What is the best Fish Attractant you have used?

[HillbillyGeek]

A year ago I asked the WDFW if it was legal to use WD-40 as an attractant. Here's their reply:

Thank you for your e-mail correspondence to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Fish Program. The following response has been provided to you from Steve Thiesfeld, the Puget Sound Recreational Salmon manager for the agency. Steve is based out of the WDFW headquarters building in Olympia and can be reached at 360-902-2715.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife does not have any rules prohibiting the use of WD-40, except where bait is prohibited, such as in a river where "Selective Gear Rules" are in effect. When Selective Gear Rules are in effect, all scents, petroleum based or otherwise, are prohibited, along with natural baits.

I called the company that manufactures WD-40 and they confirmed that it is a petroleum based product. I also called the Washington Department of Ecology headquarters here in Olympia and was told by their Water Quality division that they have no prohibition against the use of WD-40 on fishing tackle in the very small quantities that most anglers would use.

However, technically the use of WD-40 would be illegal in "navigable waters" under section 311 (b) (1) of the Clean Water Act. I have attached a small excerpt here:

"(b)(1) The Congress hereby declares that it is the policy of the
United States that there should be no discharges of oil or hazardous
substances into or upon the navigable waters of the United
States, adjoining shorelines, or into or upon the waters of the contiguous
zone, or in connection with activities under the Outer Continental
Shelf Lands Act or the Deepwater Port Act of 1974, or
which may affect natural resources belonging to, appertaining to,
or under the exclusive management authority of the United States
(including resources under the Fishery Conservation and Management
Act of 1976)."

Furthermore, the quantity of oil which would be prohibited is defined by 40 CFR 110.3:

"§ 110.3 Discharge of oil in such quantities as ‘‘may be harmful’’ pursuant to section 311(b)(4) of the Act.
For purposes of section 311(b)(4) of the Act, discharges of oil in such quantities
that the Administrator has determined may be harmful to the public health or welfare or the environment of the United States include discharges of oil that:
(a) Violate applicable water quality standards; or
(b) Cause a film or sheen upon or dis-coloration of the surface of the water or adjoining shorelines or cause a sludge or emulsion to be deposited beneath the surface of the water or upon adjoining shorelines."

A list of navigable waters can be found at http://www.uscg.mil/d13/Exhibit11_K1.pdf.

So, for most of the larger rivers and marine areas of Washington, it would be technically illegal to use WD-40 on fishing tackle. However, I don't know whether any federal agency, such as the U.S. Coast Guard, would actually prosecute such an offense.

I hope this answers your question. If not, feel free to call me at (360) 902-2715. Best of luck fishing this summer.

Sincerely,

Steve Thiesfeld
Puget Sound Recreational Salmon Fishery Biologist
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
(360) 902-2715

Please make sure you check for emergency rule changes before you harvest as follows:

Fishing Rule Change Hotline at (360) 902-2500
Shellfish Rule Change Hotline at 1-866-880-5431
Or, try our new searchable emergency rule link off our website at: https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/index.jsp

Additionally, for shellfish, make sure to call the Dept. of Health Marine Toxins PSP Hotline at 1-800-562-5632.

If you have further questions, please email again or call (360) 902-2700. Our Customer Service hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Sincerely,
Fish Program

>>> "HillbillyGeek" 07/01/2007 11:48 AM >>>
Is it legal to spray WD-40 on lures and/or bait? There's a debate happening on a fishing web page and nobody seems to know the answer. Supposedly WD-40 contains fish oil, which is a natural substance. The other ingredients - who knows?

[kutthroatkilla]

I'll go with Dick Nite's DNA for salmon and kokes! Can't beat the stuff. Second to that, smelly jelly does the trick on them spoons, plugs, flashers, etc. (when allowed per regulations).