Ron's Catch - Do Fish Attractants Make a Difference?
By Ron Johnson
In this modern day of fishing, we have more tools at our disposal than ever to locate fish. Furthermore, the lures engineered today look and move so lifelike that it can be hard to separate imitation to the real thing.
As a Tournament Angler and Fishing Guide, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting thousands of other Anglers every year. One of the questions I get asked about most often is if I believe fish attractants work. I am always quick to respond with “ABSOLUTELY!” but then respond back by asking them the same question.
Although some use scent like myself, many of the answers I hear are “I don’t use any scent on my lures” or “I don’t believe they work.” However, when I ask if there is a negative effect of adding a natural scent to a lure, the response is usually followed by a long pause, because the answer is that there is none.
I am here to tell you first hand that if you do not use a fish attractant then you are not maximizing your fishing catch PERIOD.
Have you ever smelled good BBQ from the neighbor’s house that suddenly made you hungry? This natural response is caused by receptors in the brain, which are triggered by the smell and increase your craving for food. Although fish process smell differently than people, encountering a specific scent will generate a chemical signal that transmits to their brain and it will still entice a fish to respond appropriately. If the brain registers the chemical signal for food, a fish will pursue the food, and if it registers danger, it will most likely flee.
Keep in mind, most lures today are either poured, or injection molded, with plastics or rubber. Some companies today will infuse scent into their plastics to mask the negative scent with a scent more natural or enticing to a fish.
For these reasons I always add fish attractant to any lure before it hits the water. This gives me confidence that I not only removed any plastic or rubber smells from the factory or packaging but also masked any other smells that may have been added to the lure after the fact.
I have found over the years that not only do I get more bites from using fish attractant, but fish will hold onto a lure much longer than they would without it.
This is very important when fishing in thick vegetation. There are always times when you never even feel the bite. Fish will often drop a lure if they detect you before you figure out you have a fish on the other end. With a fish attractant, they are so convinced what they are eating is real, they refuse to let it go, giving us more time to set the hook.
Face it…most people plan a day of fishing because they want to catch fish. When you have invested the time and expense in a tackle, why would you not add something as simple as a fish attractant if it helps you catch more fish?
There are many attractants out there today, but my scent of choice is Baitmate Fish Attractants. Baitmate has a variety of scents that have you covered no matter the species. In addition, Baitmate Fish Attractants have incredible adhesion that stays with the lure and covers those negative and unnatural smells.
Before your next fishing trip, be sure to pick up a bottle of Baitmate Fish Attractant at your local Shoppers Supply and start landing more fish today!