When You Miss A Fish

[WVbassin87]

what do you do? Let's say it's early into your retrieve, and a fish strikes at your bait, but there's no hookup. Do you continue your retrieve as if nothing happened? Quickly reel in and cast again? Switch lures? I just need some kind of general guideline as to what approach works best. A recent example for me was fishing a spook, and watching fish miss it on the surface, but any other lure wouldn't get a reaction.

[David D.]

Continue the retrieve, maybe a tad more erratic. If it doesn't draw another strike then I'll toss a Senko or RT Cut-R back to where the fish missed the first time.

[Catch and Grease]

Its different for every lure, for spooks if they slap it or strike and miss I like to just stop it completely and wait... After 5 or so seconds if they haven't struck again I'll give it a few twitchs. Then if that fails I just start my normal retrieve again..

[Paul s]

Normally I bring it in toss a senko and get them on that.

[Mccallister25]

Especially on a topwater lure such as a spook, popper, or buzzbait, if they short strike you, reel it in and throw a weightless plastic in that same area. Chances are good youll hook up to the fish.

[ClackerBuzz]

with a spinnerbiat...

if you're on edge and swung on him and missed 2 choices work well: reel up quick and pitch back to the same area. slow down and down't swing so fast next time and often they'll hit again b/c they think it's been wounded. or as mentioned toss back with a senko.

if you're not so on edge and can keep your composure just maintain the same steady retrieve while they bump/smash it.  i've had fish finally commit after 4-5 smashes.

you can try adding lots of twitches, pops, rips, killing it. but i prefer the two listed above b/c you're already doing something very close to what they want. 

[Bluebasser86]

I do both, kind of a game time decision for me. 

[Rivers Edge]

I cuss!

 

 

It all depends on what the situation is.

[Deleted account]

Especially on a topwater lure such as a spook, popper, or buzzbait, if they short strike you, reel it in and throw a weightless plastic in that same area. Chances are good youll hook up to the fish.

 

This ^. Sometimes, I'll go right to a plastic that can do both like a speed worm or ultavibe craw. They are like the best of both worlds.

[geo g]

When a fish misses a plastic bait, like a senko, fluke, or worm I will kill it and let them come back around and pick it up again. Top water lures, I will keep them moving steady. It has worked many times both ways.

[Big239Fish]

If I miss one on a spook, I'll pause it a few seconds, then twitch it once or twice really slow, then pause it again. Usually it'll bring another strike. If not, I throw a similar colored fluke out to it.

[tcbass]

I usually miss them if they don't return my calls.

[flyingmonkie]

x2 for cussing.

 

If I get a hookset but then he spits it, I just count it and move on.

[SirSnookalot]

I fish with only 1 rod, if I don't get a hook up I complete my retrieve all the way in.  In this aspect not a fish are created equal, quite often a bass misses the lure and it's gone.  Peacocks don't give up till they have the lure, they keep chasing it.  Not unusual to get 4-5 strikes before a good hook set with some species.  I've caught 10 pound fish in water not much more than ankle deep, I always complete the cast.

Missing a fish never bothers me, it's just a matter of time until I get another, that's why it's called fishing and not catching.

[FrogFreak]

Although throwing a soft plastic works after a miss. I like to stop a frog or a spook dead for up to 30 seconds and then they usually hit on the next twitch.