Using Scented Fishing Lures

Written by: Jay Ball @bluejaysoutdoors

Have you ever considered adding scent to a topwater bait such as a frog or walking bait? What about a bladed jig or a spinner bait?  

It’s no secret that scented lures such as soft plastics have helped anglers increase their catch ratios for many years. However, adding scent to baits such as topwater frogs, spinner baits, bladed jigs, or even a football jig is somewhat taboo.

There seems to be a divide amongst bass anglers when it comes to this topic. Many anglers believe that using scented soft plastics is a must. In fact, trying to find an unscented soft plastics lure at your local tackle shop can be a struggle. However, suggesting to this same group of anglers that adding scent to their favorite topwater lure or bladed jig could potentially help them catch more bass, and they will most likely look at you with puzzling eyes.

On the other hand, there is a group of anglers out there that will look for any advantage they can get, even if it’s only an increase of 1% vs. the next angler. This “1%” group of anglers is not afraid to take advantage of the handful of companies in the industry that are making scents from coffee to garlic.

These scents come in a wide range of application styles, from liquid soft bait enhancers to jelly’s, aerosol sprays, and even wax sticks. Each one has an application for different styles of bait.

Try adding liquid soft bait enhancers to your favorite pack of stick worms or soft plastic jerk baits for an extra kick. Level up your spinner bait blades or bladed jig by adding a thin layer of jelly to the inside of the blades. Dip the brush guard of a football jig or swim jig in some scented jelly and hang on. Give bass a reason to hold on to your topwater frog for just a little longer by adding some scented jelly to the belly, you’ll thank me later 😊. Last but not least, wax-based scents tend to work best for trolling baits such as spoons and deep diving crank baits.

Regardless of what side of the fence you are on regarding this topic, just remember that bass are like most predatory fish and use all their senses when finding food. More often than not, adding scent will never decrease your chances of catching fish.

Jay Ball – Owner of Blue Jay’s Outdoors LLC
Jay is an aspiring social media and content creator passionate about sharing fishing knowledge and helping people catch more and bigger fish! With over 32 years of both fresh and saltwater fishing experience.

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