Chemicals/Scents on hands & how it affects fish 2024
Luke at Gouldsboro reply :
As humans we have our hands on a lot of stuff. I know your hands can transfer scent to your bait. For people who smoke or dip, dunking your hands in water doesn't get the bad scent off. Besides spray on scent, megastrike, etc...what can we use on our hands while in the boat to not transfer scent ? I heard of rubbing baking soda on your hands somewhere... Any thoughts? Thanks
WRB reply :
Plain white Colgate tooth paste works great, cleans off nearly anything, rinses easy, is water soluble and safe for the environment.
I have been using tooth paste for decades to clean my hands while fishing.
Tom
GrizzerGreen reply :
Do you mean to say that wintergreen scent doesnt attract bass? 
I have wonder the same thing. Especially with plastics since they seem like theyd absorb the scent alot easier. And hand sanitizers and wet wipes just seem like theyd have the same effect as dip or smoke scent.
Id be up for trying the toothpaste but...I cant imagine what my friends would think when I open up my tackle box and I have a roll of Crest Ultra White sitting in the bottom haha.
But its worth a shot.
Sam reply :
Luke, I remember a Bassmaster Unviersity where the speaker said that you need to use scent on all baits to hide any scents on your hands.
Dr. Keith Jones of Berkley Research Department, in his book, Knowing Bass: The Secrets to Catching More Fish, has a fantastic chapter on Chemorception.
He says bass can detect and detest DEET insect repellent.
Dr. Jones also says that scents that fail to disperse do so for one of two reasons: either the active ingredients are totally encased with no access to the water whatsoever, or, more frequently, the scent packaging is water-insoluble.
I put scents on all plastics and in tournaments on moving baits to not only have the bass hold onto the bait a little longer but to hide and smells on my hands or tackle box.
I also put gasoline in the boat and check the oil and battery the day before so I can be sure there no offensive scents on my hands when I hit the water.
I do believe you can transfer scents to baits but of course, if the scent is not water soluable it does not matter. But who wants to take a chance?
Dr. Jones' book is expensive but it is a fantastic read and has a lot of information you could use to help you be a better fisherman.
I am interested in reading what others say about your query. 
Raider Nation Fisher reply :
I use powder free latex or nitrile gloves. They give us boxes of those things at work. The best ones are the individually sealed cleanroom gloves. Yet regular ones work just as well
FishinDaddy reply :
Just wash your hands in JJ's majic... ;D
grimlin reply :
Another topic concerning scent.
http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1272368286/0
There was another lengthy one Started by Paul I believe that had a lot of good theories.
Personally,I don't think it matters much,because odor does disperse pretty quickly in water.I fish during break and I still have Oil on my hands after handling my bait and I really haven't notice much difference in my bite rate last year.There's bigger roles in getting a bass to bite something than just on smell alone.
GrizzerGreen reply :
Problem solved
http://www.basspro.com/Wonder-Bar&153;-Odor-Removing-Bar/product/94737/-1338824
Hamby reply :
I had a ton of super glue get on my hands once. The first thing to come to mind after trying to wash it off in the water was to spray it with the bug spray because the spray is really cold. It did help. Made the glue really brittle and it easily flaked off in the water. But my hands smelled really bad. I took some cheap garlic scent i had and rubbed it all over my hands. Continued fishing and still caught fish.
Either the smell of bug spray on my jig didn't bother the fish, or the scent covered it up. I'm going with the latter.
Gangley reply :
An In-Fisherman Article recently published regarding bass repellents testing done by Pure Fishing had some pretty interesting information in it. It described what things can be identified as bass repellents and some of them that I thought would be considered repellents werent, while other that I thought wouldn't be repellents, were.
The most repulsive repellents were anything that contained deet (Bug Spray like OFF, Cutter, etc). It seemed to "repel about anything that swims, crawls, flies, or runs". "Touching a lure after applying DEET renders it repulsive for well over an hour".
"Detergents and soaps also are offensive to fish".
"The active ingredient in many sunscreens --PABA;p amino benzoiic acid-- also repels bass"
"On the other hand, some substances widely considered repulsive to fish are not. The amino acid L-serine, found in human skin, spooks salmon, but has no effect on bass. We've also offered bass food dipped in motor oil and gasoline, and watched them gobble it up."
After reading it, it sounds like the best thing to do is wash your hands in the waters that you are fishing prior top handling any lures that you might be using, that way you can ensure that you are not getting any unwanted scents on your lures.
Lund Explorer reply :
A friend of mine swears that WD-40 works great as an attractant.
One other thing that might be a turn off could be the scent of another predator. I know I've experienced this after hooking into a northern pike or musky. The lure seems to shut right down afterwards. I've also been a believer in the fact that smallmouth schools can get shut down by released or lost fish. Makes a guy wonder if they give off a scent that causes this, and whether that negative scent might be transferable to a lure. Food for thought.
Nice_Bass reply :
With the chemical and ag. runoff that our lakes and rivers see in any given year- I am quite surpirsed that deet is not the new crawfish.
I like to think of scent as an excuse (one I use from time to time) on a bad day fishing. I do think it matters once the fish hits and is in the mouth, but not any reaction type baits. Cover a worm in deet, sure there could be some effect,
if you spray some bug spray on your body and think you are losing fish because of it- just set the hook faster!
roadwarrior reply :
Pour a little Budweiser on your hands and spit a little chew...
Good to go...Promise!
;D ;D 
;D ;D
RoLo reply :
QuotePour a little Budweiser on your hands and spit a little chew...Good to go...Promise!
;D ;D
;D ;D
Now that sounds like a Go,
but I just hate sharing my Budweiser ;D
Roger
Catt reply :
Knowing Bass: The Scientific Approach to Catching More Fish by Keith A. Jones
Fact: Observational bias; an observational bias occurs when researchers only look where they think they will find positive results, or where it is easy to record observations.
While Sam loves Dr. Jones I think his book is a waste of time & money, none of his research has ever been validated by his peers.
Crestliner2008 reply :
Spray a little WD-40 on your hands and you'll be good to go. Charter captains use this a lot. I would never use Deet for skeeter repellent, unless I washed my hands afterwards.
Lund Explorer reply :
Quote
QuotePour a little Budweiser on your hands and spit a little chew...Good to go...Promise!
;D ;D
Now that sounds like a Go,
but I just hate sharing my Budweiser
Roger
It's not sharing, its alcohol abuse to spill good beer! Cycle the beer once where it is supposed to go, and then recycle it on your lures. ;D
WRB reply :
QuoteSpray a little WD-40 on your hands and you'll be good to go. Charter captains use this a lot. I would never use Deet for skeeter repellent, unless I washed my hands afterwards.
http://www.wd40.com/about-us/myths-legends-fun-facts/ "What a fish story".
Bobby Uhrig reply :
I just go fishing
Hooligan reply :
QuoteKnowing Bass: The Scientific Approach to Catching More Fish by Keith A. JonesFact: Observational bias; an observational bias occurs when researchers only look where they think they will find positive results, or where it is easy to record observations.
While Sam loves Dr. Jones I think his book is a waste of time & money, none of his research has ever been validated by his peers.
Couldn't agree more. What's interesting is that there are others that have disproven a lot of what he's done.
One of the interesting things to me is that bass can barely sense oil based scents or flavors; yet we use garlic consistently. It's said that common salt is virtually worthless, but salts in other forms, such as those from crawdads, are highly effective. Robert Montogomery has written on the topic a bit, and it's really interesting.
WRB reply :
Changing the subject from how to clean your hands to fish attractants or scents are 2 different topics.
You shouldn't use any substance that leaves oily residue after rinsing in lake water to clean your hands.
The reason is you may end up casting your rod and reel over board or loose control of your boats steering.
There are lots of companies making good fish attractants; Berkley/Pure Fishing, Yum and a host others offers good choices; none are used to clean your hands.
There are stainless steel bars offered for a hand cleaner and some use deluted tincture of green soap or Simple Green.
I prefer rinsing my hands in lake water or use a small dab of tooth paste and rinse in lake water if needed to remove oil, grease or fuel odors.
Tom
Locked reply :
Has anyone ever thought of rubbing their hands in Coffee grounds? I can see it masking scents on your hands, and I guess bass like coffee scent.... coffee tubes. ;D
Nice_Bass reply :
QuoteQuoteChanging the subject from how to clean your hands to fish attractants or scents are 2 different topics.You shouldn't use any substance that leaves oily residue after rinsing in lake water to clean your hands.
The reason is you may end up casting your rod and reel over board or loose control of your boats steering.
There are lots of companies making good fish attractants; Berkley/Pure Fishing, Yum and a host others offers good choices; none are used to clean your hands.
There are stainless steel bars offered for a hand cleaner and some use deluted tincture of green soap or Simple Green.
I prefer rinsing my hands in lake water or use a small dab of tooth paste and rinse in lake water if needed to remove oil, grease or fuel odors.
Tom
The only thing that really bothers me about this forum is people go off on these random tangents, and get totally off topic >
. I asked about how to clean your hands, and it ends up being about some doctor and his book... By the way, thanks for your input TomWow dude...just wow.
sounds like you would complain if you were out of toliet paper and the guy handed you only single ply roll.
Get real.
J Francho reply :
QuoteThe only thing that really bothers me about this forum is people go off on these random tangents, and get totally off topic >
So much for offering thorough advice. :
Luke at Gouldsboro reply :
QuoteQuoteThe only thing that really bothers me about this forum is people go off on these random tangents, and get totally off topic >So much for offering thorough advice. :
I was the one who started this topic, and ASKED for advise. So... I was not offering any advise.
ww2farmer reply :
I have gone straight from work, where my hands have been covered in oil, grease, diesel fuel, cow manure, and who knows what else, with nothign more than a wash with soap orange hand cleaner and hot water and caught fish just fine. I do rub megastrike on my unscented soft baits, but I don't add scent to anything already scented, or to hard baits.
grimlin reply :
QuoteQuoteQuoteThe only thing that really bothers me about this forum is people go off on these random tangents, and get totally off topic >So much for offering thorough advice. :
I was the one who started this topic, and ASKED for advise. So... I was not offering any advise.
Some people think it really doesn't matter and effect bass fishing that much when you got crap on your hands.I'm kinda one of them. I've ran my hands in just plain water for a few seconds and then jet out the door to fish the pond at my work. I usually have hydraulic fluid,Oil,grease smell on my hands. I still catch fish. You might think people aren't offering advice,but they are....DON'T LOOK TOO MUCH INTO IT.
I don't use anything special for my hands,just regular soap or body soap the night before I get out to go fishing.
WRB reply :
When you spend the amount of time I have on the water your skin takes a lot of abuse from the sun.
I don't leave my home to go outdoors without sunblock and refresh sunblock when fishing every few hours and it gets on my hands.
Sun lotions or sun blocks have chemicals that may turn off bass when transfered onto lures. Washing my hands after applying sunblock, or get gasoline or oil on my hands, I wash it off.
Does any of this the affect the bass? I know it affects me to have oily or gas smelling hands.
Georgia Jeff reply :
I get a handful of mud from the edge of the pond/river and rub it into my hands then wash it off in the water. Seems to work fine and its FREE!
grimlin reply :
QuoteI get a handful of mud from the edge of the pond/river and rub it into my hands then wash it off in the water. Seems to work fine and its FREE!
;D I've done that before too!
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