Great BioEdge Article

Decoteau: April 2011
Column: Best Bass’n

Maine’s BioEdge…

“Attractant and Fishing Tool”
By Billy "Hawkeye" Decoteau

Working with Professional Bass Anglers Mike Iaconelli and Pete Gluszek, as we traveled across the United States hosting The Bass University (www.TheBassUniversity.com) weekend seminar programs, one common phrase kept being utilized in every seminar…”It’s a Fishing Tool!”
No doubt the extensive amount of angling knowledge and application of techniques learned today far exceeds what the average bass angler acquired ten years ago! Although each seminar instructor expressed their utilization of they’re personal angling tools, in a variety of ways to achieve success, Iaconelli’s explanation along with Gluszek’s and Dave Wolak’s applications, triggered my enthusiasm for expanding the application of my angling techniques.
Contacting Bassmaster Elite Angler Mark Menendez of Paducah, KY, a dedicated Fishery Biologist and student of the Black Bass, I presented Menendez with the following question. “Explain to me how and why you apply and utilize fish attracting scent on your baits?”
As Menendez explained the scientific approach to understanding how and why a Black Bass reacts to an artificial lure, it became apparent of the necessarily for an angler not only to present his lure in a natural manner, but to appeal to a Black Bass’s natural instincts as well!
“It’s imperative in today’s world of competitive bass angling to stay in tune with the underwater aquatic world, if you’re to be successful,” says Menendez. Elaborating further, “The Black Bass depends on two basic forms of forage, Crayfish and Baitfish. Knowing the exact forage base within a body of water, then expanding on the most prevalent forage available in that body of water, gives me an edge as to the type of baits and scent formulas to utilize within my lure presentations.” (www.MarkMenendez.com)
That edge or advantage Mark Menendez relies on for appealing to a Black Bass’s sense of smell, taste and touch is BioEdge fishing attractant. “BioEdge is 100% natural. Which means when I choose the correct forage scent for the dominant forage base in that body of water, my lures will appeal positively to these senses.” (www.BioEdgeFishing.com)
According to BioEdge President Peter Cowin, the 100% natural ingredients in their fish attractants contains, oils, pheremones, enzymes, amino acids and steroids, all of which are found in the actual baitfish. “If the label reads Crayfish, it’s 100% Crayfish, if the label reads Sunfish it’s 100% Sunfish, and so on for all our BioEdge formulas,” insists Cowin.
Listening to Mark Menendez’s ‘Fishery Biology 101 Class’, Menendez too triggered a brain cell of enthusiasm within my memory bank! Shouting I yelled……”Stop right there! Repeat what you just said!” Hesitantly Menendez repeated, “A bass utilizes its inner ear for hearing your bait, while its lateral line will detect the most minute underwater vibrations of swimming baitfish, as well as the crawling movement of crayfish.” Shouting again I replied, “That’s where the ‘Tool Factor’ comes into play!”
It’s obvious that marinating soft plastics with BioEdge, these baits will absorb the attractant and then slowly release the attractant as the bait is worked within the water column. What’s not so obvious is that BioEdge attractant with all of its 100% ingredients also replicates the genetic natural movement throughout the water column by eliminating friction caused by non- lubricated baits moving throughout the water column.
“You just went to the head of the class,” laughed Menendez. “Every living creature within the aquatic world as well as those that that swim on the surface, humans included, have a natural oil lubricating process. Therefore when I apply scent to my artificial baits, I am also lubricating them. If my bait imitates a swimming baitfish it not only emits the natural scent of this forage, it also has the natural oils of the same forage allowing my lure to closely resemble a more natural movement in my presentations.” Menendez added, “As a Fishery Biologist, I adamantly believe in stacking the odds in my favor and that includes appealing to a bass’s olfactory glands! However, as a Professional Bass Angler, I know the importance of presentation in triggering a black bass to eat my baits! And, that is where the BioEdge lubricating ability of the wand comes into play!”
Continuing Bassmaster Power Tackle sponsored Elite Pro-Angler Mark Menendez revealed several other ‘Tool Factor’ advantages of utilizing BioEdge attractant on all of your baits. “I like to coat my baits with the wand because it can be applied to every one of my baits all year long. It is quick, mess free, last longer and best of all I can keep it in my pocket where it is extremely handy.” (www.PowerTackle.com)
As Menendez continued and I complied a notebook of applications and technique specific tips, it became apparent my understanding of utilizing BioEdge as a fish attractant was only a drop in the bucket to its ability as a bass catching tool! Mark Menendez enlightened me to the importance of applying the solidified BioEdge wand formula, to other areas besides my lures body.
“Soft plastic baits as well as jig skirts have a natural feel to a bass, however hooks, jig heads, weedguards and weights all present a negative feel to a bass,” suggest Menendez. To eliminate this Menendez applies BioEdge Crayfish scent in the wand formula to each of these harder components. “When it comes to soft plastics and jig shirts I prefer to coat these with the potion formula.” Mark Menendez instructs anglers that only a few drops of BioEdge potion formula, worked into jig skirts or spread throughout the body of soft plastics is all that is needed.
A seasonal approach to utilizing BioEdge as a fish attractant and angling tool, just might add a few bass to your livewell. In the early spring when bass are suspended or slowly traveling migration routes both jigs and suspended jerkbaits play a major role in an anglers arsenal.
Appling BioEdge wand formula to the hooks, split rings nose, bottom and tail sections of jerkbaits, as well as to the first foot or two of your line, just might be the ticket to triggering a strike? While the potion formula applied to jerkbaits and crankbaits has a tendency to spread itself leaving a baitfish scented trail.
Bottom bumping jigs, including hair jigs coated with Crayfish potion on hair and skirts, will emit the movement of these crustaceans, while a Crayfish coating of the wand formula on jigheads, hooks, trailers, and weedguards will aid in sluggish bass holding on tighter and longer! Don’t forget the first foot or two of your line!
Filling a tube bait with BioEdge Crayfish wand formula and coating the outside of a tube with Sunfish potion is just too much for bedding bass to resist…they just want to kill these tubes. Once again, slow moving reaction type bedding bass baits coated with the potion will leave a stronger scent of predators surrounding a bed.
As summer comes into play and matted vegetation, docks, lily pads and other forms of above water cover become bass hideouts, coating your frogs, worms, etc with thick coats of BioEdge wand formula such as Frog scent will allow your baits to slither, slide and enter the water in the most bass appealing natural presentation.
“If punching heavy matted vegetation is your technique, than totally coat your entire rig with BioEdge Sunfish or Crayfish wand formula. Your presentation will pierce this thick vegetation like a bullet.” But Menendez warns, “Be prepared to set the hook immediately once your rig reaches the open water below the mats, as bass will inhale your BioEdge coated baits!”
Anglers interested in acquiring additional information on BioEdge’s large assortment of fish attractant formulas can visit www.BioEdgeFishign.com

God Bless and Best Bassin

Northwood’s Sporting Journal
Office: 1.207.732.4880
www.sportingjournal.com
Column: Best Bass’n
April 2011 Issue

Billy “Hawkeye” Decoteau is an outdoor journalist with a strong passion for pursuing the Black Bass. His activities include covering and photographing professional bass trails, Massachusetts, Connecticut and New England Director for USA Bassin Tournament Trails. As well as emceeing The Bass University with Professional Bass Anglers Mike Iaconelli and Pete Gluszek, or emceeing benefit tournaments such as Maine’s Annual May Special Olympics Benefit Tournament, Bill may also be found on the water filming his television show The Bass Bureau…………Where the Road Meets the Water or in the classroom at many of the regional sportsmen shows holding bass seminars, and sharing winning techniques utilized by some of the nationals’ top-bass pros.