How To Differ Between A Perch And A Bass Bite

[basslover12345]

So, How do you guys do this? I went out today to a reservoir and Landed a 12-13 inch yellow perch within the first 15 minutes on a shakey head, it bit just like a bass, then my dad had 3 other bites he missed and I had 2 other bites as well, I was using 6 pound P-Line with my WaveSpin DHxL spinning reel. What do i do?

[WRB]

set the hook reagrdless if the bites are several quick ticks; reel set by cranking the reel and sweeping the rod back. If the worm is pulled back from the jig head, then give it another second befroe cranking. Smallies and perch bite sometimes the same way.

Tom

[basslover12345]

set the hook reagrdless if the bites are several quick ticks; reel set by cranking the reel and sweeping the rod back. If the worm is pulled back from the jig head, then give it another second befroe cranking. Smallies and perch bite sometimes the same way.

Tom

Do Largies and perch bite the same way?

[WRB]

Do Largies and perch bite the same way?

No, LMB tend to engulf their prey in 1 bite, several quick taps are either bluegill, perch, rock bass or sometimes smallmouth. It's best to move if you are into a perch school.

Tom

[JellyMan]

Bass feels more like a weight on the end or 1 or 2 solid bumps. Smaller fish feel like *bump...bump bump bump bump.....bump bump*.

Either way... give it a sec, real in your slack, and set the hook.

[NoBassPro]

No, LMB tend to engulf their prey in 1 bite, several quick taps are either bluegill, perch, rock bass or sometimes smallmouth. It's best to move if you are into a perch school.

Tom

If I was on a school of perch that size I'd probably catch a meal, then move on.

For the record, I've caught perch on larger baits such as 3/4 oz spinnerbaits and size 13 rapalas. There's no tap, tap with those kind of baits, all you can really do is set the hook and see what it is, thats part of the fun of fishing.

[BrianinMD]

Set the hook anytime you feel a bite, you cannot tell by what you feel. Sometime of my biggest bass have been caught on those little tick tick tick bites. My biggest tourney fish this year so far, 5lb 10oz, was like that. Gave a half hearted hook set because I thought it was a bluegill. Luckily it was a light wire hook so it penetrated anyway.

[out_doors_guy]

Set the hook regardless! One of the biggest bass I've caught felt like the little tick, tick ,tick that most associate with panfish bites as well.

Additionally, Set the hook every time you feel something different. A lot of times you may not feel anything other than a slight heavy or mushy feeling.

[K_Mac]

Trying to determine species from the bite will cost you bass in the end. Sometimes when the bluegill are very aggressive I will pause for a second before setting the hook, but most of the time I just set the hook. As BrianinMD said, sometimes the biggest fish will fool you. Release (or keep) your perch, bluegill, crappie, catfish, drum, whatever, and move on. I caught a 36" musky last week that bit just like a bass...I didn't mind though.

[guest]

If something has my lure in its mouth, I'm going to cross it's eyes. This usually results in goggle eye (warmouth/rock bass) flying out of the water on the hook set. You can usually tell a panfish by the tick, tick, tick pecking motion. However, I've hooked into bass that bite like this.

I might be targeting LMB, but i'm happy to catch anything without line damaging teeth. I keep the decent size panfish for food and release my bass, works out well.

[Ratherbfishing]

I use gulp worms a fair amount and the perch/bluegill love them. If I were to set the hook on each "peck peck peck", I'd go through a half dozen bags of baits (or at least their tails) in no time flat. I dunno. After awhile, you get a sense for when it's a sunfish. The tap tap tap is usually hurried and the line doesn't straighten out comletely. When you pull the line, sometimes they'll hold on but you can usually pull them through the water. A bass will often carry the bait away from where it was and then you know to set the hook.

Especially if it's in or near rip rap, the bluegill will drive you crazy.

[NBR]

Years ago I heard Woo Daves at a seminar. He said, " Before this seminar is over someone will ask how do you tell if you have a bite. So I'll tell you now. You know what not having a bite feels like. So when it feels different set the hook". You may lose a few baits but you will catch a a lot more fish. Trying to figure out what is biting is a lot easier when you land the fish be it bluegill, perch, walleye or bass.