Northwest Fishing Magazine July 2025 Volume 4 Issue 10 - Flipbook - Page 20
White shoepeg corn does
work because it contains
a particular enzyme that
acts as a bite stimulant. So
is it the corn or the enzyme
in the corn that works? It’s
the enzyme. So if you can
deliver the bite stimulant
enzyme without having
the weight of the corn, you
keep the action of the lure
intact.
DUDE: How is that
accomplished?
KOKANEE: In the past few
years, there have been
some significant industry
efforts put into the science
of scents. The results have
been amazing. Scents now
come in liquids and gels.
You may want to try the
gels on beaded spinners,
simply putting the gel on
the beads only – leaving the
hooks bare. For the squids
– hoochies. Try using only
the liquid stuff. Simply dip
the whole rigged up squid
into the liquid, shake off a
little of the excess, and you
are ready to go. Again, leave
the hooks bare. On spinner
bugs, use a bit of gel on the
body segments. Leave the
hooks bare.
DUDE: Let me guess.
Leaving the hooks bare
eliminates the short bite.
The fish is concentrating
on the color and scent, and
when the fish strikes the
lure, the hooks have already
done the deed.
KOKANEE: A year ago, you
would not have gotten that.
DUDE: I guess there might
be another good reason
to use the gels and liquids.
If there is a short bite,
you don’t have to bring
everything up to check and
see if you still have corn,
because you are not using
corn.
KOKANEE: And using the
scents instead of corn puts
way more attractive scent
on your lure.
DUDE: I don’t suppose you
would mind telling me
which scents are the most
effective?
KOKANEE: That’s right. Don’t
suppose.
DUDE: C’mon. I have been
working so hard at getting
better. Cut me some slack.
KOKANEE: Does your tackle
box contain just one
dodger and one lure?
DUDE: No. I have a lot of
stuff to throw at them.
I call it my arsenal.
KOKANEE: And the reason
why you have an arsenal?
DUDE: Because I can’t tell
from one day to the next
which is going to be the
most effective.
KOKANEE: Same with the
scents.
DUDE: Oh.
KOKANEE: Here is a sampling
