Scent(and spin)for springers?

[garyk]

Since that recent "Spin?" topic was so much fun....

What about adding scent to herring for springer fishing?

I was heavily influenced by Gilly Gilchrist, his articles were my gospel. Our boat's got as many syringes in it as a street corner in Old Town.

But is adding scent to herring really necessary?

What are your thoughts?

[Deleted User]

Not necessary. Sometimes just the natural herring is best. Other times adding scents or even chems as you would for eggs or prawns helps the productiveness of herring. 'Nooks are moody biters. If you have multiple rods out try some plain and some with various scents. Among proven go to scent additives to inject or spray on herring are sardine oil, herring oil (yup), squid oil, smelt mulch (see Sailcat's good springer bait post - thanks MT - I used to use smelt mulch on Kwikfish with good results), and shrimp oil. These are pretty much consistent producers. Other things to try that are either really 'on' or just not would include garlic oil, vanila extract, banana oil (reliable reports & article), and any radical chems or scents that you have seen or heard work with eggs - such as Carvex Plus, sodium sulfite (unless you rock salt brine your herring), DMSO, certain alcohol based agents, nitrates, etc.



[This message has been edited by RT (edited 03-10-2001).]

[Killertraylor]

I only fish Springers with Kwikfish and catch all my fish with Sardine bait butter on the plug - I won't fish without it. One time I accidently bought Herring butter and it worked too, but not quite as good as the Sardine. I've averaged a fish a trip for almost 4 years now, so I'm sticking with it. I use anise oil on smelt for sturgeon, but I haven't tried it for springers.

[HOGTIDE]

Scent is a neat topic and I believe plays a significant role, especially when anchor fishing. I agree with RT. It's hard to beat herring by itself, since that's what Mr. black mouth is after in the first place. Kinda shy away from commercial scents,due to my concern that the chemical additives, agents and preservatives used might actually do more damage to 'the bite'than good. No science here, just a gut feeling/ concern.

Is it possible to make a fresh herring oil from fresh bait on your own? I know how to make 'woods' scents using alcohol, that discipate in the wind. But, for underwater work, the base should be a natural oil or emulsion of the bait itself. Any thoughts or strategies?

[Deleted User]

Hog', this will stink up your house a bit so get the stove fan going and crack a window (you can repair it later http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif ). Cut off several sardine filets - herring aren't quite oily enough - and put them in boiling water for awhile. Skim off the oil that rises to the top and let it cool in a dish. I suggest either using some salt in the boiling water or mix a pinch of sodium sulfite into the oil to help preserve it - even when refridgerated because sardine oil can go rancid quickly - and 'nooks like a little SS. After cooling down, put it in those little 2 oz. bait oil bottles and you're in biz. Freeze what you don't use within week or so - that won't affect the oil at all, except to keep it fresh. You can try this with sandshrimp, crushed salmon eggs, crayfish (then eat the tails), or any good bait with oil content. Since fresh sardine oil will be strong, I suggest making a 50/50 mix with Spectrum Flax oil. Gooood stuff! - RT

[HOGTIDE]

A major Thank You RT. I will print this recipe. Its just gotta help an anchored herring to leach off some turbo-charged natural scent.

[garyk]

RT -- You've obviously taken this bait-oil, chem-lab stuff to dangerous new heights, so for us non-chemists -- what's up with the choice of spectrum flax seed oil?

What about canola? Or triple virgin olive oil?

What's the magic with flax?

[Deleted User]

Gary, a lot of oils will be OK for a base - including cod liver oil and even linseed oil. I'd stay away from the stronger veggie oils. Flax seed oil is the best I have ever found. It is full of omega-3 fatty oils, like found in many fish spiecies, and is very refined with a very mild yet almost fishy taste. I have used it successfully by itself testing it on plugs for steelies & 'nooks to make sure they are OK with it. Then I took to making mulch scents in the blender with Flax oil as the base, and a little SS for a preservative - using such as sardine filets or anything mentioned above. Get it in nutrition stores or dept's. I drink 1 T. every other day which has similar benefits toward lowering bad cholesterol and cleaning plaque from your vessels as does eating scaly fish species 3 times a week. It's just one of those truely great things - for both uses! Research it on the net for it's health benefits. You'll just have to take my word or try it for baitscents. It's one of the genuine self-discovered secrets I've shared on the BB. - RT

[smilesforu]

I have a interest in the use of corn oil. With corn being a great kokanee bait I want to make the leap to the corn oil as a base. Haven't had enough drive to test it properly though. I would also like to know some homeade alcohol based bait oils. (something you could drink when fishing is slow). Honey have you been drinking...NO DEAR smell my breath... http://www.ifish.net/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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Marty M
Steelheader.net (http://www.steelheader.net/)

[garyk]

RT, Thank you for the explanation behind the choice of the flax oil -- especially the Omega-3 part. I didn't realize that component was unique to flax oil.

[Pete]

I've always been a little amused with the use of petroleum based solvents as a fish attractant. Does an oil spill attract fish? What's up with the WD-40 thing, anyway?

[Richter]

I think the spin is the most important part of getting a springer interested in your herring. But, I think scent helps catch a lot of the short biters. You know the springers that drive you crazy by pecking,and pecking, and pecking, and not really taking the bait good enough to set the hook on. I have had much better success using scent injected into the herring as opposed to non-scented herring. When a fish comes up and takes a bite of your herring, that is injected with scent, he gets a good taste of the juice and becomes more aggressive/excited. More often than not the rod will wiggle once lightly (fish biting) and then bury (fish got a big taste of love juice). I normally like using 50/50 herring/sardine with a few drops of anise, but this year straight herring oil has been the ticket. Does scent make a difference? A buddy of mine and I have only fished with each other so far this year. He doesn't believe scent matters, but I think I am beginning to make a believer out of him. Same spin on the herring, Buddy, no-scent, 1 bite, 0 fish. I have caught 5 springers, lost one with scent. Scent is working for me this year, so I'll probably stick with it until somthing changes.

[garyk]

Hello RT,

Regarding your 3/9/01 post on boiling sardines fillets to make your own sardine oil homebrew. So, we got the ingredients and the labware -- but hold it! Before we start. Have you ever tried cold-pressing the oil? Seems like there would be less degradation of the oil by not boiling it. What do you think about cold-pressing?

[Deleted User]

I think you should try both Gary, and let us know how they turn out. I have done the boiling thing buy not the cold press. I don't have one; and I figure a good one could be expensive? I know a lot of consumptive oil products are cold pressed, including Flax oil. I think that the results would likely need some tissue debrie strained out thru cheese cloth, or the like, to work non-restricted thru an injector bottle for herring (or even a spout). But not otherwise. In fact, some filet particles left in the oil might be a little better for use on lures. - RT

[garyk]

I'm still thinking about how to make a small-scale press (maybe like a larger version of a garlic press?). I do know this will be an outdoors project.

Some type of non-absorbant, small guage screen will be used for a filter.

If we manage to do this, I'll post a full description.

[GoFish]

I saw a pressing process aimed at preserving herring using a press that looked a lot like a wooden grape press. The operator stacked herring in a (what else?) herring bone pattern, covered the herring and started slowly applying pressure. Wala! Out goozed the oil.