Will A Bass Hit Twice?

[Preytorien]

So I've heard it once said that if a fish can "taste" or feel the fact that it's been hooked, that fish is as good as done for the day (or a while at least), and that idea seems plausible. I've rarely ever had a fish get off-line then take my lure again.

 

However, today I was fishing a pocket on the bank, maybe no more than 20-feet wide, and a bass hit the lure, I fought it for a few seconds then it shook the frog free. I figured that pocket and any fish in it were wise to me and I moved about 30 feet down the shoreline. Not getting any bites I cast back into the pocket just to see what happened and *BAM* that bass hit it again, and this time I landed it.

 

What's been your experience with doubling up on the same fish? Is it true that a once-hooked fish is done for the day if it shakes free?

 

 

[slonezp]

Yes, yes, and yes

[Topwater98]

I have caught fish twice before. Once I was fishing off a dock trying to catch a bass that had followed a bluegill that was on someone else's line. I cast near it and hooked him. After fighting him for about 5 seconds he jumped and threw the hook. He stayed around the area. I think he was looking for more bluegill. I kept casting to him and was able to hook him once or twice more but both times he got off. So I think that a bass will often hit more than once. Hope this helps!!!

[merc1997]

i have broke off a bass, and caught it again on the very next cast, with my hook still in it.  the line cut on the hook set, so there was not a fight.  goes to show the peta people that bass do not feel the hook, just react to the pressure.

 

bo

[hookset on 3]

Yes, yes, and yes

 

X2.

 

If it's hooked a few seconds, then you can kiss it bye. Come back tomorrow.

[Tony L.]

I think it depends. In my experience, if one strikes the lure, and maybe even thrashes a little, but doesn't hook itself, it will almost assuredly hit it again. If, however, the bass does initially get hooked but then comes off during the fight, it almost never comes back. At that point, its usually gone but might be fooled again if I throw something different at it.

[alexandboi]

I think it just depends on the fish. I used to believe that as long as the fish was hooked it would not hit again, however I once fought a fish till it got to the shore and broke off. I caught it on the cast right after that and with my lure still in its mouth. I have also caught one once and released it, and a friend caught it right after I released it. I knew it was the same fish since it had the same black spot on its side, and had the same hole where I had hooked it earlier.

[Marty]

Years ago I used to frequently fish lily pads with soft jerkbaits at this particular lake at a time when the pad fishing was good. I used to almost always get a strike after a boil and never a strike after the fish made contact. That formed my opinion on the subject and I recall only one fish since that I know for sure that struck after previously making contact with the lure.

[Scott F]

I once caught and landed the same northern pike 3 times on 3 consecutive casts. I caught him the first time while standing on shore. When I released him, he stayed just a few feet from where I was standing. I cast out and when I was retrieving the lure, the pike shot out and I saw him hit my bait again. After I released him, I watched him hit my lure a third time. If I hadn't felt sorry for him and left the spot, I might have caught him again.

[Catt]

A trick we use when fishing shallow marshes down south is when a bass hits a topwater lure and misses or hooks up but comes off, we drop that rod and follow up with a Texas rig.

9 out of 10 times we hook & land the bass

I've watched bass hit my spinner bait or Trap, circle around & hit it again.

[swagkid300]

yea and i once caught the same bass three times

[Brian Needham]

bass have no memory, or at least a very very very short one.

[Montanaro]

or maybe they think its fun and enjoy the attention of being caught......

[Bass Junkie]

I have pulled a 3lb. Largie out of the water three times on the hook set and finally landed him on the fourth. All together he ate the frog 7 times. Same fish, I watched him for most of it. No, it was not a spawner. This is, however, a major exception to the rule. Generally speaking fish won't come back if you hook them for any extended period of time. If they just knock a lure they very well may come back. Baitfish have spines in their dorsal fins, crawfish have claws. The prey ''bites back'', so it's not be highly unusual for a fish to come back to a lure. Just another example, I got on a spinnerbait bite just recently, and it seemed like literally EVERY fish hit the blades on the bait during the initial strike. I'd sweep set and have nothing, even though the bites were  definite. I'd simply pump the rod and let the bait helicopter down, which drew a strike almost every time. Two distinct strikes on the same retrieve, one after the fish had already tried to eat spinning metal blades. 

[BennyB]

According to Bob Lusk, Fisheries Biologist guru, Bass have a memory of up to 15 minutes.  You should be able to catch the same bass twice in a day.  Easier said than done however!  That is why we fish

[Bluebasser86]

I've broke fish off and caught them with my bait still in their mouth a couple minutes later. I've also caught distinctly marked fish twice the same day on the same bait, off the same spot. Bass have to eat to live so if another chance to eat presents itself there's always a chance they'll take it again. 

[LMB ANGLER]

from what i heard from other people told me that a big adult female bass will never hit the same lure twice. the small ones maybe, they get smarter as they get bigger. if thats the case we will be breaking records all the time

[SirSnookalot]

For the most part once they strike they are gone.  There have been occasions when they do immediately strike again or later in the day, but in comparison I think the percentage is low.  I don't think bass get any smarter with age or size, they get big because of genetics and luck.

[Grizzn N Bassin]

I think some fish yes some no...but like cat said with the top water strike followed by a t-rigged worm..  ive got a lot of nice fish done that

[WRB]

There so much don't know about bass behavior, like memory. When a predator is in a feeding there behavior is competitive, survival of the fittest. Like everyone that bass fishes for several years I have caught the same bass on back to back cast after backing it off, very aggressive bass. Most of the time when you have a bass get off, it's gone.

There old bass and bold bass but very few old bold bass! Bass defiantly learn to avoid some lures.

Tom

[Grizzn N Bassin]

Just had a 5 pounder hit my jig so hard then drop it .. next cast. Threw in the same spot and nailed her in the same spot... you never know!

[Preytorien]

These are all very interesting prospects. I think I'll try following up a strike, especially those of topwater, with a senko. I've heard of that but never really tried it. Do you have to hit the exact same spot? I'm still getting down my casting accuracy, do you think casting just beyond it and pulling it through the virtual zone will still work?

[Grizzn N Bassin]

These are all very interesting prospects. I think I'll try following up a strike, especially those of topwater, with a senko. I've heard of that but never really tried it. Do you have to hit the exact same spot? I'm still getting down my casting accuracy, do you think casting just beyond it and pulling it through the virtual zone will still work?

Defd try it man it can't hurt!

[Montanaro]

if im using trigged plastic and fail to set the hook, i can often cast back to same spot and get another hit. to them the soft tasty morsel escaped.

[JTMONEY606]

i had a bass hit the other day it wasnt a big one i set the hook and missed it but i knew it was there so i threw back out again and it hit again i got him in. but from my experience when i get a hook set on a fish and it gets off i cant get it too hit again its like it scares the fish and they leave. if its top water i have seen them bump it and then stop the bait and it will strike again.