Amnesia

[Josh Smith]

Hello,

I've realized for some time now that after catching a bass, I don't remember much of the fight to land the critter.

More recently, especially after a rather exciting blowup/fight, I've realized that I can't remember what exactly I did that led to the strike.

Lots of times I'm trying different cadences to lure the bass, then forget afterward what cadence it was.

Anyone else do this?

Josh

[Senko lover]

I find the exact same thing. It's the adrenaline, I think.

[Avalonjohn44]

26 minutes ago, Senko lover said:

I find the exact same thing. It's the adrenaline, I think.

x2. 

I also find this... As I've gotten older its gotten better though. I also think, for me, it might be due to distractions, I normally fish with my kids and they can be distracting as heck...

[WRB]

No excuse for lack of focus. If you don't remember it's because you were in auto pilot and not thinking about what is going on underwater. Most anglers don't stay focused and miss a very high percentage of seeing bass and detecting strikes. We tend to visit and let our mind drift or watching things going on around us and lose focus on fishing. Staying on top of what's is going on underwater takes practice, it's a developed skill.

Tom

[Josh Smith]

1 minute ago, WRB said:

No excuse for lack of focus. If you don't remember it's because you were in auto pilot and not thinking about what is going on underwater. Most anglers don't stay focused and miss a very high percentage of seeing bass and detecting strikes. We tend to visit and let our mind drift or watching things going on around us and lose focus on fishing. Staying on top of what's is going takes practice, it's a developed skill.

Tom

I think that for me, it's extreme focus. I focus on the lure, rod and line like I do rifle sights when I'm shooting at something that counts. It's almost a self-hypnosis; very relaxing and dreamlike.

The bass strikes and I snap out of that state suddenly.

It's not lack of focus. I know what lack of focus is, and on the rare occasion I can't focus, I pack out up and go in because I'm not going to enjoy myself.

Josh

[Skeeter Dan]

46 minutes ago, Josh Smith said:

I think that for me, it's extreme focus. I focus on the lure, rod and line like I do rifle sights when I'm shooting at something that counts. It's almost a self-hypnosis; very relaxing and dreamlike.

The bass strikes and I snap out of that state suddenly.

It's not lack of focus. I know what lack of focus is, and on the rare occasion I can't focus, I pack out up and go in because I'm not going to enjoy myself.

Josh

I have CRS . My short term memory is gone. I can remember what I did 40yrs ago but I can't remember WHAT I DID YESTERDAY.

[WRB]

1 hour ago, Josh Smith said:

I think that for me, it's extreme focus. I focus on the lure, rod and line like I do rifle sights when I'm shooting at something that counts. It's almost a self-hypnosis; very relaxing and dreamlike.

The bass strikes and I snap out of that state suddenly.

It's not lack of focus. I know what lack of focus is, and on the rare occasion I can't focus, I pack out up and go in because I'm not going to enjoy myself.

Josh

Being in a state of transe is the opposite of being fully aware and focused on everything going on underwater and the reason you are unaware of events going on around you. Do you see a lot of bass activity, fish and bait in the water, nervous water movement, signs of bass moving in the water around you? In a transe state you mis all these things.

Tom

[iiTzChunky]

5 hours ago, Senko lover said:

I find the exact same thing. It's the adrenaline, I think.

I agree, I got such a rush of feeling the hit and setting the hook everything else just slips my mind. 

@WRB I don't think lack of focus has anything to do with it for me at least, I'm very focus so I can notice the slightest the on my line. 

[Senko lover]

The times where I am the most focused are the times that get me! I always want to know what action my bait is doing at the time when the fish bites, or how I presented it. I have to slow down, think about that individual cast, etc. But I rarely even remember setting the hook.

The thing that helps is always having the mindset of "there's going to be a fish biting on this cast, on this turn of the reel handle, on this piece of structure." I always try not to let the fish surprise me. Not perfect at it yet, but that's my goal.

[geo g]

First you have to have a confidence bait you know will work most of the time.  I am constantly thinking about what that bait is doing under the water,  Check the bait in a pool and work as many different cadences as you can think up.  See what the bait is really doing when you do this.   At the beginning of the day I will have a mental game plan of how I want the bait to act under the water.  After 5 minutes with no bite I will change up the cadence until I find something that works.  If something works I will stay with it if I catch a few more  the same way.  If I don't get repeat bites I change up the cadence again.  I often see guys always changing baits instead of fishing.  You can't catch anything unless your bait is in the water.

Two key points is to have one or two confidence baits, and master the use of these baits.  Without confidence your always on the losing end of the deal.  It is such a mental game.  I have tons of baits at home that never make the cut to the lake because I just don't have confidence in them.   I know what works in my area, and I enjoy what I use.  Also keep thing simple, I am not a run and gun guy.  I would rather be methodical and work it until they like it.

[papajoe222]

Oh, if that were the only memory problem I run across when fishing.  With a rod in my hand, I forget 90% of everything I've ever learned about bass fishing.  This normally only lasts three to four hours and I'm able to partially regain some.  Then I'll hook into a decent fish and total memory block sets in.

So my advice to you is; Don't sweat it.  One of the reasons we fish is to forget. 

[N Florida Mike]

5 hours ago, Skeeter Dan said:

I have CRS . My short term memory is gone. I can remember what I did 40yrs ago but I can't remember WHAT I DID YESTERDAY.

Hey,Im on that bus too!

[hawgenvy]

It's because it's so pleasurable and ends so quickly. You can try and close your eyes and imagine yourself feeling the full weight of that fish and leading it into the net, like a skilled toreador. But it's not quite the same. I propose it's like an orgasm --  short, intense, and pleasurable, even emotional, and ya can't quite enjoy it in remembrance. That's why in fishing, like sex, you just have to do the real thing, again and again. To get that feeling. No wonder I'm a sex bass addict!

[Josh Smith]

6 hours ago, WRB said:

Being in a state of transe is the opposite of being fully aware and focused on everything going on underwater and the reason you are unaware of events going on around you. Do you see a lot of bass activity, fish and bait in the water, nervous water movement, signs of bass moving in the water around you? In a transe state you mis all these things.

Tom

Tom, no, I see and hear everything. It's the exact opposite of the trance you describe. It's one of extreme focus and, upon the strike, all focus suddenly shifts to the bass, my rod, my reel and it's drag.

Josh

[Fishes in trees]

Couple of comments.  First - no one sees or hears everything.  Can't happen - too much stimuli, either consciously or unconsciously, stuff gets filtered out.   That's the way it is.. ..   unless you're a swami or something like that.

Next, it is possible to be extremely relaxed and still know, for the most part what is happening with your bait.  This applies both to reaction type baits and "feel" type baits.   

The phrase "trance state" means different things to different folks in different contexts.  I think we've all been there, one way or another, at some point in our fishing experiences.  Rick Clunn, for instance, has referenced  fishing in a 

"trance state"   I'm pretty sure that he knows what he means when he says that but I'm not sure I know what he means.  I have opinions on what I think he means - kinda - that aren't all that well thought out . . . I try not to get so existential about fishing . . . 

To address the original post, if you're having trouble remembering what you were doing right before the strike  and what you did to get the strike, that's a challenge.    Your options are try harder to remember or just go unconscious and be happy when you get bit.

When I go fishing I'll probably have 20 or so rods rigged up ready to go.   Some thought and reasoning ( or a semi-reasonable facsimile ) went into rigging up each rig.   Therefore, should I get bit on my jika rig, for instance, odds are very good that I was dragging it around the deep edge of a weed line.

Should I get bit on my bubba drop shot rig, odds are very good that I was throwing it at some perceived object in 10 feet of water or less.   If it was cloudy, I'm probably trying to get it every so slightly up wind of whatever object it might be.   If it was sunny, I was probably trying to get it to the very edge of the shade pocket created by whatever object I was throwing at.   I'm probably consciously or subconsciously taking the wind into account in this process.

If I get bit on a spinner bait, I'm probably checking to see if fish are holding at a certain level in the water column OR seeing if they are holding behind/next to objects at a certain level of the water column.

Sometimes you will be casting as some seen or suspected object, miss it by a considerable distance and still get bit anyway.   Fishing is funny that way.

The original advice still holds, if you're having issues remembering what you did to get bit - try harder.   With practice & effort you will  more than likely get better at it - or you won't.   In that case, the best advice is don't try so hard, let it come to you . .. .

Hope this helps

 

 

 

 

[Bankbeater]

I can remember the details of how I was working the bait, how the bite felt, and what the fight felt like.  Ask me what the temp was, how the fish was hooked, or whether the wind was blowing or not, and I will need to check my log.

[Catt]

Not sure how to explain this but here goes.

There are bass fishermen & there are "bass fishermen"

We are experiencing a lot of rain & I'll stand on my front porch looking at puddles of water picking out points, coves, bays, or I'll be across the street looking at the flooded bayou picking out eddies, backwaters & the sort.

In my little pea brain their aint no off switch!

I hear guys say they fish one way when "fun" fishing, another way when "tournament" fishing & something else when trying to catch big bass.

My little pea brain don't do that!

I'm a bass fishermen, if I'm bass fishing it's fun, it's a daily competition "me against the bass", & my target is always the biggest bass in that area.

What y'all have trouble remembering is second nature to me! 

Some of us are born with it...Some of 'em don't ever, ever get it.

[J Francho]

Catt, I bet you drive through rolling hills, thinking, man that would be a cool spot to fish.  Let's flood this place!

[Catt]

44 minutes ago, J Francho said:

Catt, I bet you drive through rolling hills, thinking, man that would be a cool spot to fish.  Let's flood this place!

Yelp!

If you do what you've always done...you'll get what you've always got!

That can be negative or positive...Choice is yours!

[scaleface]

My brain is a constant .I cannot turn it off . I think the reason I enjoy bass fishing so much is that it keeps me focused  without having to  try  . It makes me fill normal for those few short hours . I imagine a lot of bass anglers can relate .

[Red Bear]

11 hours ago, Josh Smith said:

Tom, no, I see and hear everything. It's the exact opposite of the trance you describe. It's one of extreme focus and, upon the strike, all focus suddenly shifts to the bass, my rod, my reel and it's drag.

Josh

you just answered yourself. once you hook the bass your focus shifts from presentation to fighting/landing the fish...

[Josh Smith]

2 minutes ago, Red Bear said:

you just answered yourself. once you hook the bass your focus shifts from presentation to fighting/landing the fish...

That doesn't explain why I don't retain what I was doing to catch the bass. Guess I'm not alone, though, so it's better anyway.

Regards,

Josh

[Todd2]

I can relate to the OP....what I do to help is, for example, on a t rig I'll drag back to the boat. On the next cast, I'll hop it back. On the third cast, I'll slowly swim it with a little pump. I keep the same retrieve all the way back to the boat so I keep track what I was doing. Once I catch a couple of fish, I'll stick with that one for a while.

One other thing....no need for a death grip on a rod. A looser grip will help detect light bites. You have to stay focused but it doesn't mean you can't relax. 

 

[WRB]

Let's see if I can put this into perspective regarding amnesia, the original topic.

Have you ever driven your car on a long distance and forgot several minutes of the trip?

You went from being focused consciousness to a state of operating the car in a trance.

Agree with Catt on seeing things analytically, you either do or don't and amount of practice will change that.

Tom

[Catt]

The things you are forgetting are the very things that should be second nature... Well that is if you want to be consistent!

When I first learned Texas Rigs in deep water we would count it down to the bottom...I still do it but subconsciously

Once we have the lure part of the pattern the next step is "cadence", add to those structure type & available cover...it's game on!