I put a lot of faith in the scent thing.
Growing up, my dad was big into offshore fishing. Even in those days, if you pumped fuel or checked fluids, you didn't touch baits. I still do this today. If I must pump fuel, I wear tripled up nitrile gloves and scrub afterwards. Even if live bait, I still don't want fuel marinated hands grabbing them.
One of my other passions, besides crappie fishing, is speckled trout fishing. Even in the dark waters of the icw I still don't the fuel/petrol smell on my baits. I took a buddy of mine one day, we were mirrolure fishing that time of year. We slung plastic the first few hours and them he busts out the garlic oil spray. I'm joking him pretty good when he gets a bite, then another, then another... Hey Troy, gimme some, it's not funny anymore. I reckon we caught 75 or so that say with the spray. I don't know if they like garlic, if it covers the human scent, or what, but it works. I now shoot that stuff on everything except gulps.
Gulps- stink like crazy... But they work. Again, more gloves because of the stink, but I catch a lot of big flounder on them.
So yeah, I believe the scent thing.