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Kirk R. Armstrong

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"Fish AttractantsÉtheir not just for breakfast anymore!"

Kirk R. Armstrong

January, 2002

Let us sit down and imagine the setting. It is early on a Saturday morning and you are preparing yourself for a day of Bass fishing at your local Honey Hole. You brush your teeth, put on deodorant, comb your hair, make coffee, eat some breakfast, fuel up your boat, fuel up your truck... etc. All the while little particles of everything you touch transfer to your hands that in turn transfer to your lures when you get to the lake and begin to fish.

A large mouth bass or any fish for that matter is a very complex aquatic organism. Their sensory systems are designed to pick up scent from great distances. This is especially true for bass, catfish and trout. When you have something on your hands, that in turn gets transferred to whatever you touch. Hence, your lures will pick up foreign substances that are not natural to a fish. The whole intent of your lure presentation is to "fool" a bass that your lure is a real worm, crawfish, shad or any other bait that is represented in the wild. Your second goal after the fish bites the lure is for them to hold onto your presentation long enough for you to set the hook. This is especially true for soft plastic lures worms, tubes and jigs that are so widely used in the pursuit of large mouth and small mouth bass.

In recent years there has been an explosion of "fish attractants, oils, waxes, sticks, gels" and the likes on the open fishing market. Many of these work well to mask or eliminate a foreign scent but there are only a few that can be truly called "fish attractants." I have used and tested many kinds and even produced my own scent product for use on lures. There has only been one or two that I thought really work to the betterment of my bass fishing.

All the fish pictured below were caught using "my favorite attractant!"

Lake Fork 9.5lb & 13.30lbs	Lewisville Lunkers 6 & 8 lbs	"Dad" w/Grandpa, 14.20

Kick N Bass fish attractant is probably one of the very best on the market, if not the best. This product comes in a variety of flavors for a variety of game fish. The ones I have used are the Anise Shad, Crawfish and the Garlic Craw. They are oil based with no fillers and come in a reusable 4-ounce bottle. Kick N Bass has REAL crawfish oil and REAL shad oil in them with a variety of scientifically blended ingredients to make fish bite and hold on to the lure longer. After all, the product was designed and manufactured by a real chemist that used to develop womenÕs perfume! How fittingÉperfume for the big girls, the bass that roam our lakes.

How do I know they work? I have used this product in the field for over 6 years and have proven results there. In addition I filmed a commercial video for Kick N Bass at Bass Pro Shops in Grapevine, Texas and while doing a demonstration with a dual fluke rig. I had TWO bass, one 16 pounds and one 11 pounds, inhale the baits and swim around the tank for over three minutes! Now I ask youÉ" is that enough time to set the hook?" If you disagree, then I suggest you take up golf.

A bass determines the presence of prey by analyzing the environment it is in through three basic sensory systems;

Vibration Ð locating prey through vibration picked up in their lateral line.
Sight Ð Does the visual appearance of the lure trigger a feeding impulse?
Smell Ð Does it smell like prey? Does it taste like prey?

Many of you have seen a bass in a tank swim up and suck or vacuum a minnow into its mouth. This is done by the "large mouth" and the flexing of itÕs gills as it literally vacuums the liquid around the bait or prey into itÕs mouth. When a bass sucks up a crawfish or worm or other prey on the bottom, it has the challenge of sorting out the rocks, sticks and weeds from the prey. This is done through the taste and smell of the prey or lure. Most of the time a bass will cautiously approach the lure or prey and try to get a visual on it..."it looks like prey." After the visual requirements have been met the fish breaths in the surrounding water and analyzes the particles. A bass can detect minute particles of foreign and natural substances through itÕs nostrils as it breaths in water over itÕs gills. By adding a mask of fish attractant you are satisfying the second of the three requirements..."it smells like prey." Lastly, after the fish has hit or picked up the lure the third and final requirement takes place..."it tastes like prey," as long as you have used a product like Kick N Bass.

Many times a bass will suck up the lure and spit it out quickly. WhyÉit tastes like plastic. That is why most of the soft plastic lure manufacturers use salt filler for their baits. Not only does it save on plastic, it makes it taste a little more natural. Salty plastics will catch more fish than non-salty plastic, however, why not invest the extra $4.99 and purchase a bottle of Kick N Bass and guarantee that ALL your FISH CATCHING requirements are met. I would rather have this than just "salty plastic." Kick N Bass and your favorite lure are a winning combination that is sure to fill your limit with bigger and better fish.

In closing the next time you are at your favorite tackle dealer or Bass Pro Shops, ask them which fish attractant sells the best? I am confident they will tell you Kick N Bass. Put about a teaspoon into your next package of soft plastic or generously rub a little bit on your favorite spinner bait or spinner bait trailer. You will find the soft plastic will absorb the scent and stay in there. Rub a few drops on your hands as well and wipe with a dry towel. Now your hands will be protected every time you touch your bait while fishing. To remove the scent from your boat or hands, simply wash with warm soap and water and you are good to go. Let me caution you thoughÉfish attractants like Kick N Bass are not for your toast or biscuits!

Until next time, be safe, smart, and God Bless, "Raw Thumb"

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