Absolutely, using a shad fish attractant spray on your plastics and lures can be highly effective, especially when targeting bass. From the video context provided, it's clear that shad are a primary forage for bass in various seasons, particularly in the fall and pre-spawn periods. Here’s why and how you might want to use a shad attractant spray:
Mimic Natural Forage: Bass are often keyed in on shad, especially during the fall when they are chasing shad on the flats, as mentioned by Jason Krista in the "2 Soft Plastic Colors for Fall Success" video. Using a shad-scented spray can make your lure more appealing by mimicking the scent of their natural prey.
Enhance Bite Chances: Scent can be a crucial factor in getting bass to commit to a bite. As Randy Blaukat mentioned in "The Reality Of Using Scents On Your Lures," even a dead shad can attract bass. A shad scent can make your lure more enticing, especially in pressured waters where fish are more cautious.
Cover Human Scent: Fish can be deterred by unnatural smells, including human scent. A shad attractant can mask these odors, making your lure more natural to the fish.
Apply to Soft Plastics: Spray your soft plastic baits like worms, swimbaits, and creature baits. This can be particularly effective when flipping or pitching into cover, as the scent can linger in the area, attracting bass.
Use on Hard Baits: While soft plastics are the primary candidates, you can also spray hard baits like crankbaits and jerkbaits. This can add an extra layer of attraction when you're using visual and vibration cues.
Reapply as Needed: Scent can wear off after a few casts or after catching a fish, so it’s a good idea to reapply the spray periodically to maintain its effectiveness.
In summary, using a shad fish attractant spray can definitely enhance your bass fishing experience by making your lures more appealing and masking unwanted scents. Give it a try next time you're out on the water, and you might just see an increase in your catch rate!