Like most fishermen, Don Hager is skeptical of new angling products.

Hager owns the Sea Fox, an 80-foot recreational fishing boat based in Atlantic Highlands, N.J.

Hager knows how to catch fish, and experience has taught him that most “revolutionary” tackle products simply don’t live up to the hype.

So, Hager didn’t expect much when he tested the SureStrike scent dispersal device developed by Underwater Suspension Apparatus of Allentown.

But when Sea Fox clients started catching more bluefish, striped bass and tuna, he became a believer.

“It’s very, very good,” said Hager, noting that anglers who used the SureStrike product caught 40 percent more fish than those who didn’t.

USA president John Cramsey, 38, got the idea for SureStrike cylinders through his own fishing experiences.

“I’ve fished my whole life, (and) I realized scent was a big factor in catching fish,” he said.

There are dozens of liquid scent products that can be squirted onto lures or live bait to increase the odds of getting a bite.

The problem is these products are messy. Plus, the scent washes off quickly and must constantly be re-applied.

“What we made is a product that will keep it on for at least an hour,” Cramsey said.

SureStrike cylinders come in various sizes for fresh and saltwater use.

The product is a clear, two-piece plastic bobber with surgical tubing running down the center.

Fishing line is threaded through the tubing, and the cylinder is then twisted to kink the tubing and hold it in place. The distance between the cylinder and the hook can be adjusted simply by untwisting the tubing and sliding the cylinder up or down the line.

There are also holes on the side of the cylinder that can be opened and closed in small increments.

This allows liquid scent to be poured into the cylinder and released into the water at various rates, depending on the size of the opening.

SureStrike cylinders hit the retail market in November 2003.

Cramsey expects SureStrike cylinders to be on the shelves at major sporting goods retailers such as Wal-Mart, Kmart, Dick’s, Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops by year’s end.