December, and I'll sum it up for you here: I don't put any soft plastics in the water until after I make them stink pretty. I've proven it to myself over and over. The article that I referenced in my video explains it the best. Wish I could find it... but it was in a F&S magazine over 40 years ago.

[plop]

I have never seen a great difference with or without scent. What difference I have noticed is when I bottom fish for catfish. I stumbled upon using cheap hotdog pieces for bait and found that a piece of hotdog that has been cooked and is good and greasy always catches more fish than one that is cold and not greasy. I tested this side by side several times. So from my experience with catfish, I believe that smell plays a big part with them so I would think it would for other species but like I said, no luck with anything else. I have heard from many people that Gulp is the only thing that really works.

[InTheWoodsToday]

Ive used the powerbait bass before when the bite was slow and right after putting some on the same texas rigged worm i had on all day i got a largemouth in just a couple casts. Not sure why or if it worked but now i use it in bad conditions or slow bite times for comfort.

[dandamanfishing]

As a boy I watched my grandpa us that magic bass attractant stuff many times and he used to slay em, it had to help. He never fished without it

[brandonthompson]

I think the stuff like dip n dye is great because the main benefit is changing the presentation of your bait. The scent is more of a "cover up" of the chemical dye smell i think. I use the chartreuse and orange garlic scented dip n dye on almost all of my soft plastics. Not sure if the scent is beneficial or not but i think being able to modify the presentation definitely helps. i like dipping the tails of senkos & flukes in the chartreuse and the claws for craws in the orange.

[thewornwoodsman]

The best I've found is Vaseline mixed with either minced garlic or anise oil, it holds to the bait better and I most definitely get more bites with it

[DaveTormala]

Hello. So I just bought this Mayhem bass attractant so I will test this out this weekend hopefully. I have fished this place several times.. Bass are very finicky at the private lodge I go too.. There are some really big bass there.. seen them spawning on the shore. Anywhere from 3 to 5lbs even seems to me.. I will be using my gopro and will see if that stuff really do make a difference.. Rarely catch fish so this will test this product out. I will come back to this post and give me honest review on that Liquid Mayhem attractant.

[BassGeek]

The only time I use scent is when the bite is tough. So almost anytime I'm using worms or jigs. The bang stuff in the giant bottle works good. You have to put it on constantly however. It just seems they don't peek at it as much. They hold on to it.

[dennisbigelow]

I've tried a few of those brands and the 1 that I know attracts fish for sure is Liquid Mayhem. I had 2 rods both set up the exact same (hook, line, shiner) 2 big bass both went past the shiner without liquid mayhem and slammed the 1 that had it on. I tried it on live and fake baits and it has proven to work every time 100%

[signaloutdoors]

Try Lip Glu fish attractant. Comes in an oil for adding to your soft plastics bags, about 10 drops in a bag and it penetrates into the soft plastics and you simply rig and fish. Really easy! They also have a Gel for use on everything from hard baits to soft plastics. Put some on and cast. It lasts a long time. You will defiantly notice a difference on the amount of strikes and how the fish hold on.

[fishingwithvance]

I actually have caught a bunch of smallmouth using Gulp Alive minnows. I have also caught Catfish by accident in the river while fishing these Gulp Alive Minnows that are scented. I would say the Gulp Alive juice works. Good Video. Fish on!

[dnacash]

I have a buddy who uses Spike It garlic dip when he's had a slow day. I've seen him catch his first fish of the day after 2 hours of fishing with no luck and then catch 2 bass in 2 minutes. I've recently started using JJ's Magic. I think it has made me fish slower and catch more fish. It also helps change the color of your bait for a different look or you can use clear if your confident in the color you already have.

[JBWAngling]

Wow! I won!!! I've never used attractants before but what I really would like to know is where you got that shirt