TOPIC:

I'm going to be doing some "field-research" on scent products for salmon and trout fishing. I've diddled with it over the years. I've never found it to be a miracle worker, never thought it hurt anything.  I have a few questions perhaps some of you can answer. 

1) Many of the products are like vasaline based so they make the lure feel greasy. So how do you clean off the lures either to descent them or at least to clean them up so they don't crud up with dirt and grease and contaminate other lures in the tackle box.  

2)  One idea is to swap the scent on tiny chunk of sponge or cloth which can be pinned on a hook and hopefully not screw up the action of the spoon or lure. Anyone ever try this? 

3) Anyone "always" do it, sometimes do it? I assume most never use it.  

4) for "frequent" users - any favorites?  I'm not particularly interested in catfish, bass other species - perhaps Lake Erie walleye.  

Other comments?  

Well years ago we did some testing of our own. As with you we could never say yea or nay to weather it worked or not. Some days it seemed to make a difference but others days it seemed to keep them away. 
Anyway you are asking about washing after use. I know some would always seem to be left on the baits after use. Back then we did do anything with them. Could have hurt, for sure didn't help because after time the baits lost their "look". But I have watched a TV show (Fishing 411) that uses the Pro Cure for salmon & trout. They show quite a bit on how they wash each bait after it comes out of the water & before getting re-set. So take it for what it's worth. 

I've used Atlas Mike's Herring UV Super Scent on spoons over the last couple of years.  Sometimes it seems the spoons that we put it on get bit more, other times doesn't seem like it makes any difference.  Never put it to a true test, like running the exact same setups on both sides of the boat with one side scented and the other side unscented.

If you don't at least wipe the scent off your lures with a paper towel or rag before putting them away, the scent turns to a very sticky brownish yellow goop after sitting in storage a while.  I used Simple Green to clean mine when I went through my spoon box at the end of the season.  I have been told that WD40 works well, but have not tried it yet.