Newt says, as have others, that today's shellfish oil is not real. Rather, they say, it is synthetic. What I want to know is: #1 can critters tell the difference and #2 why is it synthetic?

#1 probably not
#2 because it's cheaper? idk

What makes it synthetic? I mean, is it made of rotted/rendered crabs and such or is it something out of chemistry class?

Yep and is cut even further with other stuff usually.

Doubt critters can tell difference, doubt they come into contact with shellfish oil in their environment, lol.

No idea as to why, probably cost prohibitive to produce real shellfish oil as well as not enough use's for it to be produced on a large scale.

Chemistry class.

When put in a food processor with cheap shrimp from Walmart it sure does make for a real good smell synthetic or not.

It don't taste good to coons though warden. Id not put it on my bait, just use it as an attractor in case they miss the trap, they get a taste of that stuff one time they won't fool with it again.

Thanks for the advise Jackie. I didn't know that. I always say you learn something everyday. Jackie just taught me something today as he has on other days aswell.

So, if it isn't rendered shellfish, what is it?

I have heard that for yrs but live coon tell me its mighty tasty. Atleast the ones I have tested have.

That's the problem river rat, I really don't think any two shellfish oils are the same, lol.

Too much cutting with and that here and there, I never know what im getting, nothing wrong in that as all of it works, but isn't consistent in my opinion.

For the record though, shellfish oil is about all I ever used when I was trapping coon, it fit my style I guess more than anything else, i never was one to make a big fuss about making a coon set, just flop a trap down, squirt oil near it and move on to the next spot.

You an I think they same as far as set trap and go go go. I get my oil from 2 places both get it directly from the manufacture in NJ. Its the pure stuff, one whiff will tell you that. I am going out on a limb here but I beielve most not all but most shellfish that is sold by the oz is cut. You can tell the diff once you have seen the pure stuff. I bought 2 gallons from Rich Kasper a few yrs ago and just now getting to the bottom. That stuff is STRONG !!! Another thing that changes it is air it needs to be stored in GLASS with no amount of air getting to it, that plactic will suck the gogo right out of it as will air if stored that way long.

What's the chemical name for it?

Jtrapper said "It don't taste good to coons though warden. Id not put it on my bait, just use it as an attractor in case they miss the trap, they get a taste of that stuff one time they won't fool with it again."

------------------------I AGREE------------------------
All I use is Fish Oil. Coons love it.Try some out on your dog. He/she will go crazy over it.
If your on LOCATION Fish Oil has a strong enoug oder to draw the coon in. If you want something for a longer distance call.Use a LDC,like my KRYPTONITE

I do set on location but tend to believe what LIVE coon in front of my eyes tell me not lure peddlers or other so called experts ... I listen to the target critter . ..

Because of where I live I catch a lot of grass shrimp every couple of days and use for coon bait grey fox bait. I have blue crabs in season as well as fiddler crabs / sand fiddlers. I also have quiet a few mussels, freshwater clams and oysters we can,t eat because of PCB s. Is shellfish oil (the real stuff) just one species or is a combo of several different things? Is making it like making fish oil? I read somewhere that it is cut with vegetable oil because it is so overpowering.

I read somewhere that it is cut with vegetable oil because it is so overpowering.

If thats the case why do they charge the same $$$ for the cut stuff ??

I was thinking of trying to make some . I,m just gathering info , your question I don,t know

I have made clam oil, and crawdad oil , neither is quite the same. And now making clam oil in IA is outlawwed .

Ive been putting uncut synthetic shellfish oil in my bait for 20 years or so, just dont over do it. Ive seen 1000's of pockets scraped out and bait eaten by coons, and have seen 1000's of coon die for it. I will have to say that coons not eating bait with shellfish oil mixed into it is nonsense.