Feeling A Bite When Dragging The Bottom?

[Mike2841]

The best word I can think of is it feels organic. I don't know if that makes sense to you or not. Also there's a lot of times when something just feels off or different. Any time I think there is even a remote chance of a bite I set the hook

[STPC]

 Along with feeling a bite on the bottom, how in the world do you tell what is on the bottom while dragging a lure?  I see it mentioned in videos and on TV how bass fishermen can tell wants under the water - rocks, sand, grass, limbs, etc...  just by dragging a lure.  They make it sound like they have X-ray vision.  lol.  I'm always skeptical when they go on and on how can find out want is on the bottom by simply dragging a lure.  If it's possible I would like to know how its done. 

^^^^This....but I wonder what fishermen said about what they "thought" the bottom structure/composure was before electronics...

It's easy to say what something feels like when you already know what it is you're in contact with.

[STPC]

I though there would be more replies/answers to this...but I guess when you already know the bottom composition it's easy to say what things feel like.  Any of the more seasoned veterans from before the time of on-board electronics around here??? I would like to know their opinion/experience on this.

[kikstand454]

The problem is you're looking for a description of something that isn't a constant. Truthfully, i feel a jig bite isn't MUCH different from a t-rig bite. Or any other bottom bite for that matter. Because they're all the same by being inconsistent. Lol. Theres no one way to describe it to you because there isn't just one type of bite. You have to experience it enough to know. Its learning the lure.

As for reading the bottom, I can easily tell what is on the bottom while dragging a jig. Even better with a c-rig. Everything down there feels exactly the way you would expect them to. Rocks are hard. Wood has a "thunk" feeling. Sand is soft but firm. Mud is mush. Mussels kind of feel like rocks, but you will feel the "hollowness" of them and occasionally feel the sharp edges. Etc. Again, experience using the lure leads to learning the intricacies.

[mayer74]

Wow, this has been an educational read. I've learned a lot. I love it when folks ask questions I didn't know had.

[Mike L]

The ability to determine a jig strike is what separates the men from the boys and very few are good at it fishing rocky structure.

There isn't an easy answer to this question when dragging a jig through rocks, so don't drag it, slowly swim it only touching bottom and pausing every foot or so. You fish the weight of the jig on controlled slack and keep in touch and focused very second. You rarely have enough time to hesitate hook setting with jigs, if you pull against the line to feel weight you just missed a strike and should have already set the hook!

No rod or rod line combination will make you a good jig strike detector if you haven't mastered the art of knowing what your jig feels like all the time, so you know what it shouldn't feel like when a bass has it in it's mouth. Feel your line to determine how the resistance of the jig feel like, it's known as weighing the jig. The classic tick bite you detect is often the jig being rejected instead of being engulfed.

Carolina rigs use a soft plastic worm or creature, you don't feel what is going on with, you feel what the sinker is doing. You can give slack line to a C-rig and bass often swallow the soft plastic, that almost never happens with a jig. 2 very different lure presentations.

I was jig fishing with a friend a few years ago and he tells me there are a lot of rocks here, I tell him it's a clay bank with no rocks you just missed several strikes!

Tom

You think you know something because you've done it the same way for years....

You think you can compete with anyone who holds a rod...

Until you read something like this..

Great Post!!

Mike

[TorqueConverter]

When in doubt pick the bait up a little bait and feel the amount of resistance required to pick it up and the weight of the bait.  If it feels abnormal then set the hook.  Rod sensitivity is important and it goes beyond simply how well it transmits vibrations and taps.  The weight and especially the balance of the rod is a big part of the sensitivity of the rod.  A tip heavy rod, I don't care how sensitive the blank material, is going to make it difficult to feel the weight of the bait when you pick the bait up off the bottom.