"I have made clam oil, and crawdad oil , neither is quite the same."

I wonder if "shellfish oil" is just shrimp, shrimp shells and crab shells rotted down, cause you a,int lived till you smelled 3 day old crabs. Shrimp after a couple of days a,int that bad

Id would die for Kaspar's bait, just cant afford 25 gals. every season. But if I could It would be all I used!!!!!

I've bought into the coon not liking to eat shellfish based baits.Interested in your opinion Rich.I've never tested on coon whether they will eat something with shellfish in it or not.Been reluctint to use shellfish based baits in little grizzes because I thought it tasted bitter to them.

"I've never tested on coon whether they will eat something with shellfish in it or not."

This is not a real test but behind a couple of bait shop / crab houses I trap the coon are all over the dumpsters with mussel shells clam shells crab shells etc just a thought out loud

My best day as far as full traps was when I baited with fresh frozen crab shells. Smelled good and loud too.

I havent read any response above explaining what synthetic shellfish oil is, or where it comes from. Come on now, someone out there knows what it is. I'm a chemist and I've search for this info before... As WR otis asked above, what is synthetic shellfish oil -- what is the chemical name? What chemical company makes it?

I'm almost positive it's the identical chemical to the natural stuff. But I'd like to know a little more about it. Anyone?

DMSO is a loud rank odor but I never thought to compare the two. I may have a degree in chemistry myself.

I believe if you look in Nick Wyshinski's newest book on lures & baits, he talks about how Shellfish oil came about. (I have the book, but can't find it to quote directly!) To paraphrase:
Shellfish oil was developed after talking to trappers requesting some type of a "shellfish essence". He then contacted a chemist friend who was able to come up with what we today call "Shellfish oil". But to answer part of the original question, yes, it is synthetic.

And to quote Russ Carman,"Despite claims to the contrary, shellfish essence is a synthetic product..."
"It's not a lure in the true sense of the word, it's a bait."

That's assuming that WalMart shripm are clean.
Waugh!
45/70,

Where is that lt. grey when ya need him lol??

I believe if you look in Nick Wyshinski's newest book on lures & baits, he talks about how Shellfish oil came about. (I have the book, but can't find it to quote directly!) To paraphrase:
Shellfish oil was developed after talking to trappers requesting some type of a


"shellfish essence".

so did any one ever use a oil made from ??? shrimp crab etc that was rendered like fish oil or has it always been a synthetic product? TIA guys

Yeah, shrimp oil is to be found, rich kaspar was selling it at one time, may still be, but its not the same as shellfish oil lol,more like just plain old fishoil.

Real uncut shellfish oil has a 25 dollar HAZMAT charge to get shipped any place so it was uncut you payed 25 dollars to get it to your door.

LOL Braveheart, it sounds like you've ordered it too. I don't understand the $25. hazmat charge, but the way I understand it, its because its flammable.

Yes, the shellfish oil you get today is synthetic. Synthetic means that molecularly its the same as organic shellfish oil, but produced in a lab. Imitation shellfish oil would not be moleculary the same, but may have a similar odor. (This is the way it was explained to me by my lure formulating mentor, Dave Edwards)

There are a lot of us who don't cut our shellfish oil. Usually you can tell by the price. If you find shellfish oil dirt cheap, the chances are a lot of that shellfish oil is vegetable oil, or another cutting agent.

It does have a hazmat charge from the manufacturer, but other lure makers that resell it usually dont charge it as the quanities are much smaller. Just because we dont charge a hazmat, doenst really mean it has been cut.

A can of worms for all of us, if you can read between the lines.
Many of us are flying below the radar so to speak.

I dont want a hazmat charge on orders sent out, and I dont think YOU do either. Lets just leave sleeping dog lie, eh.

Paul stated it best, when you see cut rate pirced shellfish oil, chances are its been cut with veggie oil.

There is an old saying "You get what you paid for"

Let me add this to the mix. When I use shellfish myself straight at the set, I DO cut it for my own use. Straight its very volitale, and disperses too rapidly at the set Ive found, so by cutting it about 50/50 it actually sticks around longer. In bait or a multi-ingrediant lure I see no need to cut it though, just when used straight.

It does taste like ca-ca, as Ive stuck my finger in it and tasted it (still alive). Added to fish, just keep it at 2-4 oz per gallon, and let yourself see if coons will eat it or not.

Ive tried rotting shrimp, clams and other stuff to make a natural shelfish oil, and have gone back to the synthetic every time.

THere is a synthetic shrimp and clam essence oil made also, and some real rendered ones too.

Ive found most natural sun rendered oil a little to rank for my liking as a coon attractant. Canine and cats a different matter.

Nick Wysinski is who got shellfish oil made for the trapping trade in the begining. He was the only source it could be boughten from for some years. I used to buy a lot of stuff from Nick 20 years ago.

The way I understand it from talking to lure-making friends, it's the high volatility of shellfish oil that makes it valuable as an additive. My partner and I add it to our fish oil at the 2-oz-per-gal ratio Kaspar recommends above, and it adds an extra bite to the otherwise mild-smelling oil. According to my lure-making buddies, the shellfish oil evaporates and carries with it molecules of fish oil, and thus the scent carries farther. Since we use our fish oil mostly for a trailing scent and we use a lot of it, we couldn't afford to use straight shellfish oil. Sounds like we wouldn't be wise to do it even if we could afford it, if it's so volatile it loses its strength quickly.

And as far as the synthetic issue is concerned, who cares? If it's made in a lab, quality control will be much better. I can't imagine a scenario in which a coon would refuse a set because the shellfish oil wasn't the real McCoy.

My questions have been answered at last!