For whatever reason, trout have, indeed, shown that they are attracted to the garlic scent. Anglers have been using garlic baits for trout with great success for decades.
Some things just don’t make sense. Like the little hook-keeper just above the cork handle on your fly rod. Nobody uses them anymore, yet manufacturers keep building rods with hook-keepers.
I’m a die-hard fly fisher. I haven’t used a baitcaster or spinning rod for trout in years. And that means I haven’t used bait for years.
But when I went fishing with some local kids not long ago, I had to help them set up their spinning rods. They wanted to try their hands at fishing for the first time. They didn’t know where to start.
So, a group of volunteers and I took some kids to the nearby fishing pond, where the state Fish and Game Department regularly puts rainbow trout from eggs.
“So what do we use for bait?” one of the kids asked me. I just finished rigging up his rod, and I had the same question. I looked over at a buddy of mine who helped organize the outing.
He shook his head, and handed me a little jar of marshmallow bait. I looked at the label.
It wasn’t a foreign notion, I guess. After all, trout do have a keen sense of smell. Trout have two noses, which are called “nares,” on the tip of their snouts. They use them to smell everything in the water.
Trout don’t use their nostrils to breathe. That’s what gills are for. Their nares are only used for olfactory purposes.
And garlic? Well, let’s just say it has a certain odor. And, it would appear hatchery rainbows love the stuff.
During the kids’ trip, the clove-scented bait I wrapped around a snelled hook caught the trout. Dropped under a single split-shot weight and dangled under a bobber, the garlic bait worked wonders.
Garlic has been used by bait anglers for years. But I’m also learning that it’s mostly used to catch stocked trout. These are fish that were raised in concrete raceways and fed a steady diet of pellets.
The senses of a stocked trout are likely a bit muted. That’s because they don’t see, hear, or smell the same things that wild trout do every day. And the strong smell of garlic might be enough to get a hatchery trout excited if they’re used to getting fish food thrown into their tanks.
That may be why kids using the garlic bait cleaned up at the stocked trout pond.
Wild trout depend on their senses of smell for more than just food. The fish’s very sensitive nares are also used to help trout find their way back to the water where they spawn. Trout use their sense of smell to find fish that are spawning, to spot danger, and to check the quality of the water they swim in.
In fact, their sense of smell is 500 times more potent than our own. Even a hatchery trout has a better “nose” than we do.
That may be why the sharp odor of garlic appeals to stocked trout. But even then, nobody really knows why the sharp garlic smell appeals to trout. But, if you fish with garlic-scented bait, you know it works, right?.
Garlic baits come in various forms. I noted the marshmallow version above. It also comes in a dough and even in a gel. Some lures and soft-plastics are even coated in a garlic-scented chemical.
To use garlic-scented marshmallow bait and dough bait, simply form it around the hook. I’d recommend a size 12 snelled hook, and drop it below a light split-shot weight. The weight will help get the bait into the feeding zone. Without weight, marshmallow bait floats.
Garlic gel is simply applied to lures, soft plastics or even other baits. One of the anglers I fished with when we took the kids out is a die-hard bait angler. He smears garlic gel on his worms and salmon eggs.
Don’t overthink it. We fly fishers … we like to think that our brand of fishing has a higher calling. It doesn’t seem like such a pure art to trick trout with things made from feathers and fur when that same fish might eat a garlic-scented dough ball from a can.
If you like using bait to catch trout and you’re not using baits that smell like garlic, you should ask yourself why not.
As an angler, you’re always looking for ways to catch more and bigger fish And one secret weapon you may not have considered is garlic. The strong, pungent aroma of garlic has proved to be an effective fish attractant for generations of fishermen.
But do fish actually like the taste and smell of garlic? Or does it just confuse their senses? I decided to take a deep dive into the science and first-hand accounts behind garlic and fish. Here’s the breakdown on how and why this unusual vegetable can bring you angling success.
The Sense of Smell Underwater
To understand garlic’s appeal, you first need to know how fish experience scents in their aquatic environment
Most fish species possess a highly acute sense of smell thanks to their olfactory organs. Water carries scents much faster than air So fish can detect tiny amounts of certain compounds from far away.
This allows them to identify food sources, threats, mates, and more. Smell even plays into fish’s sense of taste.
So if a chemical scent signature indicates food, fish will instinctively home in. Garlic seems to trigger this feeding response.
Why Garlic Just Works
When garlic is introduced to water, the oils and sulfurous compounds release a strong aroma trail for fish to follow.
Some key reasons garlic stands out:
-
Potency – Garlic has one of the most powerful and pungent scents underwater. Fish can detect it from a distance.
-
No natural source – Unlike food-related scents fish know, garlic is unique and captures their curiosity.
-
Dispersion – Garlic oils spread quickly through water, creating an obvious scent trail.
Fish don’t necessarily “like” or “dislike” the garlic flavor. But thanks to the above factors, garlic triggers a strong investigatory response that brings fish to your bait.
Best Fish Species to Target with Garlic
While garlic can attract a variety of freshwater and saltwater fish, some species seem especially susceptible to its allure:
-
Catfish – Famous for their sense of smell, catfish come running to garlic scents.
-
Carp – Bottom feeders drawn to unique food sources like garlic.
-
Trout – Curious by nature, trout can’t resist inspecting garlic odors.
-
Tilapia – Quickly swarm around new garlic scent trails in the water.
-
Crappie – Will divert from cover to check out garlic aromas.
Garlic is so effective with catfish, there’s even a popular pre-made bait called Sudden Impact Garlic Catfish Bait. Of course, you can make your own garlic concoctions too.
Making Your Own Garlic Fish Attractants
With a few simple ingredients, you can whip up homemade garlic fish bait:
-
Garlic oil – Soak minced garlic in vegetable oil for a day then strain.
-
Garlic paste – Crush garlic cloves and mix with water into a paste.
-
Garlic salt – Combine garlic powder, salt, and oil for a cost-effective option.
Then simply add your homemade garlic mixture to:
- Bread, dough or corn dough balls
- Whole kernel corn
- Cheese cubes
- Salmon/trout eggs
- Shrimp
- Squid or cut bait
- Worms and live bait
I like to carry a few different garlic concoctions and test which one the fish seem to prefer most on a given day. Adjust your formula based on results.
Pro tip: The more oil used, the farther the garlic scent will carry underwater.
Secrets to Fishing with Garlic Successfully
To get the most out of garlic:
-
Enhance natural baits – Garlic excels at amplifying existing food sources, so focus on enhancing natural live or prepared baits.
-
Use strong setups – Garlic can attract big aggressive biters, so have sturdy rods/reels and steel leaders ready.
-
Watch the dosage – A little garlic goes a long way. Too much can spook fish or cover up other attractants.
-
Consider sustainability – If fish swallow garlic, release them gently to avoid overharvesting a spot.
-
Pair with other scents – Combining garlic with fish oils, anise, or molasses can really maximize effectiveness.
-
Get the timing right – Allow at least 10-15 minutes for the scent to fully disperse before re-casting a garlic bait.
With the right strategies, you’ll be reeling in excited fish thanks to the power of garlic!
Top Garlic Fishing Techniques
You can apply garlic to most angling methods, but here are a few specialty techniques that truly maximize its potential:
Garlic Chum Buckets
Placing minced garlic in a mesh bag and suspending below your boat or kayak creates a trailing scent trail that draws fish in from a wide radius. Just be sure to avoid over-chumming a small area.
Garlic Popping Corks
Affix a garlic paste sachet to the eye of your popping cork. Then cast into likely fish hotspots. The garlic will disperse on the surface and permeate down over time, while the cork also serves as a visual attractant.
Garlic Cage Feeders
Using a block of garlic salt or paste in your ground bait cage feeder strategically seasons the area as free offerings drift down, exciting fish to feed competitively.
Garlic Burley Bombs
Make small boiled garlic and oil flavor bombs and toss them around structure, vegetation lines, and other ambush points to draw curious fish out of hiding.
Garlic Fishing Q&A
Here are some common questions anglers have about maximizing garlic for fishing:
How long does garlic scent last in water?
The garlic odor will usually persist and remain effective for around 1-2 hours depending on temperature, flow, etc. Re-apply more garlic as needed.
Should garlic be used alone or with other attractants?
For best results, garlic is great paired with fish oils, blood baits, or even commercial pastes as it amplifies other strong scents. Avoid overdoing it.
Can you use fresh garlic or does it need to be aged?
Fresh garlic will work, but aged minced garlic soaked in oil makes the most lasting and potent scent trails in water.
Will garlic scent spook fish if it’s too strong?
Yes, moderation is key. A faint garlic scent is attractive, but too much can be overwhelming. Go slowly and find the right balance.
Is garlic oil or garlic salt better for bait?
Garlic oil results in the farthest-spreading scent trails underwater. But garlic salt also diffuses well for shorter distance attraction. Test both to see what works for your target species and conditions.
While garlic may seem like an unlikely fishing aid, its unique potency makes it one of the most effective options for attracting a wide range of sport fish. Anglers have relied on this ubiquitous vegetable for years to call fish in from far and wide.
Next time you head out on the water, don’t forget to pack along some garlic bait recipes. With the right approach, you’ll unlock the legendary power of garlic to catch more and larger fish consistently.
So use this smelly secret to your advantage. Just be courteous to any anglers downwind!
Why Does Garlic Scent Work for Trout?
Many believe it works very well for stocked trout that were reared in hatcheries. The fish didn’t have a chance to smell other smells in the water, so the strong smell of garlic might appeal to them.
What Other Smells Attract Trout?
Trout have keen olfactory systems, so the key on smells. Some anglers use fish oil or krill oil to attract trout. Others stick with traditional live baits that also give off smells, like worms or salmon eggs.
This STUDY Reveals The TRUTH About SCENTS
Why do fish like garlic?
Studies show that some fish have a very powerful sense of smell. It is known that a fish’s ability to smell is 1,000 times better than a dog’s. Fishermen have been using garlic for their bait for decades because it has a very strong smell. This is the main reason why fish like garlic, but there are other reasons too.
Can fish eat garlic?
Garlic produces a strong scent that fish can detect. The scent of garlic spreads quickly in the water and passes through the fish’s olfactory system and brain, classifying the garlic scent as attractive. Can garlic be effective as fish bait?
Is garlic a good bait for catching fish?
As we can see, garlic is a very effective bait for catching fish. It is also very common for artificial fishing baits because of the strong sense that it has on smell and taste receptors in their mouths, so fish tend to hold onto garlic baits longer.
Do fish like the smell of garlic?
Yes, fish have a strong sense of smell and can detect the smell of garlic. Studies show that fish’s ability to smell is 1,000 times better than a dog’s. Fishermen have been using garlic for their bait for decades because of its strong smell. The passage also mentions that some fish have a very powerful sense of smell.