The debate over the importance and effect of scents and flavorings in soft baits has been going on for decades. Some anglers are convinced that flavoring is the most important feature in a lure, other argue that flavor and scent are useless. Regardless of what camp you're in, you'll agree that it's impossible to sell a soft plastic commercially if it isn't scented, flavored, salted, or oiled. For that reason alone, we'll explore the in's and out's of adding these elements to your soft plastics.

Scents & Flavorings in Soft Plastics
According to tackle guru Ken Schultz, a scent is "an aromatic substance applied to or made part of artificial lures". These aromatic materials are intended to make the lure more appealing and easier for fish to locate. With the exception of the catfish which undoubtedly prefers smelly baits, most freshwater fish do not heavily rely on their sense of smell to locate food. In saltwater, where chumming is common, the need for scented baits is virtually nonexistent. Despite these facts, there are still many reasons for adding scents and flavoring to soft plastics.

Scents can be very beneficial in covering up smells that repel fish such as bug spray, tobacco, and human odors. Additionally, fish have a tendency to hold onto flavored lures for a longer period of time than non-flavored versions. This gives the angler more time to fell the strike and set the hook.

Worm Oil
Many manufacturers have started using scented worm oils to increase the marketing value of the lures. Oddly, worm oil was not traditionally used as a scent, but rather as a special type of lubricant used to preserve soft plastics in their commercial packaging. When soft plastic lures coexist in a package, they have a tendency to dry out, stick to each other, or bleed colors. Good worm oils can minimize these effects, giving the lures a longer shelf life.

Patent Issues
As a side note, Gene Larew received a patent on salt-impregnated fishing lures and has successfully sued and defended the patent in past court cases. Please be sure to review applicable patent laws before your make salted lures to sell commercially.