Sticky Scent Removal

[Quicky]

What have y'all done to remove the old sticky scents from your fishing tackle? Specifically the kokanee scents that come in squeeze bottles. I have tried soaking overnight in simple green and dish soap but they seem to be oil based so would a light solvent be the trick?

Thanks,
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[fsh4fun05]

I'd rather have them smell and be sticky then clean them with chemicals. If warm, soapy water doesn't work I don't know what will.
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[wyoguy]

I only put the scent on my dodgers, so it's not much of a problem to change scent or clean up. Only have to wipe them off with a paper towel, I would never put it on my terminal tackle because of the clean up issue. As someone else mentioned chemicals may not be the best answer.
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[Old_Coot]

I always put my lures away un-cleaned.

However, I did hear one of the Rock Mtn Angler's walley seminars that WD-40 cleans sticky scents off real good. But again, I would much rather just leave the scent on.
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[RonPaulFan]

At the International Sportsman's Exposition seminars, one of the professional fishermen says he uses dish detergent and warm water.

I suggest the unscented laundry detergent that is sold for hunting clothing since odd scents are undesirable in hunting.

But, like wyoguy, I also put the scents on the dodger and not the soft plastics of lures, so I've never had a need to clean the soft plastics.

For the rest (dodgers and hard lures), I use isopropyl alcohol. Though that has a strong chemical scent, it will completely evaporate and be gone long before I fish with the lure again. I like putting away my lures clean.

For occasional scent on soft plastics, I tip the hook with a Gulp maggot if not wax worms or earthworm while ice fishing, so no need to clean.

Rare exceptions have been using krill oil soaked tiny plastics, but I keep them dedicated to that and keep them soaking in a tiny vial, so no need to clean them and the tiny container is clean on the outside and scent free and clean in my fishing lure trays.

I also carry Gulp soft lures in individual glass vials as pictured in this one example.
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[mtncat1]

the ISE seminar i attended they recommended wiping down with WD-40
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[fsh4fun05]

Oh no!!! Don't say wd-40!!! This thread just blew up []
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[Gemcityslayer]

Yeah I wouldn't personally use any kind of chemical cleaner or WD-40 either.

That is just me, and the reason I wouldn't is that I think fish can smell and taste things better than we give them credit for. It might not make a huge difference but I think every advantage you can get while fishing is worth the extra effort. The reason you put the scent on in the first place was to attract fish, why put something on there that will potentially cause the opposite effect?

Hot water and a brush can go a long ways. Even if you can't remove all of it, is it a big deal either way? I don't think some leftover scent remnants is worth the hassle trying to remove?
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[mtncat1]

WD-40 is a great cleaner especially if you think the lure you are using has soured . it doesn't leave a negative scent on you stuff and can be a effective attractant although I wouldn't use it as a primary scent it is excellent for cleaning . just my opinion .
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[Gemcityslayer]

This has come up before, but how does WD-40 act as an attractant? It is a mixture of hydrocarbons. Why would fish be attracted to that? It just doesn't make any sense.

It is a myth. If you go to their website they used to have and probably still do a disclaimer saying that their product should not be used as a fish attractant. You are basically polluting the water if you use it as a fish attractant.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]The "myth" was that WD-40 was made with fish oil. As you know, it is not. It is made from petroleum distillates. Not good for humans or fishies.

But evidently you do not have any first hand experience with WD-40 as a fish attractant. Whatever it is made of appeals to fish of several species. I have personally witnessed cases of the fish responding much more favorably to lures or baits with a squirt of the WD-40 vs the same lures or baits on the same trip...not treated. There are still some goobers who use that stuff in spite of the warnings against it. All they care about is that it seems to help them catch more fish. And when they are able to outfish their fishing buddies by a factor of 10-1...with no other variables...that is enough for them.
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[Quicky]

One reason I am experimenting with scents is because I have not found one that has worked best for kokanee, but I think I am judging prematurely since other reports indicate that not many kokes are caught at the pig before June. The idea was to see what trolling flies worked without needing to tie exact patterns in order to keep the number of variables low. Putting the scent on a dodger seems like the easiest approach to cleaning.
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[Bduck]

When I use scents I apply it to the dodger that way its easy to wipe off. A favorite that those keep handy in the boat is a small bottle of Dawn dishwashing liquid. I've used it for years cutting grease from my hands and its mild enough yet tough enough for cleaning gear.
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[gaardvark]

It is hard to argue with the aggregated experience of successful anglers, but you are correct about the WD-40 website reference.

[url "http://wd40.com/cool-stuff/myths-legends-fun-facts#fish"]What a Fish story![/url]
Myth: WD-40® contains fish oil.

Fact: Consumers have told us over the years that they have caught some of the biggest fish ever after protecting their fish hooks and lures with WD-40®. We believe this legend came from folks assuming that the product must contain fish oil since it appears to attract fish. Sorry Charlie®, it just ain’t so.
WD-40 Company has taken steps to respect and conserve the environment, and encourages its users to do the same. While WD-40® can be used to help protect fishing equipment from rust and corrosion, WD-40 Company does not recommend using WD-40® to attract fish.
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[mtncat1]

look I'm not saying to use the stuff for a attractant ,and I don,t use it as such myself, I,m just saying that it is fine to use to clean, your lures before you put them away. you commented that it was bad thing to use because fishy would pick up the scent and not bite ,I my experience that has just not been the case .the amount that would be left on a lure after cleaning with it would be almost nothing .tight lines and I enjoy ready your comments on this board so keep it up []
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[Gemcityslayer]

[quote TubeDude][#0000FF]The "myth" was that WD-40 was made with fish oil. As you know, it is not. It is made from petroleum distillates. Not good for humans or fishies.

But evidently you do not have any first hand experience with WD-40 as a fish attractant. Whatever it is made of appeals to fish of several species. I have personally witnessed cases of the fish responding much more favorably to lures or baits with a squirt of the WD-40 vs the same lures or baits on the same trip...not treated. There are still some goobers who use that stuff in spite of the warnings against it. All they care about is that it seems to help them catch more fish. And when they are able to outfish their fishing buddies by a factor of 10-1...with no other variables...that is enough for them.
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I don't need first hand experience, I have more common sense and respect for our waters than to use WD-40 as a fish attractant. I have spent time reading a number of guides thoughts on this issue, go ahead and research it yourself - there is no shortage of this being discussed on the internet... and the results are inconclusive at best. There are just as many people who say it doesn't make any difference at all as there are who think it works.

Cause and effect is not as straightforward thing to prove as many people think. Think of gambling, sometimes you get on a lucky streak and win a lot of money...sometimes you get on a unlucky streak and lose a lot of money. If you squirted WD-40 in your palms one time and started winning at the slot machines.... one or two times of doing that isn't enough data to support it being effective. Gambling comes down to very specific odds that are known by the people who design the games and machines. Fishing follows a similar set of "laws".

What is it that would cause a fish to be attracted to hydrocarbon mixtures? Science can answer this question. Fish aren't attracted to hydrocarbons they are attracted to a variety of things, all of them being biological: amino acids, proteins, blood, etc, etc.

I'm officially retiring for this message board. Too many close minded people set in their ways. Keep promoting the use of pollutants as effective fish attractants, real smart.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]I don't use it and probably never will...except for the purpose for which it is intended...tackle maintenance.

But I can tell you from personal experience that I have fished in a boat next to guys who sprayed it on their crawler...fishing pop gear and worm...and the ones with WD-40 got much more action. Back and forth...with and without...multiple times. More than just coincidence. Theory vs practice.

There is another reason for adding scent to lures besides attraction. That is to eliminate other odors than can repel fish...human scent, gasoline, sun screen, etc.
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[#0000FF][#FF0000]"I'm officially retiring for this message board. Too many close minded people set in their ways. Keep promoting the use of pollutants as effective fish attractants, real smart."

[/#FF0000]Opinions are just that. Opinions. If you can't allow others to express dissenting opinions then maybe you should "retire".
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[Gemcityslayer]

Again, experimentation is one thing, theory is another. When people research things and study the cause and effect relationship they often spend months, or years experimenting under various conditions, building up a huge amount of data... so that their argument is lock tight and statistically relevant. You witnessing this happening a few times is not anything close to being statistically relevant. See my gambling analogy again. I see this line of thinking WAY too much in fishing... a guy puts on a new color and shortly after catches a fish, and he thinks the color change made the difference... (it could have been any number of factors that resulted in finally catching a fish... water temp warming up, location change - entering an area where the fish are holding, etc, etc.... same goes for scent... )

On the theory side of this: What on earth would make a fish be attracted to a non-biological agent (in terms of scent only)? It doesn't make any sense. Again, research the sensory organs of fish and how they respond to the chemistry of biological things... it isn't rocket science. Their organs are developed for searching out real things to eat and avoiding things that are potentially harmful or simply not food. You already admit to this because you suggest it is necessary to cover up other scents..., and we all know this is true... fish are not attracted to gasoline, oil, and any number of artificial non-biological scents...

It is very understood in this day and age what exactly fish are attracted to and how, via their sensory organs, and chemistry. It is not up for debate. We know these facts from science, not from angler experimentation. Fish are not attracted to hydrocarbons... if they were, you could soak a rag in gasoline and put a hook through it and catch all the catfish you want. If you are catching catfish on a bait with WD-40 sprayed on there, it is because the bait itself has more productive and real scents overriding the negative ones coming from the WD-40. The WD-40 doesn't help though, I stand by that claim.

I can handle other peoples opinions, I can't handle people promoting this nonsense, and that is exactly what you are doing coming on here saying it produced 10 to 1 results. Goodbye!
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[Quicky]

You called it!
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[fishnutts]

wow wd40 attracting fish, who da thought that, I will have to spray some of that on my corn, the next time I go slimer fishing.[:p]
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