Bass Hierarchy

[AK-Jax86]

Do you think within a group of bass their is hierarchy?

I've noticed two conflicting behaviors.

1.) I was fishing a KVD 1.0 crank and I reeled it in about 10 feet off shore and a bass followed it in. I left it sitting on the top of the water and the bass sat their and watched it. I jerked it a little and the fish went to go attack it then turned around swam off I'm like what went wrong. 2 seconds later a huge one comes in and grabs the crank.

2.) Another time me and my buddy see this huge bass most likely double digits or close to it. He throws out his worm and the bass slams it and bites the worm in half. I then cast out a little bit in front of it and I get it's attention it looked like it was about to slam my swim bait and then a 7lber comes out of nowhere and slams my swim bait.

So I didn't know if anyone knows the answer to this or has seen this behavior before. The first case the littler fish let the big fish take the bait. It was almost as if the little one was about to commit but got called off so the bigger one could eat. In the second case the big one was going to commit and then the smaller one swooped in a stole it.

What is your take on this I always wanted to know. I know there is hierarchy in other animal species I was just curious about bass, I'm not sure if there is a definite way to say yes or no maybe someone can shed some light I'm sure I'm not the only one who has thought about this

[Scott F]

I've witnessed just the opposite while fishing for smallmouth. I see a good sized fish approaching my bait, and a little dink jumps in and grabs it. It's happened many times.

[AK-Jax86]

I've witnessed just the opposite while fishing for smallmouth. I see a good sized fish approaching my bait, and a little dink jumps in and grabs it. It's happened many times.

Yea that happened the second time the 7lber was a dink compared to the big one we were going for

[Dwight Hottle]

I think the only hierarchy among bass is between one big enough to eat the other. Otherwise who ever gets there first eats.

[Montanaro]

Every bass for himself.

 

Unless it comes to territory apparently (non schooling).  That stickup out there?  If there is a big bass on it, he will likely run off smaller bass (whom he'll eat).  If you pull a dink off it, you are probably better off moving on (so I've concluded from Roland Martin)

[Bluebasser86]

I've witnessed just the opposite while fishing for smallmouth. I see a good sized fish approaching my bait, and a little dink jumps in and grabs it. It's happened many times.

Had this happen many times with smallmouth, most recently with one of the biggest smallmouths I've ever seen. She followed my bait to the boat and was so big and dark I thought it was a drum. Dropped my bait back to the bottom and she followed it back down and right as she got out of sight I got hit. I was more than disappointed with the 13 incher that had actually taken my bait. I have had big smallmouth and largemouth both try to steal a bait away from a smaller fish though, sometimes successfully. 

[BassinLou]

What gets under my skin is, when I fish in an area that looks completely void of life. Then I get a hit, set the hook on a 2 lb bass, then 2-3, 4-6 lbs bass come out of no where to try to eat the lure sticking out of the little 2lbr mouth!!

[SirSnookalot]

I've witnessed just the opposite while fishing for smallmouth. I see a good sized fish approaching my bait, and a little dink jumps in and grabs it. It's happened many times.

I see this with lots of different species, one reason I don't  a PB too serious.  I catch the fish that gets to the lure the fastest, that can be out of my control if here are more than 1 in an area.