The Sense of Smell

SMELL

You’d better take a coffee break before you get into this.

Catfish, suckers, carp, sturgeons, eels, crabs, snails, turtles – the list of those who make a living through their noses is long and goes on – but you get the idea.

There is no better bait for snapping turtle than big pieces of rotten eels. You go with a six penny finish nail and a hundred and fifty pound stainless steel leader with at least three swivels on twenty-five of the wire, which is anchored to a large stake in the ground.

Let’s face it, humans have the same trait. Should a pizza arrive somewhere nearby you, you will smell it out. The smells of the boardwalk – pizza, popcorn, hot dots, burgers – who could walk more than a block or two without sampling something along the way, even though you might not be hungry.

This is a weakness that can’t be over exaggerated and can be greatly exploited by the serious angler. Some fish, such as sharks, can be lured into a range from extremely long distances, even miles away, but nearly all inshore fish rely heavily on their sense of smell to find food.