Scents?

[Discman]

Has anyone tried scents on a fly? I am, of course, talking about wet flies. Is this practiced or taboo? I have some awesome trout attractor scent that works great on lures and I was wondering about using it on flies. Would the oils ruin the materials? Would fish be , smelling one thing and seeing another and be turned off? I'm sure some purists would turn a nose at this question. But it is just a thought, maybe one of those last option ideas for when we can't get even a nibble. []

Thoughts?
[signature]

[flygoddess]

I imagine that a lot have thought about it (specially on slow days when everyone around you is catching something using the same thing) But, I would say it is Taboo. Most fly fishing places around here is catch and release, with artificial flies and or lures, which means NO scents. It gets frustrating at times, but satisfying to know you caught that fish on the look and size of the fly only. As my fishing partners and they will tell you, I don't need it, just lucky or hormones. Caught a 22" in the river Friday on a size 30 midge and a 4wt. bamboo.
[signature]

[Dryrod]

[cool][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 4]I think that anything added to the fly other than the fly itself is not what fly-fishing is all about. Many fishermen have the attitude that if it works use it. A jar with carbite in it is also very effective - so is that fishing? Hey there FFG a 22" on a 4wt must have felt like a freight train. Good show![/size][/green][/font]
[signature]

[davetclown]

[font "Arial"][black][size 4]with out a doubt scents will work,

you need to watch your areas, just like the Goddess says not only are there areas only restricted to artificial flies only, (means no oils of fish allowed) there are times of the year that can regulate your being able to use them or not.

how to apply, [/size][/black][/font] [ul] [li][font "Arial"][black][size 4]put a drop on your thumb of your hook holding hand[/size][/black][/font][/li] [li][font "Arial"][black][size 4]with your index finger and middle finger spread it around[/size][/black][/font][/li] [li][font "Arial"][black][size 4]gently wipe off excess on your towel.[/size][/black][/font][/li] [li][font "Arial"][black][size 4]handling your fly is enough to place a scent on your fly.[/size][/black][/font][/li][/ul]
[font "Arial"][black][size 4]as for being taboo, well that depends on who you ask, I have seen fly fishers who swore at me for the use of a piece of earth worm when the live bait season opened in my area, and the following year when I walked up on the same angler a hundred feet on dry land foraging for what ever grubs they could find before live bait season opened, I would just shake my head in disgust and keep going.

Just remember the teachings of Hank Hill & Jiminy Cricket, "Cheater Bait is just that, CHEATER BAIT" and "Let your conscious be your guide" and by all means follow the rule book, it is really there to help you have fish next year and the years following[/size][/black][/font]
[signature]

[flygoddess]

It is kind of a tuff call, but I do have to say that if you decide that you are going to be a fly fisherman, you play by the rules (of the old days). A Fly and nothing else, but who's to say what deer hair or moose, or synthetics smell like. I think to take a scent and purposely use it on a fly is cheating. But, then if you ate something with garlic and then tied a fly....hmmmm.
[signature]

[TubeDude]

[cool][#0000ff]There are some waters where using scent on flies would be a hanging offense. And, some purists would insist on shooting you first, before hanging you, just to make sure.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]As far as the ethics go, it is a matter of personal choice. And, like religion, nobody else should have the right to tell you what to believe or how to live your life. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I am an all-tackle, multi-species, decidedly non-purist fisherman. I make and used all kinds of flies, jigs, spoons, spinners and hardbaits. And, I often tip them with a bit of "sweetener"...worm or fish flesh. I also use several different kinds of scent, and I have proven to my own satisfaction that it DOES help in many cases.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]There are many "triggers" that cause a fish to bite what you are offering. With many species, sight is a biggie. They hunt and capture prey largely through sight and sight recognition of what they perceive is edibility. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Most fly fishing is sight oriented. We try to serve up something that LOOKS good to the fish and then present it in a manner they cannot refuse. If we get it right, Bingo.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]During some conditions of water clarity, light levels and/or other factors that reduce visibility, fish cannot see their prey in time to react and dine. Then they rely on their sensitive lateral lines to pick up vibrations and help direct them to their prey. Having a big bushy fly, and stripping it aggressively, is often the key to getting bit under these conditions.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The third major triggering mechanism for many fish is their olfactory senses. Some species rely more on how a potential food item smells than how it looks or sounds. And, time after time, I have seen how having some sweet smelling stuff on a fly or lure helps seal the deal when fish are following but not biting otherwise.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]What is the best scent? That will always be a topic for debate. Everybody seems to have their own personal preference. I don't think that a scent that is different from what the fish should expect from a certain fly or lure would turn them off. That is giving the small brained fish too much credit for conscious thought. They react to stimuli. They do not reason out every action.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]In truth, I personally believe that one of the greatest benefits to adding scent to lures is to mask human odor. Some people have lots of the hormone L-serine on their skin. That has been proven to be a definite turnoff to many species of fish.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The oils and other ingredients in many fish attractants can indeed mess up a nicely tied fly. I use a lot of large marabou jigs and flies. Once you apply an oily attractant to the marabou, it never has the same breathing action again. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I would not worry about dressing up a dry fly, or something fished near the surface. Those will be hit by sight feeders. On the other hand, if you are dredging the bottom with leeches or crawdad imitations, add a couple of drops of crawdad or nightcrawler scent and see if your reception improves.[/#0000ff]
[signature]

[Discman]

This is great!! I didn't think by asking this question I would stir up this much controversy. For the record, my opinion is that I don't think I would ever use a scent on a fly. I would, and do, however put a little scent on my hands as a mask to my own scent. Especially if I rode my bicycle out to fish. Whenever I do, I tend to get a little grease on my hands and I have always heard that trout shy strongly away from any petrolium type smells. Thank you all for your responses. I do agree with some of you about what another fisherman (or Fisherperson) does is their business. As long as they are not breaking any rules, poaching, barbed flies where not accepted, fishing before opening season, leaving piles of mono around (which I will gladly get in someone's face about), etc., everything's fine. It's nice that, just because we use different techniques, we are all still after the same goal and we can fish along side each other in harmony. Just don't walk into my casting!! []

Keep your hooks sharp, Kyle
[signature]

[maddawg]

I'm not being a smart A but I do have an honest questions do you all think there would be a separation between fly fishers and other if fly fishers used sent.

My opinion is that fly-fishing is a separate state of mind; it’s not just in equipment. I don’t have anything against people using sent on their flies. I wouldn’t consider them a fly fisher however.

Just to make myself clearer, I’m not saying that someone who bait fishes, spin fishes, ice fishes, or what ever isn’t a fly fisher, we all were different hats at different times. Fly-fishing to me is matching your wits against a fish on a fundamental basis. True fly fishers at the highest level have designed their own flies and caught fish on them.

I’ve not gotten to that level yet myself

Trent
[signature]

[flygoddess]

Totally maddawg, I don't think you are being smart A, but being smart. Fly Fishing is the art of using an artificial imitation of bugs, leeches, and baitfish (even eggs and worms) and you are going off of the sight ONLY. I have see old school fishermen (smokers) spit on their fly however. I am with your opinion however. I love fly fishing and all the challenges that come with it. The bast part is the dry flies that you just can't achieve the same quality with a spinning or bait outfit. I, along with several others I am sure, have tripled my catch rate by fly fishing. It is a long prosses, that is never ending, but the self satisfaction is sooo worth it.
[signature]

[maddawg]

You make a good point with the spitting. I've been know to do that. However I didn't really stop to think if it adds scent to the fly. I had just heard if your trying to fish an emerger type patter without weight, syliva will break the water tension and put your fly where you want it.

Here's a good question I'd like to ask the purist dry fly fishermen, why do they feel they lower their standards when they nymph fish?
[signature]

[flygoddess]

Maddawg, good question. In the purist that I have contact with, I will tell you that it is they don't know how, or it isn't productive(which goes back to the first)
The English, in my opinion, are the masters of fly fishing and they nymph. In fact when tying a nymph they don't use thread they use wire
[signature]