Fishing Tip of the Week: There is always a debate on whether or not fish attractants actually work. While there is no real evidence that proves it attracts more ...more bites because of the smell and taste, it does do one thing that does help get more bites. Attractants mask the odors and scent that the human hand leaves on a bait after handling it. Masking human scent and the scent of gasoline makes using attracts an advantage in any situation.