Tip # 14 – Dirty Hands And Lucky Fishing Days

It probably goes without saying that fish have an excellent sense of smell.  I think we know this is particularly true when fishing for steelhead or salmon in rivers that are blown out by strong rains or runoff in the spring.  Usually at these times the water has little to no visibility, yet we are still able to take fish under these conditions.  Thats because they have a very acute sense of smell, and possibly even better than the eyesight in some species.

Many things could affect how our bait, lure, flies, whatever we are using smells.  Bug repellent for example has a very strong smell, and when it is applied, we should as fisherman be very cautious of how we are doing so.  Getting it on our hands obviously means its also going to get on everything we touch as well.  And that stench is going to stick around on your offering for quite a long time.  A great way to avoid this problem is to use the bug repellent that comes in the form of a stick.  Almost like a deodorant stick, these types of bug repellent allow you to apply it with out actually getting any of it on your hands.

The same smell problem can come from other thing as well…..soap is a big one!  If you must wash your hands either before or while fishing, find yourself a fragrance free glycerin soap that won’t leave any trace of perfume or fruit aromas on your hands.  If you’ve forgotten…..you can always try covering your hands in mud or dirt from the bank to try and remove some of that smell.

And one last little tip here….especially when out ice fishing for picky perch.  Say you are sitting fishing with a buddy, he’s catching fish every time he drops his bait down the hole and you are going entirely fishless…..not even a bite!!  Try having your buddy bait your hook for you and see what happens!  Maybe you are a smoker and he’s not!!

Good Luck!

Tight Lines!