masking plastic scent...

[CALVINIST]

I bought some large 6" swim shad for a LOTW trip next week hoping to catch some big walleyes and pike. I opened the package and, boy do they reek of plastic! Does anyone have suggestions on covering up the factory stink? I don't think it's a problem with the pike, but walleyes might be turned off by the scent. Or maybe i am wrong?

[ddsbyday]

Sqirt a little WD 40 in the package. Better yet go down to the nearest snyder drug and get some annice oil. Both will act as an attractant.

[dfv87]

I believe the WD 40 issue has been verified to contain Petroleum products and therefore I don't think you want to try that. I know it was rumored/urban legended to be fish oil but I don't think you want to try that one. I am willing to be proven wrong but I believe the WD fish attractant story is junk... Annice oil I know nothing about. So that would be the one I would try. Or soak em in some Gulp Alive juice, that stuff stinks enough to get rid of any other smell.

[andrew chadwick]

hoow about just some dr juice?

[Northlander]

Get some Cod Liver Oil at the store or some old power baits and toss them in with them. The Gulp Alive juice will work as well. Just toss them in with some of them.

[ddsbyday]

Plastics do not soak. Gulp works because it is designed to hold scent. The best bait fish are oily little petroleum products that leave a trail.

[zepman]

WD 40 will also eat away at your swimbaits.

[Deitz Dittrich]

I bought some large 6" swim shad for a LOTW trip next week hoping to catch some big walleyes and pike. I opened the package and, boy do they reek of plastic! Does anyone have suggestions on covering up the factory stink? I don't think it's a problem with the pike, but walleyes might be turned off by the scent. Or maybe i am wrong?

Calv- the plastic smell is more likely to be the release agent used to get the plastic out of the mold. However, as you said, it could be the plastic too. For a fish to smell something it needs to be water soluble. Both the plastic and the oil used in the release agent are not. So you dont have to worry about the fish smelling the same thing you are. They may however be able to taste it, but if you are quick enough on the hook set, that should not be a problem either.

If it would help with your confidence at all. Go ahead and add an aftermarket fish scent. I have used Gulp alive spray with some succeess, Dr. Juice, Smelly Jelly.. ect.. But to be real honest, think its more for my confidence than anything, and I really only used them on very slow presentations. Not like a swim bait that I was going to keep moving.

Have a great trip!!!!

[Eric Wettschreck]

Gotta agree with Deitz on this one. It's more of a confidence thing than anything. And I firmly believe confidence in what you're doing means a lot.

Having said that.........and this is kinda gross, my grandpa used to put his plastic baits in a baggie and spit his red man chew into it. He swore by the red man spit.

Once again, I think it was a confidence thing on his part. He thought it worked so it did.

[Ed Carlson]

Dr. Juice or Trigger X Walleye scent is good.

Another good one is LPT scent.

Don't use WD-40, it will soften the plastics, and they will tear very easily.

[tunrevir]

Calvinist, I have used the Gander variety of soft plastic shad bodies and they do smell strongly of plastic out of the package but I am happy to report that they catch walleye just fine without any added scent. The gulp sprays ect may help your confidence level but I don't think you'll need to doctor them. If you have others in the boat it might be a fun experiment to work both the scented and unscented plastics to see if one outproduces the other. I'd like to hear any results from that experiment when you get back. Tightlines!

Tunrevir~

[CALVINIST]

Thanks for all advice. I found a small bottle of Berkley scent in one of my tackle bags and applied it to those swimbaits. Yeah, you are all probably right about it being a confidence thing. More than likely swimbaits cause reaction strikes with the thumping tail, but it can't hurt to put a little scent on.

I'll give a report upon my return from LOTW next thursday. The buddy who I'll be heading up there with, his son caught a couple pig walleyes up there a couple weeks ago...one at 30" and one at 32", so I'm psyched! Wouldn't mind catching some big 'ol gaters either!

[tunrevir]

Good luck, go get those piggys! Soooooooweeeeeeee

Tunrevir~

[Muddog]

Get some "SPIKE-IT" Scent Markers. Or you could just leave the package open to let the small disperse.

[Grum]

I have experimented with a number of these scents with mixed results, most of the time just as a cover scent not really relying on them as and attractant. I use them more in the spring to get rid of any mildew or rust. I do recommend them for Trout as they are more sensitive to human scent. I agree with the others on not using WD-40 or any other petroleum based products as they may "melt" or weaken your plastics and it still is unlawful to intentionally introduce any petroleum product into any water supply. (not that the odds of getting caught are great, just wouldn't share that secret with any C.O.)

[DARK30]

I've been tossing Mister Twisters at fish for a long time...never had to worry about how they smelled. I do sometimes use a little squirt of wd40 on the spool tho.

[Ed Carlson]

Another highly effective scent on plastics is Little Atoms C-9 scent, an anise type oil base, really penetrates into plastics well and a drop or two will do a lot of plastics. You will likely have to order it direct, not common in most retailers.