In my never ending quest to "become one with the fishes", I am curious what species of fish "jump". It seems to me, that one sign of having found a good fishing spot (all other things being equal) is to see or hear fish splashing around. Let's assume you are in a spot that you know nothing about, but all intuition tells you that bass should be in this habitat along with other fish as well. I know carp like to roll on the surface doing their carp-y things, but not necessarily violent splashes/jumps (or do they??). Do any other species, namely something that would have no interest in lures used for bass, jump around?
On a side note, I noticed something I had never seen before this morning. I went fishing after work around 2 this morning (just got back and my wife is NONE too happy) so I went to a spot that is not really well known for bass, but has apparently produced some in the past. I heard some splashing around over by some weeds that I didn't really have a good angle on, but I tossed everything in my arsenal at it: worms, buzzbaits, lipless cranks, chatterbait, jig, you name it. This active fish (there were others making commotion as well) was having none of it. Then I thought it must be a catfish because I've heard they sometimes jump around for unknown reasons, but not too common. Ok, maybe Mr. Catfish will eat my worm? It's a stretch, I know, but I want to catch something. Nada. So I walk up the road and take a peak over the side of the bridge. I look down at the water and in the light of the street lamp, ~50 ft down, I can see what looks like LARGE things swimming around. I couldn't immediately tell what they were, but I kept staring and it was a whooolllleee slew of carp. Dozens of them sucking air at the surface. There was no way to get down on that side, so I walk further down the street to the other side of the bridge. Then I see it: the ENTIRE SHORE LINE is chalk full of freakin carp! I can see their little mouths sucking air and then I hear the noise that I previously thought was bullfrog and realize it is the carp. I have never seen carp do this, nor that many carp (in person). This is when I realize that I have been trying to bass fish.....for a carp. I wasted almost 4 hours trying to catch a carp with lures.
However, this story has a happy ending. A little while later, still before sun up, I notice another fisherman had shown up and he was fishing over on the bridge, obviously carp fishing. I walked over to him and asked if he came here often, if these wacky fish always do this, yada yada yada. Then he tells me about a spot on the same lake but down the road further that has produced some bass for him in the past. I get down there and it looks good: weeds, docks and overhanging trees. I immediately notice something, though: the fish jumping over here make a distinctly different noise when they crash the water. It is a much more violent splash, almost like an eruption in comparison. It is a splash with purpose. Woohoo! Bass! (I hope). I pull out my Spook because it's prime time: the water is like glass and the sun is just about to peek it's head out. "Bass" are jumping all around me, but want nothing to do with my spook. So I switch to buzzbait. Nothing. Pop-R. Nothing. Chatterbait. Nothing. I go through my arsenal. Nothing. I finally get a dink on a T-rigged finesse worm just as my wife texts me yelling at me for still being gone. I try to butter her up by telling her she is a good luck charm. It didn't work.
So, yes, this is somewhat of a fishing report but only because it helps illustrate my question: can you tell that the fish you are targeting, if basing that target on seeing them jump, is a bass? I know my story sounds as though I answered my own question, but there have been other times at other places too, where fish will be jumping and they are juuuust out of casting range. Teasing us shorebound fishermen.
