spray on attractant

[mybadhabit 0]

Yeah, some of us coldwater guys can get a little touchy. Its all in jest, and I sure wouldn't want to tick off a potential customer. Times is tough, what ever it takes. Yes, sometimes, I fish will "bobbers" and worms too (San Juan Worms.)

 

Bobbers AKA strike indicators?

[JSzymczyk 0]

I don't OFTEN use any scent on my flies, but I've said it before and I'll say it again- Fly Fishermen are the only kind of fishermen who think they are too good to use scent. Some of it is tradition. Almost ALL of it is rooted in the holy fanaticism of trout fishing. We get to a point where it becomes hypocritical as hell too... It's perfectly great to tie flies using neon-pink condoms as the main material, but a drop of scent is sacrilegious? Even all the tradition of trout fishing isn't completely scent-free. In "Streamers and Bucktails" Col. Joe Bates talks about Chief Nedebah (a famous old-time salmon/trout guide in Maine) soaking his streamers in leftover oil from sardine cans. Some or even most FFO waters specifically prohibit the use of any scent or chemical attractants.

 

For surface flies, I don't think any scent matters at all. We are all super-careful to keep noxious stuff off of our stuff, yet for decades the best dry fly dressing around was paraffin wax dissolved in GASOLINE.

 

For underwater flies--- all you NO SCENT purists better be tying on a brand new fly every time you land a fish. Hooking and landing a fish, beyond any shadow of a doubt, adds a fishy scent to your flies.

 

The times I've used liquid scents on streamers I have not seen any effect on their action in the water. They do tend to stay a little matted and sorry looking when dried. This has no lasting effect because once they are back in the water they are just fine again.

 

If your personal desire is to avoid scent on flies, that is perfectly OK with me and if the laws or regs on whatever piece of water forbid it, that's fine too. I don't have a solid view on it either way-- but I do know that the "just use bait" approach is not accurate, and the "have to have it" approach is wrong too.

[planettrout 0]

I tried out this concept, of adding scent attractant, to nymphs back in the 80's...it works. I came to the conclusion that it just was not KOSHER for FF - FOR ME. If one does that today, here in CA, on artificials only, special regs. water...and gets caught...there is a very hefty fine involved...

 

PT/TB

[utyer 0]

First for mybad, yes by bobbers I did mean strike indicators. I will use them, but more often than not, I will just use the weighted nymph or leader to "bounce" the fly along the bottom. I loose a lot of flies that way, but I also catch some pretty good fish that way.

 

I have to agree with planet and J that using scent in "special" fly only or artificial only waters is not allowed in several other states. I don't see a problem with using scents in general regulation fishing waters.

 

It seems like EVERYBODY uses scent to some degree or another. All our flies smell like SOMETHING, be it SHAAN, nail polish, human scent from our hands, mothballs, left over lunch, or just the scent of other fish.

[TheCream 0]

Never tried it for bass, trout, or panfish, but I can tell you I do it for carp in muddy water and it does help. Some people can carp fish in clean, clear flowing water where getting the fish to see the fly is just a matter of presentation. In mud flats in SE Ohio, when carp are mudding/rooting and visibility is way down, a little shot of Yum F2 craw scent seems to help them find the fly. I see no issues with it, but I also don't find a lot of "traitional carp fly anglers," either.

 

The way I see it, if it's legal, do what you want if it makes you happy. Worry less about what other people are using and doing and a little more about your own fishing and we'll all be happier fishermen.

[H.Champagne 0]

When I was younger my father had a cottage on a lake in the fingerlakes of upstate NY. This was before I learned to fly fish and I loved fishing for bass and walleye. I had a huge tackle box and and bass pro shops hat and I thought i was sweet (age 10 haha). I tried using scents, WD40, those salted pork skin things, and anything else i could find. I remember it making almost no difference, at least with my experiences. I feel like color made a much bigger difference, like bright flashy stuff that was fished properly. But in the end, try it and see what happens.

 

Bass Fishing Side Note: Have you ever tried those Buzzbait things using a regular rod? I remember those being so much fun. i would rip them over the tops of weed beds and around logs and docks and big bass would just smash the hell out of them. Gotta love top water....

[Margaretann 0]

I've had bunches of people tell me WD40 works like a champ, but I've never done it. Makes sense though...works for everything else!

 

Now if I could just tie a fly that uses WD40, bailing twine, and duck tape, it would be invincible...

 

Nice! Let me know when you find one.... I just might have to get one too!

[redietz 0]

Before using scent, check you state's laws on the subject. It's illegal on C&R streams in many (if not most) states.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

I've never used scent with flies (although there have been occasions when I was tempted..). I do know one or two bonefish guys who have kept a fly in with a small bag of cut up shrimp and have used chum myself on many occasions to draw in bonefish, sharks, redfish, etc.

 

The most deadly technique that I do use occasionally doesn't have anything to do with adding scent to the fly... it's live chumming. You load your livewell with pilchards, sardines, or herring then run from spot to spot. After a very quiet approach you toss a small handful of live bait into an are where you suspect (or know) that fish are holding, then watch carefully to see what happens..... The baits (in the 3 to 6" range will swim away and may not get popped until a few minutes go by (and many times not anywhere near the spot you thought the fish were holding on..). After that first handful of livies is in the water you begin tossing a few addtional baits at a time, and make a point of crippling half of them so they swim in circles or erratically at best... No one even picks up a rod until you see the first boil. If you do it right the first pop will come down (or up) current a good ways from where you tossed the bait. As things heat up the action will move closer and finally in range of flies. The flies used will be attractor patterns or pure streamers that closely match the size of the live chum. If you do it correctly an absolute beginner with a fly rod has a very good shot at his/her first snook, redfish, speckled trout, etc. If you don't see any response to the baits - it's off to another spot with as little time wasted as possible. This entire routine is nothing more than bringing an offshore technique into inshore areas. On an occasional scouting day solo, I'll load the well and move from place to place live chumming just to see where fish are holding as I explore new areas. If you have quantities of live bait available to you (in my area it's only certain times of the year, usually in the fall, when lots and lots of bait are readily netted with the right sized castnet) and a bit of skill with the net (as well as a generous live well on board) is all that's required. Although I'd much rather sightfish while poling quietly in very shallow areas there are days and situations when you'll be lucky to get one or two bites in an entire day hunting the shallows. Live chumming is only an occasional thing for me (some guides in the 'Glades and other inshore areas in south Florida may use it daily when it's appropriate). Whether you're over spanish mackeral, jacks, and small bluefish in open water, snapper and grouper up inside rivers, or snook and reds around downed trees or oyster bars... as long as your angler can cast a fly to where the action is, their results will be so much more positive in that situation than any other.... Is it "fly fishing" in a classic sense? Probably not, but neither is most saltwater fly angling. If you can set up a situation where anglers can get doubles on with fly gear, and the fish will be much larger than the usual fare it can be a treat....

 

I'm certain this same technique would work in spots where bass are holding in freshwater - the trick would be to chum up enough forage to be able to net a well full of baits to chum with. Kids in my area know exactly how to lure up a few wild shiners with bits of bread, then catch one (wild shiners in south Florida may be the size of small trout in the 5 to 8" range) and fish it for a big bass in canals everywhere under a cork... all you'd need would be enough baits and you're in business.