I was wondering if you guys religiously put scents on your swimbaits. Do you think the scents make a difference in strikes with a swimbait since it is more of a visual attack (from the big size and swimming action) on the bait than anything else?

I think the scent it's self can represent a partial advantage to or disadventage. However, I believe that there is a bigger advantage to scents for swimbaits then the scent it's self and definitely may make a bait (swimbait) more appealing. The first thing that comes to my mind is the fact that almost any type of live bait all share a common characteristic, weather it be a bait fish shad, trout,shinners, crawdads, or even ive worms they all posses a thin layer of slime that coats their bodies. Scent adds this layer to an artifical bait. It makes your bait shine making your bait appear to be more natural and when it strikes your lure it also feels like a natural bait. I believe it makes them hold it longer in there mouth. It also seems to lube the bait helping to make it slide in to their mouth. With any luck it slides in and doesn't slide out. If the fish are in an active feeding pattern I don't think it matters as much. I have seen scents make the difference in saltwater when fishing saltwater with swimbaits during this time of year.

Yes, I do. I use Megastrike's original scent on both soft and hard swimbaits.

Dan

wouldnt it be a great idea if they imitated the scent of a stocked trout? I like the mega strike as well and hot sauce for my ocean trips(even though i've caught trout using it in oregon).does anyone remember Dr. juice? that was an interesting way to make a scent using fish phereomones,probably what the idea for the crave trout dough came from.its hard to find but it worked for me back in the days..
tight lines,
brian
Catch Alot,Photograph a few,Release them all...}(

Actually they do make a trout based scent made from ground-up hatchery trout. Pro-Cure makes a rainbow trout scent that I've used for years with good success. I like thier shad scent to. Pro-Cure scents make many species specific scents. I always use scent on plastics not only for the scent, but as a masking agent as well, which might be of more importance.

do you know were i may go about purchasing a jar or two of the trout scent? i live near tackle werehouse if they carry it.
thanks in advance,
Brian
Catch Alot,Photograph a few,Release them all...

http://www.jsk-tech.net/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=Pro-Cure&Product_Code=BUTTER-TRT&Category_Code=BASS&Product_Count=4

I don't believe tackle warehouse carries it. All the Turner's Outdoorsman's carry it. Otherwise, get it from the web site.

I have had 6 instances where I haves seen a fish follow or come up to an un-scented lure and not eat it, then eat the same lure with scent. I think this has happened many more times, but these 6 times I kept an eye on that fish the whole time. 2 of those 6 times were with Trout-Plugs and 1 of those was a 7+# Bass. I usually used to think "I'm not going to bother with scent, it won't make a difference on this lure." Now I slather scent on everything, even Rat-L-Traps get scent now. I know it may be overkill, but it has made a difference.
On the opposite note, if you notice you aren't getting bites with a scent that you, would expect to get, don't be afraid to switch. Some scents get rancid after a couple hot summer days sitting in the car or go bad on the shelf at the tackle stores. I had a jar of Rainbow Trout Bait butter that after 6 months use and many good fish, finally went bad and not even a bullhead catfish in an aquarium would touch it. Others just aren't very good for 1 species or another. I have 2 bottles of BaitMate scents that have never caught a Bass between them, but I've used them for Crappie with fair success and in Saltwater with good success.
I wonder if the tube of Mega-Strike original scent that I got wasn't already bad. I haven't caught fish on it yet and I've given it a fair shake.
Tight lines,
Wade

that megastrike sticks to anything and actually its hard to get off,you can fish forever on 1 dab of it on your bait..
brian
Catch Alot,Photograph a few,Release them all...