Making Scents

[West Linn Wader]

This is being posted with all due respect for Marie. I am a Maries Scent customer and intend to continue to be a customer.

At the same time I like to play with different combinations of my own making. I've done plenty of mixing existing scents but have never created my own from scratch and was wondering if others have and what their experiences were.

Some of the things I'm curious about are:

-what to use as preservatives

-how to go about "cooking" down say prawns, sand shrimp or sardines into an extract and which parts of the creatures do you use?

-what's the best thickener?

-what are some favorite combo's for Steelies, Springers & URB's?

Appreciate any and all comments and feedback. Chances are I will attempt to cook up some of my own potions, stink up the place and put in another order w/Marie but I think it would be fun to make the attempt.

TIA!

GS/WLW

[ 01-21-2004, 02:42 PM: Message edited by: West Linn Wader ]

[greenbuttskunk]

I'm good at making scents, just ask my wife

Interesting Idea. I've always used anise and that kind of thing. Would be fun to try some out. I had a bottle of marie's shrimp scent that opend up in my expensive wading jacket and I found out the next day. Not a good scene!

[Irie1]

Look into Steelheader.net. Lots of advise that makes sense!

[West Linn Wader]

Speaking of Anise. I picked up a bottle of pure Star Anise Oil from some herbal outfit on the net. Is this the best Anise-based stuff to use?

GS/WLW

[JohnB]

I have been preparing a tuna based scent for the past several years. Basically I start with Chicken of the Sea tuna packed in oil and run it thru the blender.

While in the blender I always add more canola oil to get the right consistency. I like mine fairly thick but I have also had it work when more runny. Personal choice I guess.

Then I start adding goodies. Here I take several factors into account, ie

Whether going after salmon or steelhead, - Salmon seem to like salt, sugar, and a couple of other things and steelhead seem to like shrimp, roe, etc. Having said this I recognize that there is some significant overlap here.

The KISS principal, ie keep it simple stupid, I generally add only one or two additional ingredients. I have found the "little-of-this-and-little-of-that" approach generally doesnt work as well as a more simple, straight forward approach.

and most importantly, remembering that the fish can smell parts-per-million so you dont need much -- in fact I try to make sure that the tuna "base" is always the most prominent smell. Generally, I add only a few drops of "extras" and most of the time you can barely tell that they are there.

I have had luck using sugar, salt, blended roe both raw and cured, I often add a raw shrimp or albacore that the blender liquefies, anise, some commercial scents, (Mikes, Procure, etc), sulfites, vanilla, citrus extract, and more.....

I think the types of additives seem to be dependent on factors like: the timing of the run, early or late, the specific river, the clarity and temperature of the water and WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE!!! Sometimes no matter what you do fish have lockjaw some days and other days attack like sharks. I guess that's why we call it fishing

I usually fish my scents in combo with roe or shrimp and have been known to liberally apply it to spinners and jigs on occasion. Just like the thrill of having a trout take a fly you made, I find making scents to be just as rewarding when I feel that head-shake at the end of my line!

[flatbottomboy]

Very informative and very simple about the tuna john b. I like your attitude and you are probably a very good angler! I also dabble in scents and can relate to the flyfisherman and the fly! Good luck!!!

[blacktail519]

I tell ya what. I think it is much easier just to buy it. If you have had success with what your using, stick with it. The scents that are on the market have been tested beyond belief. I dont know about you, by with limited fishing time, i need that time to be productive. I dont have time to test homemade scents, and risk unproductive fishing. Just my $.02. Good luck though!

[NETONE]

I am not sold at all on this stuff.....using it or not has not effected my catching ratio.

Again, just anothing item in the marketing world to take your money....like all the plugs with this & that color....

You think the fish give a rip....take a sand shimp and crush it with a rock and rub your gear in the yuk....

Oh.............. [img]graemlins/berry.gif[/img]

[ 01-21-2004, 07:18 PM: Message edited by: NETONE ]

[Captain and Marie]

Scents make sense to me!

Marie
www.tillamookbait.com

[Paddlefish]

I was just relieved to find out that this thread wasn't about my teenage son! :shocked:

[salmoncatcher]

johnb. how do you store your scents? tuna doesn't last too long in the fridge. it gets raunchy after 4 days.

[zipper]

Marie - Scents make cents for you too! :grin: zip

[JohnB]

salmoncatcher - I usually only make up a small amount of scent so dont store much. However because I often create several variations, I invariably come home with some unused. They go straight into the freezer and are used a second time with no problems when thawed.

I use two ounce plastic bottles with flip top caps to store my scents. Each bottle is marked with a number using permanent ink and I keep a list of what's-what so it can be made again if it worked well. After awhile you build up a pretty good collection of data

[ 01-22-2004, 11:04 AM: Message edited by: JohnB ]

[Captain and Marie]

Zipper lip

Marie - Scents make cents for you too! zip

I was thinking the same thing! smile!

Marie
PS It helps to keep lights on in the shop. Oooops....
I have a burned out ceiling light in my shop! Come over now and buy more "Marie's Scents!

[ 01-22-2004, 11:29 AM: Message edited by: Captain and Marie ]