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Scent and Steelhead

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#41 ·
It has already been said, but fish do use olfactory functions quite well. Here are the lecture notes from one of my classes with some references to really cool studies by Arthur Hasler on imprinting scents into coho, and Pohlmann's study on the ability of fish to track prey using olfactory cues.

Here's the link:
http://www.fish.washington.edu/classes/fish210/html/FISH210_Lecture.htm

Go to lecture 18 and open up the powerpoint file if you're interested.
 
#47 ·
Jim Kerr said:
... I mean the average native steelhead has never had much opertunity to smell any of these things when he first returns to the river.....I try to be sure there are no strong smells on my hands when I am fishing or tying, food smells, coffee, cheetoes...
Who knows
JIm
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Apparently, to Salmon we all smell like our fellow mammal the sea lion because we both share an amino acid that salmon can detect.

See here for more on the theory:
 
#49 ·
Alaska defines "bait" in their sportfishing regulations to include scents. This has been the case for well over ten years.

They define bait as:
​
"bait means any substance applied to fishing gear for the purpose of attracting fish by scent, including fish eggs in any form, natural or preserved animal, fish, fish oil, shellfish, or insect parts, natural or processed vegetable matter, and natural or synthetic chemicals. "​

I know an individual who never can seem to be satisfied and always wants more. About twelve years ago, a state trooper I knew posted up in the woods to watch this guy fishing for steelhead. The trooper busted the guy for dousing his fly with shrimp oil in an area open that was only open to fishing with artificial flies and lures.

I later told the trooper (a flyfisherman) in jest that he should've also written him up for using an indicator and split shot. The the trooper just replied "Naw, the area is artificials only, not fly fishing only."
 
#57 ·
Matt B said:
Well that's pretty weird. Were you trying to remove or mask other scents?
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Bars of ivory soap were made without any scents or deoderants in the mid 70's. The person I learned it from said that by useing it to clean the lure you were removing all scents and creating a lure without odor. Every time you touch your lure or fly you are adding human scent, either natural or something you have handled. I learned this while living on the wind river fishing for early summer runs in the canyons. It was not uncommon to watch these fish follow lures before take into or rejecting. I watched fish travel as far as 30ft. before grabbing artificials.
 
#59 ·
Salmo_g said:
I didn't know it was a 15-year old thread until I clicked on it.

Yes, I have shame, but I save it for stuff that matters.
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I apologize for unknowingly being silly on a thread that I didn't realize was 15 years old. I hope my next post is either worthwhile or makes you smile and I truly hope you never have to use your genuine shame at all. How about that wonderful situation of 'Rising from the ashes' ? That got me cheering and tearing at the same time .
 
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