Do Oils/chemicals From Your Hands Affect Baits While Pitching? 2024

Silas reply :

I'm just starting to learn to pitch. And, most of the guys I've seen pitching, hold the bait in their hand each time they pitch.

I have heard that some people have a chemical on their bodies (is it Lysine?) that REPELS fish. And that is one of the reasons we use scents on baits....to cover or eliminate the chemical scent.

In a fishing situation, we may have other scents on our hands also: oil, gas, grease, mosquito repellent, sunscreen. And if so, each time we touch the bait, we impart some of that scent, which may be repelling rather than attracting fish.

What do you guys find actually happens when you are pitching, and do you think it really matters at all? Or somewhat?

Sam reply :

I hold the line right in front of the bait or I hold the jig head.

To answer your question: Yes.

Anything on your hands that you accidently put on the plastic will have a negative affect as the fish can taste it and spit it out immediately.

You need to either be very careful and keep your hands and fingers clean or use a masking product like MegaStrike or JJs Magic to hide the offensive taste.

I am very sensitive to anything on the baits, plastics, cranks, rats, spinnerbaits, topwaters, etc. other than the masking products.

jkarol24 reply :

IMO, pitching is a reaction-type presentation. The bass don't have time to sit there and smell the bait deciding if they are gonna eat. A human scent might cause them to spit the bait a millisecond faster, but if i'm pitching i know exactly when i get a bite and it doesn't take long from bite to hook set.

Sam reply :

Sorry j, although I can understand your position you never want anything on your plastics other than their built in scent or a masking product.

When flipping and pitching the bait may be hit on the fall, but it is also available to the bass as it sits on the bottom, especially when throwing trick worms.

In his book, Knowing Bass, Dr. Jones performed experiements in the Berkley lab regarding the length of time a bass will hold onto a bait before spitting it out. Very interesting information. In addition, he also conducted tests on the affects gas, oil, etc. have on the bass striking and holding onto the bait.

You can find his book on Amazon.com. I suggest you get a copy and read the research. It is a very interesting read.

iabass8 reply :

While I haven't done any scientific research on the matter, I do the same thing Sam does. I always hold the bait above the head or on the head. I'm not sure if it matters much but I've read a lot of people saying that chemicals on your hand can deter a bass from biting so I just always try to avoid over handling a plastic and it seems to work.

redboat reply :

_{I have read articles that claim that only materials which will dissolve in water waill have an effect on a bass's orafactory sense. For example, spray WD-40 on a spinner or buzzbait and it will have no effect; get a little Deet on it and you will never catch anything. I can personally confirm each of these.}

_{So, be careful with the bug spray but you probably don't need to worry about suntan lotion.}

_{I've used Spike-It in the past on plastics with good results. I also really like the coffee scent that was added to the Rage Tail baits. I have no idea if the fish like the coffee scent, but I sure do. Luckily I have not bitten one of these while it was rigged but I suspect its only a matter of time...}

Goose21 reply :

On 10/5/2012 at 3:02 AM, jkarol24 said:

IMO, pitching is a reaction-type presentation. The bass don't have time to sit there and smell the bait deciding if they are gonna eat. A human scent might cause them to spit the bait a millisecond faster, but if i'm pitching i know exactly when i get a bite and it doesn't take long from bite to hook set.

this, without question.

merc1997 reply :

i would be worrying more about putting my bait in front of a fish a whole lot more than what my hands smelled like. i have never put too much worry about scent.

mikeeasttn reply :

I am left handed so I pitch with my left hand. Put surgical glove on right hand and put some type of attractant on glove. I kmow this sounds excessive but after I started doing it seemed like I caught and catch more that way but could be all in my head.

WRB reply :

I wash my hands with soap and water after hooking up the gas line and priming the line, before starting fishing. I wash my hands after putting on sunscreens and any slippery fish attractants. My concern is more about loosing my grip on the my rod or reel handles. I do use a gel type attractant on soft plastics and keep my pork trailers in heavy salt water within a few drops of anise oil and garlic. I do this because I believe it may make a difference from time to time, but not to mask my own scent. I haven't red anywhere that human skin oils are repulsive order to bass and haven't experienced bass not striking because a lure was handle with clean hands. It!s hard to imagine that gasoline would not be a negative odor. I handle my lures a lot cleaning off weeds, checking the line nd knot, etc between casts and don't worry about my skin contacting the lure.

Tom

Sam reply :

On page 57 of Dr. Keith Jones' book, Knowing Bass, The Scientific Approach to Catching More Fish, Dr. Jones lists the bass responses to common flavors:

Worm Extract - 100%

Sugar - 3%

Garlic - 2%

Anise - 1%

Salt - 3%

Prey Salt Mix - 3%

So why do we use scents with garlic and anise, etc.? For confidence. And to hide any offensive scents and tastes that we may have accidently gotten on the baits.

On page 64 Dr. Jones' writes based on his studies:

"Once the object is spotted, however, and the bass homes in for the strike the speed of its attack dictates how it will further evaluate the target. In some cases the bass simply rushes in for the kill. Just seeing the prey in some cases is enough to make it strike with no other sensory input required. On the other hand, if the bass proceeds slowly it has additional time to study the target and evaluate input from its other senses, including chemoreception.

If the object has an offensive oder - or even if it simply smells funny - the bass will frequently call off the strike often veering away at the last split second."

If you guys are really serious about bass fishing and learning about your adversary you need to get Dr. Jones' book and read it. Just going fishing and asking a milliion questions without any knowledge base will not help you be a better bass fisherman.

Just a suggestion.

Redboat, Dr. Jones goes into detail about chemical molecules and the bass' reception of them but this is not the place to debate that issue.

J Francho reply :

It hasn't stopped me from getting bit.

Sam reply :

J, that's because the fish know who you are and they would never, ever think of not taking your bait no matter how it tastes or smells!!!!

J Francho reply :

LOL, I have tough days too.

WRB reply :

Has Dr, Jones ever spent time on the water catching adult size bass? I put more validity into catching bass verses studies under the controlled conditions of bass in captivity. Most scientific studies are not done in the wild, those that are hold a higher level of credibility to me.

If the nightcrawler scent is 100% effective as an attractant, why use anything other than a live nightcrawler or attractant made from night crawlers? I have never witnessed a bass eat a dead nightcrawler!

Tom

J Francho reply :

I agree, a "study" on bass behavior in nature is much different than an "experiment" in a lab, but how else would we know about things like a bass's chemo-receptors and what they react to with a controlled lab experiment? Both can provide useful information.

WRB reply :

On 10/6/2012 at 1:48 AM, J Francho said:

I agree, a "study" on bass behavior in nature is much different than an "experiment" in a lab, but how else would we know about things like a bass's chemo-receptors and what they react to with a controlled lab experiment? Both can provide useful information.

I have been studing bass behavior sense a child watching them along the shoreline in the lake where I spent my early childhood. The water was clear and easy to watch bass, being curious and interested in catching bass you can learn a lot. Reading books and reports on bass behavior sometimes conflicted with my experiences and at times supported what I had observe or experienced. Scientific studies are subject to change, what we have personally observed tends to remain unchanged. Nothing will change the physical biology of a bass, however we are learning about how bass see color spectrums in very low light and how they react to orders that stimulate activity or alarms the bass and stops feeding activity. The bottom line is how we utilize the information to improve our ability to catch bass consistantly.

The tet with scent; would you stop fishing if you didn't have an attractant to put on your lure?

Tom

J Francho reply :

Good question. No, I wouldn't stop fishing, but I know bass hang on to baits longer if you use something. Some seem better than others. I distinctly remember how ridiculously long bass held on to the "new" Berkley Powerworms, as compared to our usual Culpret worms, back in the early 90s.

WRB reply :

On 10/6/2012 at 3:00 AM, J Francho said:

Good question. No, I wouldn't stop fishing, but I know bass hang on to baits longer if you use something. Some seem better than others. I distinctly remember how ridiculously long bass held on to the "new" Berkley Powerworms, as compared to our usual Culpret worms, back in the early 90s.

Agree! Berkley raised the bar with their Power Biats and Power Worms.

Tom

Sam reply :

There is a Nightcrawler attractant on the market.

All scientific research has to be done in controlled situations.

Bass fishing is a science and there are many variables that could make the research not valid so all research for everything in the world is first done in a controlled atmosphere and then moved into the public arena. To go out on the water and try to catch adult size bass have too many variables so the research would not be considered valid.

Everyone needs to be educated and informed about all aspects of bass fishing. Of course there is nothing to take the place of time on the water under various conditions and time of year but all we can do is read the research and come to our own conclusions.

I may make the Nightcrawler paste for my next tournament. If I do I will let you know how it works. Not how it tastes,but how it works.

Good post WRB. I wonder what the Berkley pros have to say about Dr. Jones' conclusions and their professional bass fishing? That would be an interesting article.

WRB reply :

Most bass attractantt scent are fish oil base with added flavors like crawdad, shad and garlic. The gel types use petroleum jelly like vsolkne to carry the scents. Berkley took a scientific approach and determined what elements like amino acids that bass and other fish like trout reacted positive to. So we have home made concoctions verses science; Berkley is the winner when it comes to fish attractants, science wins this round.

If your soft plastic has a built in proven attrantabt scent, no reason to add more. If the soft plastic doesn't have any scent added, then consider adding some, especially if it adds confidence.

Tom

merc1997 reply :

a long time ago dr. juice used to put a test square in magazines that you could put your finger print on and send it in and they would measure some kind of count the fish smell in your system. according to them the best fisherman such as bill dance and roland martin had very little of this substance in their system, and that led to being part of why they were so successful in catching fish. my fishing buddy thought we should send in a sample to see how we rated. his thoughts were that i must be very low like roland and bill, and that is why i catch so many more fish than everyone else. so, we each sent in our finger print on the treated test square. when we got back the results, i was the one that high levels of the substance that was a negative to bass, and my buddy should have been another roland martin. my buddy's conclusion was that our test blew their theory all to thunder(he had a more colorful explanation). i would suppose that if you were begging a bass to bite, perhaps scent might be a help. on the other hand, there is nothing like the scent of the real thing. so, why not just fish with live bait. i have always based my fishing efforts on first, fishing where there are fish. second, fish the right depth. and third, fish the right speed to get a reflex strike out of the fish. i know that others use different methods and that is why fishing is such a great sport. there is always more than one way to skin a cat, so to speak. i guess that my style of fishing does not lean itself to scent being a factor.

Bassn Blvd reply :

Someone please add their .02 to my observations with live bait. My obvservation applies to freshwater only and Bass and very well could be a worthless observation. Or perhaps I don't understand what I was observing .

I have observed bass swim amongst other smaller bass, bream and various other fish without attacking/eating them.

I have used bass for bait (alive) and watched as the larger bass completely ignore all other fish and target my live bait. Why is that?

I wonder if a hooked bass emit some sort of distress odor or signal that makes them a tasty treat. My first thought was perhaps the bait appeared vulnerable/weak because it had a hook through it's nose or tail?

I've taken bass that weigh a 3/4 pound and barely hooked them with a small bait hook ( and I mean BARLEY) so that there shouldn't have been any restrictions that would prevent them from acting "normal." I then gently return the hooked bass to the water and watch as it swims off in a fashion that appears as normal as the other surrounding fish. For some reason the predator bass will single out the hooked bass over all other unhooked bass and eat it. I have even tossed a hooked bass AND an unhooked bass into the water at the same time and the hooked bass always gets chased down while the unhooked bass is ignored.

I'm wanting to believe the hooked bass put out some sort of odor or signal that causes or provokes the larger bass into eating them.

Thoughts?

WRB reply :

Your observation has little to do with the topic.

In nature only the strong or wary servive. Predators live among prey all the time and become active predators hunting prey for short periods of time. The prey that servive being hunted are the first to recognize the cha predators change in activity. Pride of lions are a good comparison, laying around sleeping and relaxing while herds of prey animals graze nearby. A few of the grazing animals are keeping an eye on the lions, look outs warn the herd. If one of the lions notices a volnurable prey nearby, the lions are quick to change their activity level and start to hunt the weak.

When you hook a live bait, the hook injures the bait fish, your line creates a trendous amount of drag for the fish to pull through the water, predator bass recognize the struggle to swim as a weakness.

Tom

Sam reply :

On 10/6/2012 at 6:15 AM, WRB said:

Most bass attractantt scent are fish oil base with added flavors like crawdad, shad and garlic. The gel types use petroleum jelly like vsolkne to carry the scents. Berkley took a scientific approach and determined what elements like amino acids that bass and other fish like trout reacted positive to. So we have home made concoctions verses science; Berkley is the winner when it comes to fish attractants, science wins this round.

If your soft plastic has a built in proven attrantabt scent, no reason to add more. If the soft plastic doesn't have any scent added, then consider adding some, especially if it adds confidence.

Tom

Sam reply :

Bassin Blvd, at one of the original Bassmaster University seminars in Richmond Ken Cook made an excellent one hour presentation on the bass, itself.

After graduating Oklahoma State University with a B.S. in Zoology Cook worked for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation as a Fisheries Biologist. So not only did we have a successful bass fishing pro on stage but a fisheries biologist.

Here is what Cook said about bass' feeding habits.

Preditor - search and destroy - Bass hide and ambush their prey.

Oppotomistic - Bass eat anything that presents itself as an easy opportunity.

Hank Parker added that a bass will strike a bait out of impulse.

I also remember one of participants at a Bassmasters University tell us that a bass will swim with other baitfish and then, all of a sudden, turn on them and attack. There is a "word" for this behavior but I can't find it in my notes.

So how does this relate to scent? When the bass hit your lure they taste and feel it. If there is anything they believe is "wrong" with your bait they will spit it out. All this takes place in a second or two.

Sometmes you can't set the hook fast enough. Other times you set the hook but it is not a good hookset and the bass comes unbuttoned.

I put scent on crankbaits and spinnerbaits, too.

You want the bass to hold onto your bait as long as possible. With a Senko you want them to inhale the plastic and and swim away with it. Sometimes you only notice your line moving to know they have the bait and are walking with it.

Same for frogs. You have to let the bass take the frog, make a run, and then set the hook so the longer the bass can hold onto the frog the greater the probability you will hook them.

Just thought I would add my two cents about your post. Glad you are giving this topic your thoughts and consideation. Just remember, if you are ever fishing a tournament that I am also fishing please do not use scent.

Regarding your query if the bass emit a "scent" to let others know they are in peril: Jim Kerr, an old Virginia bass pro and guide who passed away two years ago told me that he was told at a class he took on guiding many years ago that a bass does emit a "scent" to alarm the other fish.

True or false I have no idea nor have I found any articles about this theory.

I do know that I can pull two or three bass off one target one after the other so you can take that theory and decide if it is true or not.

Will Wetline reply :

I have always been surprised that being a cigarette smoker has not made a difference when handling soft plastic baits. I have fished quite a bit with non smokers and have not detected a difference in hook ups. I don't apply a masking scent to the bait.

Don't for a second think that I'm advocating smoking, by the way!

rockchalk06 reply :

On 10/6/2012 at 8:12 PM, Will Wetline said:

I have always been surprised that being a cigarette smoker has not made a difference when handling soft plastic baits. I have fished quite a bit with non smokers and have not detected a difference in hook ups. I don't apply a masking scent to the bait.

Don't for a second think that I'm advocating smoking, by the way!

Back before I quit smoking, I would smoke while fishing, while deer and turkey hunting and honestly never noticed a difference.

Silas reply :

Wow! Thanks so much for all the replies and info, guys!

So far, I've decided that there is a "mixed" set of opinions, and all are to be considered.

For the time being, I'll be washing my hands to make sure they are free of sunscreen, DEET, oil, gas, etc.

Back 60 years ago.....I know, I'm an old dude, my uncle, 60 years old then, a "Master Fisherman" in HIS day, used to bring cans of SARDINES and boxes of crackers with us. His take was that we needed to smell like a fish, so we wouldn't scare it off. Of course, sardines were quick and easy to bring and we ate them with relish.

Didn't wash our hands much in those days, so everything we touched in the boat got sardine flaver to it.

Maybe the old man was on to something......he was a "fish catching machine!"

Bassn Blvd reply :

Sam,

The reason I was thinking Bass put off a scent or distress signal is because I've caught small bass and have had BIG bass follow them in trying to eat'em. Strange, but I've seen bass trying to eat other bass darn near their same size.

I've lowered hooked bass as live bait into the water (hooked in the body, not mouth). The hooked bass located and joined a nearby group of bass. The hooked bass hovered motionlessly just like the other non-hooked bass. The hooked bass just sorta "hung out" with the others as if he wasn't hooked. The hooked bass displayed no signs of distress or weakness, to what I as a human could tell. The BIG bass would come cruising in and automatically target the hooked bass, as if she knew the hooked bass would be an easy target, even though it did not display any signs of weakness. I began thinking that the BIG bass was alerted to the hooked bass by some sort of scent the hooked bass was giving off.

Perhaps the scent is only given off when the bass is in distress? Kind of like humans will sweat when nervous.

Bassn Blvd reply :

On 10/6/2012 at 12:48 PM, WRB said:

Your observation has little to do with the topic.

In nature only the strong or wary servive. Predators live among prey all the time and become active predators hunting prey for short periods of time. The prey that servive being hunted are the first to recognize the cha predators change in activity. Pride of lions are a good comparison, laying around sleeping and relaxing while herds of prey animals graze nearby. A few of the grazing animals are keeping an eye on the lions, look outs warn the herd. If one of the lions notices a volnurable prey nearby, the lions are quick to change their activity level and start to hunt the weak.

When you hook a live bait, the hook injures the bait fish, your line creates a trendous amount of drag for the fish to pull through the water, predator bass recognize the struggle to swim as a weakness.

Tom

It has alot to do with the topic if bass give off scent when in distress and If that scent could be duplicated into a product.

I didn't imagine barely skin hooking a 3/4-1 pound bass with a thin wired, 2/0 or smaller hook and #10 mono would have a significant impact on their bevavior.

Sam reply :

_{Bassin, you may be right.}

_{I have had big bass attack smaller bass as I was reeling them in.}

_{You may have witnessed something that biologists have not studied.}

J Francho reply :

I've even seen big bass get attacked by even bigger bass after being hooked. I always thought it might be territorial behavior related.

WRB reply :

Big bass will eat smaller bass, a lot of times school bass will try to take the lure away from a hooked bass, this happens more with smallmouth.

California and other states it's illegal to use a bass as bait, or any other game fish or parts of game fish.

I have watched giant bass follow up another big bass I was fighting amd thought the other big bass was curious about the behavior of the hooked bass because the free swimming bass always stayed a few fet away from the hooked bass.

There iss a lot we don't know about bass,; why releasing a bass during a hot bit can shut it off almost immediately at times and have no affect at other times. If this was caused by releasing a chemical, it should be consistantl, not random.

Tom

PS; 10 lb mono has a lot drag in the water, the hook may be small to us, it's added weight to the bass swimming with it.

11719

Do Oils/chemicals From Your Hands Affect Baits While Pitching? 2024

related General Bass Fishing Forum topic

previous topic

next topic

most viewed General Bass Fishing Forum topic