Do hand smells affect the bait?

I have often thought about if your hand smells affect the bait before cast out. When I have put suntan lotion on and not washed it all off before handing baits I sometimes have to wind the rigs back in and change them because there could be a this smell on the baits.

I remember being down my local syndicate and the angler next to me was smoking like a trooper and when I shook his hand mine smelt of smoke – so his baits MUST have been tainted with the smell of smoke. Now he was actually struggling down this particular water, it wasn’t easy but could this have been the reason?

Nigel that I fish with, makes the baits that we both use and he used to smoke and catch well, but he actually increased the amount that he was smoking and this affected the amount of fish that he caught. For the last 18 months, he hasn’t touched a cigarette and I have to say both mine and his catches have significantly increased.

Is there any scientific reason for this or is it just “our time” to catch and the long periods without fish were just a coincidence? All I know is we are catching more recently and he has stopped smoking while making the baits.

 

Another interesting article has been written by Carpology and even has Terry Hearn’s views:

http://www.carpology.net/articles/features/does-nicotine-put-carp-off

Tight Lines and be lucky!

The Start of 2015

So 2015 is already here and what a year I had fishing last year. Not only did I break my UK and French person best, helped land a mates French PB and had a lot of laughs and jokes along the way.

A southern Pit was my preferred choice water last year and can easily say that I have learnt loads of information from fellow anglers and they have all been supportive, talkative and extremely helpful. When I beat my PB I didn’t know who was more chuffed, me or the bailiff.

This year im actually in Australia on a working visa and will be trying to catch some of the weird and wonderful aquatic creatures that they have out here! My target is a hammer head, no idea why, but have always wanted to catch one.

I’m going to keep this blog up with my ideas, thoughts and feelings on different articles that I keep reading on the internet. I have even thought of a new rig I would like to try with the new Nash cling on tungsten liquid. This is a fast drying liquid tungsten which I want to apply directly to my hook, which will make the “sharp” end heavier! But have read that it smells funny so I will have to make my mind up once I get home…..This is available from Hinders and many other outlets.

http://www.hinders.co.uk/prod/nash-cling-on-tungsten-liquid

That’s all for now

Tight lines and be Lucky!