Ok, this might not be the right place to ask but I think the question/topic could go in any of the three topics.

I have some questions about salt in lure and the effect on bass.  I know in a senko style bait salt is mostly used as weight to get it to sink at a perticular speed.  The problem is when trying to make a certain color of bait salt effects the color especially in translucent colors.  It turns opaque.

That was the background to asking this question.

Does salt actually work, and make the fish hold on longer or do you guys think scent would be good enough with a soft bait.  I've fished baits with salt and without and I'm starting to wonder if its really a necessity except on baits that need to sink.I've been fishing finesse worms with no salt on ds and shakey rigs that work great.  Like I said no salt and the colors are awsome.  

Is there any scientific proof that salt does work and makes the fish hold on longer?

Wanna hear my take ?

I don 't have the slightest idea if it will make the fish hold on to the bait longer, have fished for a long time and have found no difference between salted baits and unsalted baits in that aspect. So before someone comes and tells me that X,Y and Z manufacturers have done tests of unsalted vs salted vs scented that prove salted baits are mouthed by the fish for a longer period of time and try to sell me the idea I 'm going to say: "if you believe it does I 'll be the first one to tell you to use them, just like red hooks, scent, feeding stimulators, biosonix & color c-lectors, you believe use them.

GMAN,

I have some favorite plastics that have very little or no salt and also use some that are heavily salted... as for anything but weight I always doubted the salt did much and here is why I thought that- to get a strong flavor the salt must be at or on the surface and my thinking is that what little bit of salt is at the surface will "taste" but anything that was on the surface has washed off before the fish saw it and all the weight salt in the middle is useless for flavor.

Take all this with, yes... a grain of salt.  (sorry)  because:

when I was reading some of Doug Hannon's answers to questions, he made the statement that bass have a good sense of taste.  I had always heard that they had a weak sense of taste until I read his comment.  So does that mean anything for salt in particular?  I don't know.  But based on my own experience I doubt the flavor of salt does anything extra.

Have you ever read a longer "I don't know"?  ...lol  

My favorite plastic worm in the world (Culprit) was packaged without any salt for 20 years.

Then 9 or ten years ago they packed em in salt, now they are back to no salt, just scented.

I have no confidence that salt makes a difference. JMHE

Ronnie

I think that salt is used to make human odors more than anything and when it gets wet it does away after several casts

To the extent that salt impacts the overall composition of the GYCB plastics, I think it is critical. Texture is why I think bass tend to hold a Senko longer. Try a bite, it feels good to me and has no intense underlying flavor. Chew a Senko and you will notice a gritty component which may be the salt crystals. The overall sensory reaction is one of "fullness." I think it simply feels right to bass.

I've never had a fish spit it out because of salt. And just try to go on postive reaction from fish if they bite I accepted.

Garnet

Try a bite, it feels good to me and has no intense underlying flavor. Chew a Senko and you will notice a gritty component which may be the salt crystals.

Yes, it's the salt... once in a while I'll take a bite but also chew for a while, it's something about the Tx heat in the summer and needing salt.    salt tabs would just be too easy.  ...lol

Beer in one hand, salty stickbait in the other...Ever wonder why your wife thinks your nuts?

My wife once asked me, "Where do you guys go to wash your hands before eating a sandwich and chips?"

Hun?

My wife once asked me, "Where do you guys go to wash your hands before eating a sandwich and chips?"

Hun?

There 's plenty of water all around the boat.  ;D

It is common knowledge that the blood of animals is saline that is it contains sodium chloride in solution.

The chemical notation for sodium is Na+. When combined with chloride, the resulting substance is table salt.

"Where do you guys go to wash your hands before eating a sandwich and chips?"

Hun?

;D That's a great one!! Doesn't she know that the sweat off the beer can is almost as good as purell? :-?

Back before you didn't like Janet Jackson, she had a big hit called "Nasty Boys."

Yep, I'm one of those guys!

To the extent that salt impacts the overall composition of the GYCB plastics, I think it is critical. Texture is why I think bass tend to hold a Senko longer. Try a bite, it feels good to me and has no intense underlying flavor. Chew a Senko and you will notice a gritty component which may be the salt crystals. The overall sensory reaction is one of "fullness." I think it simply feels right to bass.

Thats one of the ways you know your really into bassin, when you start actually tasting your baits!

By the way, anything that tastes like garlic is really tasty on a long tourney day with a saltine, and a little slice of senko.  ;D

UH OH.......I think we might be having RW's "Fat Ika Chili" at the Fork  

Don't kid yourself, RW wouldn't waste an ika by chunking it up in the chili.  

RW wouldn't waste an ika by chunking it up in the chili.

No kidding, if you price them by the pound it would actually be cheaper to use tenderloin in the chili!    (or even the Yamamoto kobe beef!!)