Attractants for pike: Mega strike, Double strike "Pike", do-it-yourself attractant

Every fisherman dreams of a big catch and does everything to make this wish come true. Secret baits, special invisible fishing lines, and sophisticated installations of equipment are used. Experiments with baits and fishing methods do not stop. Recently, many have been trying to attract fish with the help of odorous chemicals - attractants. Of course, they do not guarantee a crazy bite. Attractants for fishing simply lure underwater inhabitants to the fishing point, thereby increasing the likelihood of a bite several times.

Substances to attract fish have been used in recreational and sport fishing for many years. Now it is difficult to say who invented them and when they first used them, but it is a fact that their role in fishing is constantly increasing. There are more and more various chemical compounds, and there are fewer and fewer fish in the reservoirs, and poachers have nothing to do with it, they have always been there. This trend suggests that attractants really work to the delight of fishermen and to the grief of those against whom they are directed.

It must be said that fishing baits, although they contain aromatic components, are not one of them.

An attractant is a complex set of compounds (organic, inorganic) that often cannot be reproduced using chemical synthesis.

There are simpler options that can be prepared at home. The only thing that all attractants existing today have in common is the ability to dissolve in water. Based on other characteristics, they can be classified into 3 categories.

Traditional

The fishing attractants of this group were not originally intended for fishing; they were identified experimentally. They do not have any scientific evidence of their effectiveness, but this does not prevent them from attracting fish. This includes individual food products (for example, honey), essential oils (linseed, hemp, anise and others), flavoring food additives and essences, spices, pharmaceutical products and even petroleum products. The latter includes kerosene, with which some fishermen successfully catch crucian carp. This group also includes homemade mixtures with animal blood as a base.

How do attractants affect a predator?

It has been proven that in order for a fish to grab the bait offered by a spinning rod, it needs to influence the senses, that’s all.

What organs are these:

First of all, the predator hears the bait with its lateral line.
It begins to move towards potential prey, at which point its vision turns on.
He examines it, and if nothing arouses suspicion, he continues moving.
When approaching a short distance, the smell is triggered. At this moment, if the spoon smells of something edible, the likelihood of a bite increases;
The last stage, the fish touches the spinning bait with its mouth. At this moment she must definitely feel the taste.

Quite often it happens that a pike chases an artificial bait, knocks on it, but is not always detected. Because he hears that the bait is inedible. Naturally, during the feeding season, an angler has the opportunity to catch fish without using an attractant lubricant.

Read also: How to catch pike in different fishing seasons

The influence of attractants is also very important when we fish at one point, make casts, lubricating the bait in one place many times. As a result, a fragrant corridor is formed for the predator at the bottom along the trajectory of the bait, and all the fish in it will sooner or later begin to become active. The smell will make her try to eat something.

Commercial

Produced by many companies focused on fishing products. The level of commercial attractants can vary, it all depends on the technologies used by the manufacturer and the degree of development of its industrial base. Simple compounds are usually presented in the form of solutions, gels or small granules placed in a plastic container (jar) with a company label. Complex ones are developed by specialists from large chemical and pharmaceutical concerns and are produced in the same convenient forms, as well as in the form of an aerosol.

Large manufacturing companies involve experienced ichthyologists, biotechnologists, and employees of research institutes in the development of new attractants. Almost all of these companies represent European countries and the USA, where the production of fishing tackle, accessories and bait has long become a serious business. As a rule, their products are obtained using biotechnology or chemical synthesis. Small manufacturers who do not have the opportunity to use a scientific base produce simple attractants with traditional ingredients: dried blood, extracts from worms and crustaceans, various cakes, honey, caramel molasses, food flavorings, and some pharmaceutical products.

Stimulants

This is a completely different, one might say ultra-modern approach to attracting fish. In this case, a stimulant means a substance that does not attract with an appetizing smell, but affects the brain of underwater inhabitants. This is a synthetic analogue of fish pheromone, called “factor X” by the British scientists who developed it. It irritates one of the centers of the brain responsible for hunger, and thus makes even well-fed fish look for food. Artificial pheromone has become the basis for the production of a whole series of attractants, produced since 2001 under the Ultrabite brand. These are innovative products that encourage fish to greedily pounce on any food in sight.

Today, the effectiveness of attractants from the Ultrabite series is no longer in doubt. Sports anglers who have tested them claim that in stocked reservoirs they increase the catch by about 60%, and in natural ones even more - by 70-75%. Amateurs were not left out either. Of the 12 options offered, they liked the most the universal Bream Roach and General Coarse Fish, which work well on freshwater species.

Is it worth it?

No attractant for predatory fish can replace knowledge and fishing experience. Before using it, you should study the preferences of the inhabitants of the local reservoir, ask local fishermen about their experience in using aromatics. ?? then, with proper and dosed use, you can increase the number of effective bites.

Attractants for pike and zander

Each predator has its own taste preferences, so the attractant should contain compounds with the smell and taste that are most interesting to it. Spinning fishermen know from their own practice how often pike or pike perch spit out the bait when they feel an inedible taste after grabbing it. That is why today soft spinning baits with an attractive flavor additive inside are very popular. Silicone and other chemical polymers are materials that allow you to include an attractant in the composition of the bait and increase its catchability several times.

In our fishing market, the most common type is “edible rubber” produced by foreign companies such as Rublex and Berkley. Less common are products from Pautzke (for salmon fishing), Sensas (trout), Maximus and Pro-Cure. Good baits are produced by domestic manufacturers Delta-Fish and Biotechnology.

Self-made attractants

In recent years, predator attractants have become frequently used in fishing, which had not been seen before. Such substances, created for catching predatory fish, are usually applied to the surface of baits (wobblers, silicone, etc.), and sometimes impregnated with them.

Expert opinion

Knipovich Nikolai Mikhailovich

Zoologist, hydrobiologist. I am interested in fishing at a professional level.

Important! When formulated for use on bait, these substances should always include a water-repellent ingredient. This is necessary for better retention on their surface in an aquatic environment.

In order to make good attractants with your own hands, you need to follow a proven recipe as accurately as possible. In the process of manufacturing these preparations, often, in addition to using various odorous components, there is a need to use alcohol or vodka, which most effectively dissolve all the ingredients used. Let's consider the features of preparing several of the most popular attractants for predatory fish species at home.

For zander

Pike perch, as you know, is found in clean water, on the current. Based on this, the attractant for pike perch must be especially water-resistant and stay on the bait very well for a long time. The best attractants for pike perch have their effect on the fish within 2 – 3 hours of active fishing.

The simplest but most effective do-it-yourself attractant for pike perch consists of the following components:

as a fastening base - regular Vaseline (approximately 35 - 40 grams);
a teaspoon of salt (it is very attractive to predators);
2 teaspoons of fish meal or 1 – 2 capsules of fish oil.

All this must be thoroughly mixed until a homogeneous mass is formed and placed in a small container. You can use a regular medical syringe as a container, so it will be more convenient to use the attractant.

For greater effect, you can add some aromatic oil to the given composition, but it is better to do this just before fishing. The effectiveness of a particular oil may vary in different bodies of water.

The attractant prepared for pike perch with your own hands should be infused for 2 - 3 days. After this, it can be applied to your baits.

Attractant for pike

Homemade pike attractants differ from other similar substances in that only natural substances and ingredients must be used to flavor them. This is a very cautious and fastidious predator that is difficult to deceive.

In order to prepare an attractant for pike with your own hands, you can use the same ingredients and the same recipe as for pike perch. This composition can be used as the basis of an aromatic bait for almost any predator, since it has good resistance to rinsing and contains salt, which always attracts a predator.

According to the experience of many anglers, the best attractant for pike should have the smell of fresh blood. To add this smell, fishermen make cuts in previously caught fish.

A pike attractant with the smell of crayfish is also very productive.

For perch

Perch is the most common predator in our inland waters. To attract it, the following composition will be effective:

oil with the scent of shrimp, garlic or anise (perch is attracted to many scents);
dry, chopped dill;
a tablespoon of honey;
cocoa;
alcohol.

All of the above ingredients are thoroughly mixed, filled with alcohol and left in a closed container for 10 - 12 days. After infusion, fish oil can be added to this composition. This way you will get a good do-it-yourself attractant for perch.

What is typical for this fish is that you can experiment very widely with different smells.

Such an attractant for perch can be applied to bait and added to bait.

Review of the best products

According to sports fishermen and amateurs, the following attractants can be distinguished:

Mega Strike is a proven attractant, which some skeptics still don’t believe in. Unlike “stinkers” (as fishermen jokingly call similar products with a very unpleasant odor), it does not stink, has good adhesion and durability, and is contained in a convenient package - a small tube. Pike, pike perch, and catfish respond best to it; sometimes a rare bersh fish in our time is caught on the hook. Many skeptical fishermen tried to test the effect of the megastrike by organizing a kind of competition with a partner: one fished with clean bait, the other with an attractant. In most cases, the latter won, and with a crushing score.
Dry Blooder is a universal activator that contains synthetic pheromones and dry blood. The powder quickly dissolves in water, spreads and directs fish within range to the source of the smell. Fishermen note that this process is not affected by weather conditions. The activator is effective for catching peaceful and predatory species, and works at any time of the year, including the off-season. Dry Blooder can fail for only one reason - the fisherman was sold a fake that only looks similar to the branded product.
Fish Hungry is an artificial appetite stimulant that went on sale in 2011. The main ingredient is the same pheromones, which can attract fish to one point from all corners of the reservoir. Most often used as an additive to bait. With this addition there is no need to cook porridge, just mix food waste and add a little attractant. In addition to pheromones, it contains essential oils that work no worse than garlic, vanilla and other natural odorous components. An important advantage of this product is its versatility: it can be used for catching any fish, in good and bad weather, in summer and winter.
Fish XXL is an odorous spray specially designed for use in cold water, but in practice it turned out that it also affects fish in the summer. The scope of application of this activator is not limited. It works equally well in large and small reservoirs, attracting both predators and benthophages, young animals and large individuals. This is a great assistant for any fisherman, both beginner and professional.
Carolina Lunker Sauce is a liquid attractant with a persistent odor designed to attract predatory fish. During retrieval, the bait treated with it leaves behind an odorous trail, to which pike and others react. This liquid shows the greatest effectiveness when fishing with silicone in heavily overgrown areas. The thoughtful packaging deserves special praise. Thanks to the sponge filter installed under the lid, the liquid will not spill, even if the bottle accidentally slips out of your hand.
Basswax Sardine is a convenient attractant, similar to lipstick or deodorant stick. To flavor the bait, just apply a couple of strokes to it. Some fishermen are alarmed by the second word in the name, because sardine is a sea fish; it is not found in fresh water bodies, which means that its smell can hardly tempt our predator. In fact, it is very possible. In England, for example, pike are successfully caught using sardines, but in nature these species do not come into contact anywhere.
Traper Spin-Past is an inexpensive and therefore quite popular Polish attractant. It is presented in several varieties, differing from each other in the type and intensity of aroma. For example, Spin-Past, intended for catching perch, is neutral in this regard, but after fishing for pike you have to thoroughly wash your hands. But all this is not important, the main thing is that the paste attracts fish, as many spinning anglers have already been convinced of. This attractant has one interesting feature - it has not only a specific aroma, but also an appetite-stimulating color. The set comes in a variety of options, from fluorescent white to a dark marsh hue.
Eagle Claw Nitro Cravy is an American product developed with the assistance of serious research and development resources. With the help of this attractant, ordinary silicone becomes almost edible. The predator does not realize until the last moment that he has been deceived. Fishermen have repeatedly noted that after a pike grabs it, it begins to literally chew the treated bait (put it in its mouth), just as it does with a real fish. The disadvantage of Cravy is that it does not adhere well to silicone, especially new and smooth ones. On ribbed silicone baits that have already been torn by predators, the lubricant holds much better.

Types of attractants for fishing

There are the following types of attractants.

By purpose:

For bait.
This fragrance allows you to highlight a specific item with a bright smell or even color. Sometimes you can find attractants on sale that cause a feeling of hunger, but they always contain a component of artificial origin. The price of such attractants is quite high.
For bait.
The purpose of using a flavoring agent is to collect fish in a certain area. Such substances are combined with conventional baits. It is believed that the best results are obtained by an attractant for winter fishing for roach.
General purpose.
The most commonly used are ordinary spices, which attract almost all types of fish. They are used for groundbait and bait.
Purpose.
The composition of such attractants is developed not only for a specific type of fish, but also for a specific season or weather conditions.

By release form:

Syrups.
Such attractants are applied to bait or added to bait.
Dry.
They are produced in the form of briquettes or paste. Such attractants are most often used for bait. Briquettes have proven themselves especially well, since they dissolve in water for a very long time and have a prolonged effect.
Liquid concentrates.
These substances require special storage conditions. It is not advisable to allow liquid flavors to freeze.
Sprays.
This form of release allows you to use the substance very economically. The spray is difficult to use for feeding, but it is very convenient to process the bait.

Material:

Traditional.
This includes food products such as honey, vanillin or other food additives. The use of such substances has no scientific basis. They were selected by chance and error. With the same success, you can use various medications, for example Corvalol. Basically, such additives attract peaceful fish.
Commercial substances.
Most manufacturers have their own laboratories in which research and development of new fragrances is carried out. It is also worth noting that attractant manufacturers often cooperate with companies that produce bait and groundbait.
Hunger center stimulants.
These attractants have appeared on the market relatively recently. These supplements are based on synthetic pheromones that affect the hunger center. In fact, these substances are difficult to classify as attractants, since this is a new type of bait. Synthetic substances affect the fish so that they begin to eat not only the treated bait, but also everything that is around.