Getting Followers To Bite

[OntarioFishingGuy]

What do you do when you see a bass following your bait? Just curious because it seems to happen to me a lot.

[Tartan34]

I change my color up, and that usually helps.

[Mccallister25]

A color change usually helps, or vary your retrieve a bit. Maybe slow it down, speed it up, add some twitches, etc.

[Carolina Boy]

If your getting short strikes and followers speed up.

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

Slow down.

[WIGuide]

First try changing your retrieve. Depending on the bait I'm using, I'll usually try popping my my rod making the bait look like it's trying to flee. If that doesn't work stick with the same style bait or same exact bait even, just switch colors. It's getting their attention, but to them there's just something not quite right with it.  

[HeavyFisher]

If I see a follower first thing I do is speed up then immediately stop, bass will hit it 99% of the time like this for me. This is with a swimbait. 

[SirSnookalot]

Pray

[basshole8190]

Lol leavebthe spot immediately after the first follow come back in a few hours and hit it again from farther back away from the spot or a different angle that usually helps me get allot of fish to commit after they've folowed.

[BuckMaxx]

Speed up..never slow down. Does a rabbit slow down when getting chased by a coyote.

If that doesnt work throw a trick worm in on him.

[Deleted account]

Speed up..never slow down. Does a rabbit slow down when getting chased by a coyote.

If that doesnt work throw a trick worm in on him.

 

This ^.  I do the startled/run  (a sharp 1/2 to 1' jerk followed by cranking 10% faster than humanly possible. Works most of the time, 2nd choice is speed up followed by killing it dead.  

[bigbill]

Add a scent, bass shad scent or garlic scent.

Since they can smell around 20ppm there very keen on smells.

I have a ritual were I wash my hands with big orange before I go on every trip even at 4am. To remove my natural oils from my hands. I don't touch gas pumps too.

[flyingmonkie]

If I see it, I count it!

[Elwood aka Ted Striker.]

What about going finer with your leader if your using one.

[FD.]

1/4 stick of dynomite.

[bassguytom]

Use a follow nip bait like a senko. Works often.

[sparky241]

1/4 stick of dynomite.

I like the way you think, do you squirrel humt by any chance?

[Grizzn N Bassin]

Pretty much answered 20x do,what they say.check your laws on the 1/4 dynomite

[blongfishing]

I sometimes will see a bass follow my bait and I will just stop it and they will strike.

[geo g]

Slow down a little, but keep it moving. One thing for sure is don't just stop.

[fishva]

I like going to a worm, jig, or lipless crank in situations like these, because you can effectively slow down the bait without stopping the action, or give it a quick jerk without making it *look* like you're speeding up the retrieve.

[WRB]

All a follower is telling you it is interested in whatever lure you are using. When a bass is active enough to follow your lure it is catchable if you haven't alarmed that bass. If you were using a fast moving lure, make another cast, but give it enough time for that bass to return to where it came from.

If the second cast doesn't create any interest, then try a different lure, slower if using a fast lure, faster of using a slow lure.

Still no interest, put the location to memory and return in an or so.

Tom

[CDMeyer]

I would change the color or color in a bright  Chartreuse color circle on the middle of the bait, or use a Berkley Power Bait Nuggets and put em' on hook..... the bass will key in on these areas and it will usually generate  a strike

[gobig]

I have to agree with Tom that followers are or will soon be catchable in many cases. One thing people tend to over look is the direction or angle. Pulling your bait into ambush point rather than away makes a huge difference. Bass pin prey and attack when the prey is in a compromised position. Good boat position and the proper cast are far more important the color of your lure.

Increasing the speed, pausing/stopping or making directional changes on the retrieve will all trigger strikes. You have to play around to see what will work on a given day. There is no magic bullet that will work every time.

[Pz3]

If I see it, I count it!

Then my personal best was around 14lbs! Lol!