For FishingMagician.com, I'm Eric Granstrom. I can't remember the year for sure, but I know it was the 1970's. We didn't know as much as we do today about chemicals and polluting the environment. This was a time when the bald eagle was near extinction, creating a ban on the use of DDT. So forgive my now-departed grandfather, but I remember his tackle box including a bottle of WD-40. We were bouncing around in Puget Sound preparing our lures to fish blackmouth and the last thing he'd do before dropping the gear overboard was spray a little WD-40 on the flashers. I asked him why and he said it's all about scent. "Scent?" I pondered in my mind. "You mean fish can smell?!" It was an odd concept for a 9-year old. Fish actually have nostrils, well, they're actually called nares, that they filter water through to "smell" chemicals in the water. It can help them avoid predators, find food and a mate, as well as direct their migration. Thankfully, we have much better options of scents on the market today to add to your bait, lures and flashers in an environmentally safe way. Leave the WD at home. Until next time, Good Fishing!