02-11-2010, 12:22 PM
"Do you think that scenting minnows with stuff like kool-aid, anise oil, etc. tends to work better for certain fish or is it fishing lore in your experience?"
[cool][#0000ff]I have tried a lot of different "unnatural" scents on both lures and baits. Anise is a good scent for many species...especially trout. Garlic is also good for many species. Banana seems to be good for trout but not sure about others. The berry scents seem to work best for carp. Not sure about any other species.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]When I go afloat on Utah waters I usually carry only crawdad scent. Sometimes I take some shad. Rarely some sardine or anchovy. They all work at times but the crawdad is the most universal for me. I apply it to worms, carp meat and sometimes to minnows that have been dragged around a while.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Mostly I stick with natural baits...as fresh and odiferous as possible. I don't rinse my cut bait as I process it, and use only a very small amount of water to freeze it. When I use frozen/thawed minnows I do not do anything to them or add any scent until I have fished them awhile. If I do not get bit within a reasonable time, I bring them in and poke a few holes in them with the point of a small knife. Many times I get bit quickly after perforating them to allow more scent to escape.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I do believe in scents. If nothing else they help to cover up human odors...or the smell of gas or other contaminants. However, I do not believe in paying the ridiculous prices some of the exotic stuff costs. I have never found anything that works well enough to justify paying a whole lot of money more than the cheaper stuff. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Basic knowledge of fish and their habits...together with being to find them and make good presentations are sometimes far more important than what flavoring you use. But, the right scent can sometimes help seal the deal.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]I have tried a lot of different "unnatural" scents on both lures and baits. Anise is a good scent for many species...especially trout. Garlic is also good for many species. Banana seems to be good for trout but not sure about others. The berry scents seem to work best for carp. Not sure about any other species.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]When I go afloat on Utah waters I usually carry only crawdad scent. Sometimes I take some shad. Rarely some sardine or anchovy. They all work at times but the crawdad is the most universal for me. I apply it to worms, carp meat and sometimes to minnows that have been dragged around a while.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Mostly I stick with natural baits...as fresh and odiferous as possible. I don't rinse my cut bait as I process it, and use only a very small amount of water to freeze it. When I use frozen/thawed minnows I do not do anything to them or add any scent until I have fished them awhile. If I do not get bit within a reasonable time, I bring them in and poke a few holes in them with the point of a small knife. Many times I get bit quickly after perforating them to allow more scent to escape.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I do believe in scents. If nothing else they help to cover up human odors...or the smell of gas or other contaminants. However, I do not believe in paying the ridiculous prices some of the exotic stuff costs. I have never found anything that works well enough to justify paying a whole lot of money more than the cheaper stuff. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Basic knowledge of fish and their habits...together with being to find them and make good presentations are sometimes far more important than what flavoring you use. But, the right scent can sometimes help seal the deal.[/#0000ff]
[signature]