It starts like most good fishing stories — early morning on calm water. The fog’s still hanging low, the world is quiet, and ideas come easier. That’s where the idea for Slab Sav was born: out on the lake, in real fishing conditions, chasing fish that wouldn’t commit.
Because as any angler knows, there are days when you do everything right — the right color, the right profile, the right spot — and still, the fish just follow. When crappie move in close and are deciding whether or not something is real, scent becomes more than a detail. It becomes the difference.
Panfish, may be more than any other class of fish, are very scent oriented creatures. That’s why so many guides and pros always use scent when using artificial baits in their fishing.
When “It Does Not Matter” Suddenly Does Matter
During a recent day on Dale Hollow, Corey Thomas of Lake Days Guide Service and Kris Mann, accomplished crappie tournament angler and Crappie Magnet Pro Staff Director, talked through the small details that separate a good trip from a great one.
“There are a lot of things that don’t matter — until they matter,” Mann said. “Scent is one of them.”
It’s the ace up your sleeve for those tough days when fish are skittish, pressured, or just plain finicky. Both anglers agreed that scent isn’t always the hero — but when the bite slows, it’s often the edge that keeps the rods bending.
“I don’t think scent ever hurts,” Mann explained. “Fish might not always need it, but when they’re hesitant or following instead of eating, that scent can be what convinces them to bite.”
The Science of the Strike
Most fish feed through smell as much as sight. That faint cloud of scent trailing from your bait creates a sensory path — one that feels organic, and worth investigating.
“Everybody knows scent works,” said Leland’s Lures founder Jeff Smith. “Sometimes you don’t need it — but when you do, it can make all the difference.”
He wanted a scent that would cling to a lure and still release a cloud or trail, keeping fish locked in longer — and that’s exactly what became Slab Sav, a long-lasting scent gel designed to stay put and keep releasing steady attraction cast after cast.
Scent Matters in All Styles of Fishing
For Corey Thomas, scent plays into his finesse-heavy style on clear lakes like Dale Hollow.
“When I’m getting a lot of ‘follows’ but no commitments, that’s when I reach for scent,” Thomas said. “That tiny scent trail can turn those looks into eats.”
On the flip side, Kris Mann — who leans toward a power-fishing mindset — uses scent strategically in tournament settings:
“In tournaments, I’m trying to cover water and get quick bites,” Mann said. “If I can add scent that gets fish to react faster, that’s just another tool to keep me ahead.”
The Difference You Can Feel
Slab Sav isn’t your typical oil or paste. It’s a gel built to stay on the bait, releasing scent steadily and naturally. That means less reapplication and more fishing time. And with its precision nozzle, you can apply it cleanly inside an Eyehole Jig, along bait grooves, or anywhere scent can work best — without the mess.
Smith described the difference between Slab Sav andSlab Bites like this.
“Slab Bites are your extended release. Slab Sav — well, that’s your instant release.”
It’s like the difference between taking an aspirin or putting a joint cream like Icy Hot on sore muscles. The aspirin will take longer to get into the system but will help alleviate pain more slowly and evenly. While the topical cream applies itself to the pain right now but won’t last as long.
When the bite window is short, that instant burst of scent can make the difference between seeing a fish swim away and feeling the rod load up.
Scent has to be water soluble for a fish to filter it in. So you want scents that release and stay in the water, not scents that are oil based sprays that actually repel water. A fish never actually gets an oil scent in its olfactory rosette.
Give Fish One Less Reason to Say No
There’s no guarantee scent will be the answer every day — but the best anglers don’t wait to find out the hard way and have never had a situation where scent hurt their fishing.
“Some days, only the rods with scent get hit,” Smith said. “You don’t always know which day that’ll be, so I say — give the fish one less reason to tell you no!”
For Corey, Kris, and countless others, that’s what scent does best — it gives you confidence when the bite is tough and proof when the fish commit.
The Takeaway
Scent doesn’t replace skill, but it multiplies the results of good technique. It turns hesitation into hookups. It keeps fish engaged longer. And on those tough, quiet days when everything else seems dialed in but the bites just won’t come, it can be the one small detail that changes everything.
