I know this is an older post, but I have the same thing in my yard. While mowing over the weekend, I smelled very strong mint. I couldn't figure it out. I came across this forum and remembered that I mowed over some purpled-flowered weeds. I actually associated the smell with Vapor Rub. It was very strong. I think my plant is closer to the Black Horehound, but spaced very far apart from each other... like a wildflower, not ivy or a bush. Black Horehound is poisonous?? I read it had medicinal purposes. Here is a link that might be useful: Black Horehound

I have found typically that people who diss the Great Inland Seas of North America, have never fished or sailed there, which is why I asked. My last fishing trip to Florida was a bit of bust because the darn hurricane (that never came close to shore) had created such big seas, that there were small craft advisories the entire week that I was there. I had two charters scheduled for that week and both were cancelled due to waves. The surfing was great but fishing was off. I don't surf, but had fun watching. Because the sea was not cooperating, We did do some intercoastal waterway fishing. Got into the speckled trout which was fun. Didn't get any redfish this trip though.

I haven't been fishing musky for long, but know plenty of people that get them to bite on the second or third follow, sometimes with the same bait, sometimes with a different throwback bait. I wouldn't wait all day after a follow, but a couple extra casts will sometimes induce them to strike. If not, depending on the aggression shown during the follow, you leave, then come back to the spot later with a different presentation. I'm leaving tomorrow midday for a fall trophy hunt near the WI/UP border. Freezing temps means lots of warm clothes, slower moving baits, and a couple big fat suckers on quick strike rigs hanging over the side. I can't wait. By the way, a few musky guys I know from OH, KY, MO, etc. inform me that gar are in fact a blast to catch. Hard to get the iron into their bony mouths from what I'm told. Somebody also mentioned they can be caught with a frayed piece of nylon rope? Kevin I like muskies.

That scent derives from 'R. multiflora', and can be found in those roses with a lot of it in their ancestry -- Hybrid Musks and Polyanthas especially. I have 'Marie Pavie' in the front yard, and can smell it from my front door. In the back, most of the "musk" scent lingering in the yard comes from 'Bubble Bath', a Hybrid Musk I have trained as a climber against the fence. When "Darlow's Enigma" gets going, I can smell that from far away as well. 'Clotilde Soupert' has the scent, but it doesn't travel as far. Interestingly, I find that the true musk rose -- 'R. moschata' -- is scented more noticeably of cloves, but there's still the "musk scent" underneath. You'll find a slight variation on this scent among the non-Tea Noisettes. I have 'R. moschata' and its offspring 'Reverend Seidel', the latter of which smells like a mix of 'R. moschata' and "Darlow's Enigma". This makes sense since it has both 'R. moschata' and 'R. multiflora' in its parentage. :-) ~Christopher