Fish Perfume article-- factual error that could get you busted

[danbob]

I personally have no problem with fish attractants.
However, this statement from Bob Boese's article "Fish Perfume" is NOT correct in Colorado!!!

Wive's Tale #4: Using fish attractant is illegal. Simply false, even on the most restrictive gold medal fly fish only catch-and-release waters, no prohibition against attractant on flies has been found.

Not false at all!
Fishing a scented fly here in Colorado "Flies and Lures Only" water will get you a ticket and points on your license. From the Colorado regs, 2008-2009:

ARTIFICIAL FLIES AND LURES: Devices made entirely of or combination of natural or synthetic, nonedible, nonscented (regardless if scent is added during the manufacturing process or applied after) materials such as wood, plastic, silicone, rubber, epoxy, glass, hair, metal, feathers or fiber, designed to attract fish. This does not include anything defined as bait below.
BAIT: Hand-moldable material designed to attract fish by taste or smell. Devices with scents or smell attractants added or externally applied, regardless if added during manufacturing or after. Scented manufactured fish eggs and traditional organic baits, including but not limited to worms, grubs, crickets, leeches, minnows, dough baits, stink baits, insects, crayfish, human food, fish, fish parts or fish eggs.

If'n your flies are scented, here in Coloraddy yer fishin' BAIT.
DANBOB

[J Castwell]

HEY! You guys better get this settled. If needed, I will edit the piece. Boese,,, what's your call?

[PanFisher]

My son lives in Colorado and fishes mostly Bass spinning. He has to make a special effort to have a separate tackle box with unscented lures. If the tackle box or boat (In specific fishing locations) even contain any scented lure - even salted plastic worms they can be ticketed!

[SteveGibson]

I don't have a clue whether or not it's kosher to use scents in Colorado. That being said, I always thought it as kind of a no-no for a fly fisher to add scent to his/her fly? I've never done it and don't ever plan to.

Just my two "scents."

[Big Bad Wulff]

I just recently put some "Power bait" balls in with my egg patterns to get the scent on them. I caught less fish after doing so than I did before without the 'perfume'.
Did it as an experiment. I would say I'm less likely to do so.

HOWEVER, you will pry the scented bass Senkos out of my dead hands...............

[Kerry Stratton]

I believe you would be in violation of the rules in Washington also if you used an attractant in fly fishing only waters.

From the WDFW rules and regulations:

FLY FISHING ONLY
In ?Fly Fishing Only? waters, an angler may
use only the following tackle: up to 2 flies,
each with a barbless single-point hook, not
to exceed ." from point to shank, and a
conventional fly line (other line may be used
for backing or leader if attached to at least
25 feet of fly line). Anglers may not use fixed
spool reels, bait, or weight attached to the
leader or line. Only knotless nets may be
used to land fish.

BAIT
Anything that attracts fish or shellfish by scent
and/or flavor. This includes any device made
of feathers, hair, fiber, wood, metal, glass,
cork, leather, rubber, or plastic, which uses
scent and/or flavoring to attract fish or wildlife.

[hap]

Scent is clearly illegal in Alaska fly-fishing only waters.
art

[bassman]

I just rered the regulations for fishing in the Smokey Mountain National Park waters. It says use of any scent or attractant is illegal. John

[WarrenP]

I'm sorry, but, I know that what I am about to say will upset some, but, I cannot hold back any longer.

I consider fly fishing and fly tying an art. It does not say much for my fly tying skills if my flies have to have some sort of attractant applied to them in order to catch trout or any other fish species. If I am going to use scent I may as well go back to the spinning rod/casting rod way of fishing and join the crowded "rat" race again.

I fish with a fly rod because the "long" rod brings the enjoyment back to my fishing. I fish the fly rod because I need the peace and quiet of the river and the surroundings. I need and enjoy the trees, flowers, the sound of flowing water, the river animals and critters, the fresh air and the feeling that I am closer to my Maker while fly fishing. I enjoy the challenge of tying flies and the challenge of fooling the fish with them.

I am sorry for the ramble. To use any scents with fly fishing just puts fly fishing on the same playing field as all the other forms of fishing. There is nothing wrong with the other forms of fishing, but, most of the time the other forms are done to either put fish on the table or to win a tournament and that is not fly fishing. Unless you are a fly fisherman, you will never understand what I am saying. Fly fishing and fly tying are not usually done to win tournaments and put food on the table. They are done to "get away" from the world and the people in it for awhile. They provide you with some time for yourself. As a fly fisherman, I do not have to always catch fish to enjoy the sport. I guess I enjoy the spirit of fly fishing and tying as well as the catching.

Sorry, but, when you put fish scents and fly fishing together it just does not set well with me nor does it seem right.

The above are only my opinions and nothing more. I apologize to anyone who may have been offended by my opinions. Now I will go crawl back into my corner and leave you all alone......

[Big Bad Wulff]

I'm sorry, but, I know that what I am about to say will upset some, but, I cannot hold back any longer.

......

Maybe you need to read The Purist article

I know what you mean and agree to an extent. But I carry a spinning rod with me when I float my kayak. Nothing wrong with spinning rod users. Sometimes it's harder to catch trout on spin tackle than flies!!!! If you think about it flies are almost like cheating. Of course I don't use the spin rod in "trophy" designated areas, although I could........as here they only state "barbless single hooks, artificial". Roostertail now makes a single-hook spinner. Just bend the barb down. Or set it up to where you can cast a fly.
To me designating an area "flyrod only" is discriminatory.