How Do You Catch Following Bass

[zewski]

Hey guys, ive been fishing the shallows these days with my partner, it often happens that I hook a fish and as im bringing him to the boat I see 2-3 big ones following him, my partners pulls out a senko or a tube real quick and fires it at them but its often too late because they saw us, they show no interest in the bait.

 

How to you catch those big ones following the fish that is actually hooked??

 

Let me know!

[Smokinal]

My buddy and I have had success throwing the exact same bait that the other one caught the fish on. If the first one bit it, and others are following trying to get it from him, they obviously want it. We usually have a few rods with similar baits on anyway.

[Snakehead Whisperer]

You can probably catch all 3 with an A-Rig.

[Hyrule Bass]

seems like you got two excellent answers there, id try those

 

also, do you wear polarized sunglasses when you fish? if you dont, they may help you spot the following fish sooner as you can see in the water better

[rangerboy]

i saw this a few times last spring and it will drive you nuts. i have been told to down size in the same color. but havnt had a chance to try yet

[CDMeyer]

Maybe try and slow down

[WRB]

Smallmouth bass are often in groups and follow the hooked bass out of curiously. These bass are active and catchable with a faster moving lure instead of a slower sinking lure that largemouth often react to under the same conditions.

Tom

[Dc26217]

I usually throw the fish I catch in the livewell until I leave the spot. Seems to work well. Maybe you are fishing tournaments and keep them in the livewell anyway. If not try it. Also with crankbaits sometimes the other fish will get it and they both are hooked at the same time. That is fun. Happened to me once.

[Swampstud]

Ive had this happen only a few times, what a rush tho! Twice i noticed the bigger fish attackin the bait while hooked in his partner. If there grouped up wouldnt things get a bit competitive when the first thing swims by?

Id have to say toss another same exact bait in right where that other fish is, and make a cast to wherever you think they come from. Just incase theres a large group.

[Bassun]

During tournaments we would always keep at least one rod rigged with a soft plastic just for throwbacks.  If we had a blowup on topwater, the other would grab the rod and dead stick a worm right where the blow up occurred.  We did the same for followers but had less luck.  Although, more than once when we did get the second fish, it was actually bigger than the fish that was already on.

[everythingthatswims]

I don't think the fish follow out of curiosity, they usually are trying to steal the food from the hooked fish. I don't think I have ever seen largemouth do this, it is always smallies for me. Baits with erratic action tend to trigger strikes from the followers, but you have to be able to drop it next to the hooked fish so fluke style baits on jigheads are a good option. I once hooked a 19" smallie on an s-waver and on the way in he had two others, one slightly smaller and the other much bigger following him, not only did they follow him in, they were both trying to rip the bait out of the hooked fish's mouth! (I caught the bigger fish later, she was 23", my PB smallie). They clearly understand that the hooked fish has food. I have had smallies eat plastics off the line after it slid up the line from the hooked fish's mouth as well.