Scent on flies
I have recently read several articles about a fish's sense of smell. They suggest that if you are a smoker (and I am) or have a certain body chemistry that the smell will transfer to the fly and may cause a fish to refuse it. Does anyone have experience with this? Are there any scent masking solutions like those for hunters? Has anyone ever used a scent attractor on a fly?
JW
dirt or grass
I remember reading a carp article where this guy mentioned he rubbed his flies on grass or dirt to give them this "natural" scent. I haven't tried it but it might work.
I don't think a lot of fly anglers will agree with using anything on their flies.
A while ago I bought this metal fish you wash your hands with and it eliminates odors, I'm not sure if it works because I used it after fishing to get rid of the fishy smell. I wash my hands before tying flies and try not to put any or them or my leaders in my mouth.
Last edited by Martin McFly; 08-13-2009 at 06:14 AM.
Seems like scent on a fly might make bait.
I'm either going to, coming from or thinking about fishing. Jim
Legally, AK looks at scent as bait. It is not legal in FF only waters.
Dump a couple fish overboard in the Kodiak harbor and you will soon be visited by a Steller's Sea Lion and he will go straight to the fish and do lunch with you... If they can smell that incredibly well underwater you have to know the fishes are better...
i used to smoke and the stench was apparent in all of my tying materials. i dont know if it affected the catch vs refusal ratio.
scent on flies = bait
Years ago my father & I were bait fishing for trout using the infamous power bait. I was doing OK and he was doing nothing. We finally determined his problem was that the scent from his suntan lotion was getting on the bait which turned off the fish. Another time I was fishing for crappie with a couple of fellows in a boat when my outboard needed work. I got the smell of gas & oil on my hand and that turned the crappie off while the other guys were still catching fish.
Use of scent on flies is legal in Oregon. I have tried scent in gel form when fishing for crappie & perch. I can't say it helped but it sure didn't hurt.
Tim
I smoke cigars when I fish, drink whiskey, occasionally use sunscreen, often apply fly floatant and pack all of my natural fly tying materials in moth crystals.
I catch a LOT of fish and don't use any scent masking stuff.
I know fish can smell and all of that stuff, but I wouldn't worry about it. Fish ain't that clever.
Never worried about it.
You could try WD-40? People use it on their lures as an attractant. Especially the saltwater folks. A little on a rag and wipe your hands with it at the car would probably work. Not sure if it would last though?
On a nice spring day some years ago, I was fishing the Monomoy flats off Cape Cod when nature came to call
As I was about 3/4 of a mile off shore at the time, my choices were limited.
(fast forward........................................... .......)
When I was done juggling with the vest, waders, stripping basket, and rod, I looked up just in time to see a school of 5 or 6 fish swimming into the current following my 'scent'.
Were they attracted to the smell or simply curious ?
Don't know.
What I do know is that now when nature calls, I rush to get myself ready to cast ASAP
It's worked more than once.
The simpler the outfit, the more skill it takes to manage it, and the more pleasure one gets in his achievements.
--- Horace Kephart
Dudley,
Maybe the fish were just used to worm dunkers
Jim Smith
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