When it comes to scented baits there are true believers and anglers who use them for specific species in specific scenarios, but only a few nay-sayers. I fall into the “sometimes” category, because I believe they do have an effect at certain times in certain places, but there’s a downside: cost. Plastics impregnated with scents usually cost noticeably more than regular plastics, and they generally aren’t incredibly rugged. Two or three bites and you can toss another dollar bill overboard—with five anglers and a hot bite, that amounts to OUCH.
So, when does it make sense to pony up and use the expensive stuff? These are the times I open up the special drawer in the tackle station and bite the bullet:
- When fish are short-striking and missing the hook, especially smallish redfish. While using a scented bait doesn’t necessarily get you more strikes, it absolutely gets you more follow-up strikes after a miss. With 16” to 24” reds and five-inch jigs, for example, I tracked the difference on a few trips and found that un-scented plastics drew a follow-up strike around 20 percent of the time after a miss. But scented baits drew follow-up strikes close to 50 percent of the time.
- When fishing for specks under a popping cork. The use of a popping cork is effective, no doubt, but it also gives the fish a second or so to accept or reject your offering. If it’s unscented it might take a pass. But scented and flavored baits? They usually take them deeper in the mouth, if anything.
- When fishing relatively deep water for flounder, and maintaining bottom contact is tough. Again, this is a matter of follow-up strikes and how long the fish will hold an artificial bait. When feeling bottom is difficult due to a blowing wind or a roaring current, offering a bait that tastes good to the fish simply allows more leeway for angler error. If you don’t feel the fish immediately and the hook-set is delayed, the flavor helps convince the fish that it’s grabbed something tasty – and it should hang on tight.