Can sunscreen, bug spray, or gas on my hands ruin the bite?
Yes, and this is not superstition. DEET, sunscreen films, nicotine, and petroleum products transfer from skin to lure and dissolve into the water around it, and lab work on salmonids shows measurable avoidance of several of these compounds at tiny concentrations — a fish that tracks food by parts-per-billion chemistry notices your bug spray. The slower your presentation, the longer the fish samples the plume before committing. Wash or wipe your hands after applying anything, handle bait last, and some anglers rub hands with streamside dirt or grass — crude, but directionally right.
The full story
This answer is one piece of a longer lesson — setups, diagrams and the reasoning behind it.
More questions about Smell & Taste
- How good is a trout's sense of smell?
- Are scent products legal and worth using for trout?
- What is the best sunscreen for trout fishing that won't put trout off — scent-free, mineral or spray?
- Does DEET bug spray damage fly line and scare trout — what insect repellent should trout anglers use?
- Which glue is safe for repairing trout lures, soft beads and trout worms — will super glue smell scare trout?
Same topic, other species
- Are scent products worth it for crappie? — Crappie
- What sunscreen should I buy for largemouth bass fishing so it doesn't ruin the bite? — Largemouth Bass
- Why does a muskie sometimes grab a live sucker and then drop it? — Muskellunge (Muskie)
- Are waxworms and maggots really better than plastics? — Yellow Perch
- Do scents and attractants on lures make a difference for pike? — Northern Pike
- What insect repellent should I use when smallmouth bass fishing — DEET or picaridin? — Smallmouth Bass
- Minnows, leeches, or crawlers — why does the best walleye bait change with the season? — Walleye