James RickardUsing attractants
July 27th 2007 16:37
For some anglers, when it comes to landing the "big one" all it takes is an extra split second, time for a good hook set, and that trophy is as good as on the wall. Now, thanks to years of research and development, the prize may be within reach.
A lot of guys out there trying to use attractants to give them an edge. But, the big question may be, "Are they doing it right?" For anglers, the question may be, "Is it worth it?" The question several are really thinking but, are too embarrassed to ask is, "Do they work?"
Quite a bit of scientific research has gone into attractants. Studies have found that some fish are definitely drawn to stimuli from hundreds of yards away. Ironically, fish can even recognize plants and other fish from their school by smell! Along those lines, a fish's sense of smell can be greater than a dog and it only improves as they get older!
On the flip side, other scents are proven to repel fish. Gasoline, sun tan lotion, nicotine, and oil are all offensive odors to aquatic life. Going even further, some circles believe that fish can emit an odor upon their release which warns other fish in the area of danger and causes them to quit biting. All I know is that I've been around where the fish were biting like crazy and then stopped all at once after a few were caught and released.
Most attractants use one of three scents--salt, garlic, or anise. Since the best scientific minds spent years developing their products, I'm not so full of myself that I'm going to sit here and tell you that one is better than the others. If they didn't work, they couldn't last on the market. However, I will say that some products, those with a regional market, work better in certain areas than others. For instance, I bought a KILLER attractant in Texas that does nothing in my home state of Pennsylvania!
The use of attractants can lead to disappointment for many because of expectations. Too many guys saturate their bait or lures with the stuff and expect to catch a fish with every cast! First of all, live bait emits its own scent so, you're wasting your time and attractant. Secondly, it's the ACTION of the lure that's going to attract a fish. Lastly, there are baits on the market with attracting qualities already added. It's often when you're fishing slow with soft plastics that attractants are going to help the most.
Without a doubt, fish can gobble up a piece of bait and spit it back out in the blink of an eye! The use of an attractant often makes them hold the bait an extra few seconds enabling the angler to feel a disturbance and set the hook.
Arguably, the most noted attractants are Gulp! and YUM. With over 20 years of research behind these products, it would be a disservice to try and sum up their efforts in a few paragraphs. However, you can click on the links I've provided and learn more. When one of these outfits gives me a six figure contract I'll let you know is best!
I think the best advice would be to look at attractants as a tool. Like a screwdriver, they can be darned handy.
So, back to the question the led us here--DO ATTRACTANTS WORK? I'll give you a definitive answer--YES!
Yum
Gulp
Until next time--watch yourself and watch your line!
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