# Homemade Scent Sprays/Dips



## Danw

Hey guys, any of you fisho's had much success with any homemade soft plastic scents? or are the shopbought tubs of scent better?

If so, which are you favorite scents for fish such as Brim, Flatties, Tailor, Trevally, Squire etc etc?

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Dan.


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## simonsrat

I use scents ...... when all else has failed.

On hardbodies I like the Halco product and the stuff by Dizzy Borg. Both of these are like paste and stick really well to hard bodies. There is also some Stimulate that is a paste.

I also have Gulp spray. This needs applying a lot more often ... probably more suited to gulp plastics.

You can make your own with cod liver oil, powdered garlic and salt.

Cheers,

S


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## FazerPete

I don't know what to believe with all these attractants. The TV shows like iFish push the Stimulate a LOT but there seems to be a lot of people who think they're rubbish.

Maybe we need grinner to do one of his scientific experiments. Two identical lures, one with and one without and see what happens. I'd do it but with the weather in Melbourne I'll be lucky to get out before December.


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## Greybeard

Just something Ive noticed and pointed out to a few people have a good sniff of the X factor for squidgees and it smells like dripping (cooking fat ) that has had fish cooked in it also texture is the same as dripping .
Chears Greybeard


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## kritter67

ROBT said:


> Greybeard said:
> 
> 
> 
> it smells like dripping (cooking fat ) that has had fish cooked in it also texture is the same as dripping
> 
> 
> 
> pig fat is a common ingredient in scents - i've thought of experimenting with scents lately and did think dripping would be a good base to start with ;-)
Click to expand...

Great idea, try garlic oil [ you can buy this from auroma oils- no affiliation] in it , also fish oil , and for trout [ rainbow's & brown's] i was told to use strawberry esscence , so that could be the go if thats what you're targeting.
I just made some up useing bacon dripping and fish oil , i will use it the next time i am out [ one with one without both the same lure] and see if there is a difference. Fish2u, Kieran.


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## anselmo

You can also make it by melting vaseline in the microwave then adding whatever scent you want and allowing it to cool
one tip: leave it a week before using as freshly made stuff smells rubbery - after a week the rubbery smell goes entirely

Nick


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## Danw

Wow is that true Anselmo? Have you tried that method before and to what success...

I can imagine it putting fish off with all the petrolium and stuff in Vaseline :?

Dan.


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## kritter67

Danw said:


> Wow is that true Anselmo? Have you tried that method before and to what success...
> 
> I can imagine it putting fish off with all the petrolium and stuff in Vaseline :?
> 
> Dan.


 I use wd40 on my reels just spray them all over the spool and everywhere to no ill affect.

Fish can like some pretty strange things , an old time local pro shark/snapper fisho said they used to soak their baits in kero if the sea lice where bad ,and it didnt affect their catch rate at all [ both shark/snapper].

I forgot my bacon / fishoil stuff when i went out but hope to get out again this friday. I reckon you could use butter/marg aswell , just blend it with whatever scent. Even add sparkles as an added attractrant.


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## Dodge

kritter67 said:


> said they used to soak their baits in kero


50 years ago a bloke dipped his baits in kero when bream fishing the Parramatta River at the old Gladesville bridge, and often out fished all the nearby blokes who were using the same bait without kero.

It was essential to remove the kero bait from a captured fish, as it would taint the flesh if left to lay in the fish for any length of time.


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## phil79

ive tried a couple of scents,
the gilles paste for saltwater stayed on the plastic best,and i caught a kingy while using it,,same spot no paste no fish.

the dizzy garlic paste,,big bream,same spot no paste,,big bream,

i dont have a big enough range of situations to conclusivly say that it was the scents are good or bad,,but if they dont repel the fish and it builds confidence then why not...
But the stimulate spray deffinatly brought on the flatheads,i saw them chase the plastic even near the surface,,??


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## anselmo

Dan

Women smear vaseline on their lips to keep them plump and rub it into babies butts!
Trust me - if there was a significant smell you wouldn't see the stuff for sale in the shops

Grab a bottle from your wife/significant other and sniff it :lol:

Anise is good because its strong
but my latest batch was 200ml of vaseline 18 drops of anise and 4 drops of crab essence
mmm yummy

Nick


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## Danw

So Ansel, i just melt it down in a saucepan or something, pour into a jar or something similar (wont the vaseline set into a hard state :? ). Then add flavours when its cooled down ?

Thanks. Will deffinately give it a try!

Dan.


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## Dodge

anselmo said:


> melting vaseline in the microwave then adding whatever scent you want and allowing it to cool





Danw said:


> (wont the vaseline set into a hard state :? ). Then add flavours when its cooled down ?


Dan. Nicks instructions read to add the scents while it is still melted and before it sets again I reckon


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## LoboLoco

From my experience, and I have done some testing on this, it is worth noting that all tests have been completed in victoria (mainly ppb and wp and all land based, land based because I don't know anyone else who has a yak to do the tests with!). Some of the scents actually repel or have on effect on the fish. This, I found to be a common trait for most foreign brands. The gulp sprays seem to have a small effect but only when the fish were not very interested. By far the most success that I have had is with the s-factor. When the fish are a little timid or not biting at all, the lure with the s-factor definitely sees a lot more action. The species I have intentionally experimented with are snapper, squid, flathead and silver trevally. The last two times that I have been targeting the silver trevally with a mate to test this theory I have come up trumps (me with the x-factor, and my friend without) catching a total of 6 between 34 and 53cm, while he caught one at 29cm. We were both using the same line/leader class (6lb main + 10lb leader), with very similar rods and reels and the same lures.









I have had some positive results with the snapper or rather pinkies but plan to reslly test this this fast approaching season. The squid however have bee very positive towards the extra juice. For example I went to Mornington pier thursday night, was told by 4 different people that they were not on the chew and the 3 or 4 hours that they had been there had resulted in nothing. My girl and I ended up with 6 in 2 hours using a small amount of s-factor, and the gulp spray (both seem to work well with the squid). I managed 4 using the x-factor (one was about 1-1.3kg) and my girl 2 using the gulp stimulate spray (she prefers the spray so she doesn't have to get her hands dirty  ). No one else caught anything while we were there and from those that I asked, none were using any extra scent. These are the two most recent attempts that I have conducted in testing this extra scent theory. You can argue that it was not the scent but rather the type of lure or squid jig mixed in with angling skill or retrieval action and a bit of luck. I am however convinced that in some cases, especially when the fish are quiet, that it makes a world of difference.









Sorry I didn't really stick to the true topic, I have made a few of my own scents by using flour, water, butter, aniseed and a tiny bit of tuna oil, don't really think it worked well on the salt water species, but while using bread to try catch trout, If I had some of this scent on the line and covering the bread it did increase the catch rate.

Cheers
Lobo Loco


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## anselmo

Dodge said:


> anselmo said:
> 
> 
> 
> melting vaseline in the microwave then adding whatever scent you want and allowing it to cool
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Danw said:
> 
> 
> 
> (wont the vaseline set into a hard state :? ). Then add flavours when its cooled down ?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Dan. Nicks instructions read to add the scents while it is still melted and before it sets again I reckon
Click to expand...

exactly.
when heated in the micro it goes liquid - add the scent
allow to cool, it returns to the same gooey consistency

I doubt you could melt and remelt ad infinitum - but once will not make any difference

Nick


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## Kalgrm

I've just done something like this with peanut butter as the base. It's got tuna oil, aniseed oil and crushed garlic in it. I haven't fished with it yet, but I reckon it'll do the job.

Cheers,
Graeme


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## Dodge

Kalgrm said:


> I've just done something like this with peanut butter as the base. It's got tuna oil, aniseed oil and crushed garlic in it. I haven't fished with it yet, but I reckon it'll do the job.


Graeme probably well worth a try and good luck mate.

In the pre scent days of fishing, we often rubbed our hands with Vegemite or cheese spread, to remove fuel smells from our hands and anything that is a food and buttery in texture with strong odour should be worth a trial.


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## LoboLoco

Just keep in mind that something that smells on land may not smell in the water. Something has to dissolve in the water for the fish to be able to smell/taste it.

Cheers


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## kritter67

LoboLoco said:


> From my experience, and I have done some testing on this, it is worth noting that all tests have been completed in victoria (mainly ppb and wp and all land based, land based because I don't know anyone else who has a yak to do the tests with!).
> 
> Come down to Philly island , and i will test some theories with you , squid and snapper season soon [see Mingle and kritter67 Cleeland Bight report] . We had a ball on the pike Friday, they dont need any xtra stimulants [maybe a repellant] :lol:


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## Danw

Glad to see this Topic is flourishing 

Gonna have to test out some of these ideas soon 

Dan.


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## LoboLoco

Lol yeah those pike certainly don't need any encouragement! I have caught them on squid jigs from that area. If I may offer some advice for the area, try a fish/t-tail style plastic with a large (~5-9gm) jig head to get it lower in the water column out of the pikes faces, I think that you may find a lot more pelagic species feeding mid to low in the water column, especially the big trevally, red mullet(who is a bottom feeder and good eating) and soon... the snapper! In my experience the pike are there and they are usually feeding, but they are aggressive and pushy towards other species of fish, especially when in such large numbers! And so the other fish, especially the couta, will hang out deeper and feed on scraps and anything a bit deeper. 
The main contender to the pike would have to be the salmon, I have been throwing surface lures around there and have had both pike and salmon chasing the lure! Good fun to watch. 
I will certainly join you guys out there for some more testing and some fun...... when i get my license that is :S

Cheers


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## mtfisho

I believe that the S-Factor works awesome. One day at Martha Cove nothing was happening at all and then I chucked on some and within 5 minutes I was onto a 54cm Salmon(PB) Also Matty reckons Flattys in Port phillip love it and it proved when he got 4 yesterday!

Mitch


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## kritter67

LoboLoco said:


> Lol yeah those pike certainly don't need any encouragement! I have caught them on squid jigs from that area. If I may offer some advice for the area, try a fish/t-tail style plastic with a large (~5-9gm) jig head to get it lower in the water column out of the pikes faces, I think that you may find a lot more pelagic species feeding mid to low in the water column, especially the big trevally, red mullet(who is a bottom feeder and good eating) and soon... the snapper! In my experience the pike are there and they are usually feeding, but they are aggressive and pushy towards other species of fish, especially when in such large numbers! And so the other fish, especially the couta, will hang out deeper and feed on scraps and anything a bit deeper.
> The main contender to the pike would have to be the salmon, I have been throwing surface lures around there and have had both pike and salmon chasing the lure! Good fun to watch.
> I will certainly join you guys out there for some more testing and some fun...... when i get my license that is :S
> 
> Cheers


No worries mate , hope you get your licence befor the snapper season starts , C U soon , Kieran.
*PS: I just mixed up a batch of emu oil hand wash ,fish oil /fish sauce /flour and fish oil tablets, smells like crap !!!! :lol: They will definately smell my lure !!!!!!!!! :shock: :lol:


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## kaiyak

I just made a patch of cream consist of sorblene cream, tuna oil, and dashi powder.

Dashi powder is a tuna essence used in Japanese cooking, similar to chicken/beef stock powder, only bonito tuna based. Most asian grocers and some woolies sale them.


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## Danw

I think im gonna go out and buy 2 big tubs of vaseline, some garlic powder for one, and Aniseed Oil for the other... Im pretty sure ill be going to Wello Point every weekend with the yak (i absolutly love it ) so ill test each one on the same lures and mix and match... Just a good play around see what does and doesnt work!

Dan.


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## kritter67

kritter67 said:


> *PS: I just mixed up a batch of emu oil hand wash ,fish oil /fish sauce /flour and fish oil tablets, smells like crap !!!! :lol: They will definately smell my lure !!!!!!!!! :shock: :lol:


I added garlic paste to this ...phew ,i think it is fermenting .....I dont know if i am game to use this :lol: .


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## Danw

Haha Kritter, dunno when to stop eh!

Dan.


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## kritter67

Danw said:


> Haha Kritter, dunno when to stop eh!
> 
> Dan.


I could'nt help myself , now what else could i try ...maybe wasabi? :lol:


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