Really Idiotic Question

[Zeeter]

I went out on Saturday with a member of the bass club I am applying for. He caught three or four, including a 4#er. I was skunked.

 

Here's the thing. I'm used to feeling a tug on the line, giving it a second, and then setting the hook. Well, I had one on that was probably a really good fish. Trouble was that I thought I was snagged as I didn't feel him take the bait. So I reached up to pull the snag out which is when I realized it was a fish. I tried to reel up so I could set the hook, but he was coming my way and I never got a chance to do a proper hook set so he got off. Had a similar, but less dramatic incident about a half hour later. It basically felt like I pulled the bait out of the fish's mouth.

 

Which brings me to my issue. Maybe it is just a learned experience, but outside of the normal tug or actually feeling the fish run off with it, what is a good indicator of when the fish takes the bait? Is it just something I'm going to have to feel over time? I've caught plenty of fish on jigs in the past, and I know that with them it is more that they inhale the jig rather than tugging on it. I honestly can't say I remember feeling them inhale it; rather that I could feel the fish on the line.

 

Not sure if it matters, but I was using a 5" senko with a 1/8 oz bullet weight.

[WRB]

Bass don't have hands, set the hook anytime you feel anything different and wait, swings are free. Best strike indicator is any slight line movement or added weight when using Senko's.

 

Tom 

[roadwarrior]

More generally the bite on a soft plastic is tap-tap.

And here's my tip: Loose the weight, the action of

a Senko is best when fished weightless.

 

[Bassin' Brad]

I'm not a pro or anything but I do like to throw a senko and I fished a pond last Saturday and was throwing a 5" senko with a 1/8th oz bullet weight and the ones I did catch you knew it when they hit, but like you said I just gave it to them for a sec then set the hook. But I've had days with a senko where it was very subtle hits so I think some times it just depends on the fish and what mood they are in. And If I haven't fished in awhile it seems like I miss the 1st few before I get the hang of it again. 

[Zeeter]

1 minute ago, roadwarrior said:

More generally the bite on a soft plastic is tap-tap.

And here's my tip: Loose the weight, the action of

a Senko is best when fished weightless.

 

 

I normally like to go weightless, but it was too windy when we were out. Maybe someday I'll be able to deal with it better.

 

[shovelmouth83]

if i am fishing in a current i will use just enough weight to get it down. other than that weightless is best for a senko. better twitch response too

[Zeeter]

It could also have to do with the fact that I was on a large body of water where there was more wave and weather action. Typically I would go out on a nice summer day to a relatively small lake. Hard to miss the bite there. Yet with the boat rocking back and forth and the wind maybe I was just having trouble adjusting.

[N Florida Mike]

I fish a senko a lot,but usually weightless. 

After I cast,I watch the line.,sometimes youll see the twitch and the line may slightly tighten as the fish moves.

After waiting maybe 10-20 seconds, I pick up and feel gently.If  a fish is on youll probably feel a peck or slight surge to let you know there's a fish on.You will almost always see motion as the fish will move once he takes the bait.

I have missed more fish by setting the hook too early than too late.The exception to this would be if you see the line heading into an area you have a good chance of losing the fish in ( docks,weeds,pilings etc.) In that situation I set the hook immediately.

So when I feel the tap or see the movement I swing the boat if needed,get myself in position,see which way the fish is going,and I may even pull on the drag to make sure its just right.THEN I set the hook.I usually sweep set horizontally to the water and will usually hook any fish except sometimes not dinks.

The way I tell the difference between a fish and weeds is feeling the peck or seeing the movement.

If it dont peck or  move it aint a fish!!!

[12poundbass]

Like WRB said swings are free so swing away! 

[roadwarrior]

Well, here's another suggestion: If you think you need a weight fish the Rage Tail Cut-R (rigged tail down). 

The Cut-R looks like a Senko with a tail  This bait works best for me slow rolled just off the bottom. I use

a tungsten bullet weight,  1/4 or 3/8 oz.

[sully420]

When fishing a jig you really need to focus and watch your like and feel for any change in the feel of the bait. I mean any change at all line moves set the hook, can't feel the jig set the hook. Try to feel your line as the jig descends, use your thumb on the spool lightly as the jig falls help you feel a bite. Also try sent like jj's magic bass seem to hold on longer. Most of all just have the mindset that a bass could have your bait right when it hits the water and be ready. Good luck 

[Bassin' Brad]

I do think it's harder to tell the bite on a rocking boat with waves and the wind trying to blow your line as opposed to a calm day where you can see and feel anything that happens. 

[roadwarrior]

7 minutes ago, N Florida Mike said:

I fish a senko a lot,but usually weightless. 

After I cast,I watch the line.,sometimes youll see the twitch and the line may slightly tighten as the fish moves.

After waiting maybe 10-20 seconds, I pick up and feel gently.If  a fish is on youll probably feel a peck or slight surge to let you know there's a fish on.You will almost always see motion as the fish will move once he takes the bait.

I have missed more fish by setting the hook too early than too late.The exception to this would be if you see the line heading into an area you have a good chance of losing the fish in ( docks,weeds,pilings etc.) In that situation I set the hook immediately.

So when I feel the tap or see the movement I swing the boat if needed,get myself in position,see which way the fish is going,and I may even pull on the drag to make sure its just right.THEN I set the hook.I usually sweep set horizontally to the water and will usually hook any fish except sometimes not dinks.

The way I tell the difference between a fish and weeds is feeling the peck or seeing the movement.

If it dont peck or  move it aint a fish!!!

 

Hmm...

Your method seems quite unique to me...and VERY dangerous for the fish. 

 

[riverbasser]

1 minute ago, roadwarrior said:

 

Hmm...

Your method seems quite unique to me...and VERY dangerous for the fish. 

 

I agree, probably a lot of gut hooked fish, especially with a senko. they swallow those things pretty quick

[blckshirt98]

Hooksets are free, don't be shy about giving the rod a yank if you feel anything weird!

 

The big fish are the ones that at times won't kick their tail and attack the bait, they'll just kind of slowly swim up to it and suck the bait into their mouth - you'll never "feel a bite" but when you lift your rod it'll feel heavy like you snagged something underwater.  There's been times when I never felt a bite and thought I got hung up on something, given the rod a couple of yanks to try to free the hook, then the line just started to swim away.

 

Also if you feel a bite, set the hook, because if you feel a bite and wait for a second bite, the second bite is usually the fish spitting your bait out.

[Clinton john]

The type of bite you just described is the same kind of bite I have been getting on the caffine shad swim bait the last few days.

 

Never feel a hit are tap line just gets heavy and if you keep reeling you can feel the fish trying to swim in a diffrent direction.

 

Best bet when you feel weight like your in a grass ball, set the hook.

 

And don't wait a long time because you take the risk of killing the fish because it swallows your hook are you hook it in the gills.

[Zeeter]

Why was this moved to fishing tackle? This is a general fishing question.

[WRB]

Don't wait with a Senko unless you want gut hooked bass or using circle hooks.

You may also be targeting bed bass that don't eat your soft plastic, they strike to kill it and may pick it up to move it then spit it quickly. Regardless set the hook instantly, no reason to give bass time to reject soft plastics. 

I watch where my line enter the water creating V as it sinks, if the line stops or jumps slightly set the hook. You will get your timing dailed in after more time on the water, don't hesitate!

Tom

[Zeeter]

5 minutes ago, blckshirt98 said:

There's been times when I never felt a bite and thought I got hung up on something, given the rod a couple of yanks to try to free the hook, then the line just started to swim away.

 

This is exactly what happened to me. Unfortunately, when I realized there was a fish on there I was all the way back and not in a position to set the hook. I didn't yank the rod because we'd been snagging all day and I'd already lost several rigs. So when I pulled up to pull the rod out of the snag it was more gentle.

[Hez]

You have to learn to be a "Line Watcher".

 

This happened to me yesterday.  I pitched a worm near the grass line...barely felt something (felt like my lure hit a piece of grass on the way down) and then my line started swimming off.  I set the hook...and BOOM.  

 

6 lber was on.  

[roadwarrior]

9 minutes ago, Zeeter said:

Why was this moved to fishing tackle? This is a general fishing question.

 

Because it is a discussion about fishing soft plastics.

 

-Kent

[Zeeter]

So what I'm getting here is, if I ever feel anything different on my line I should set the hook.

 

That's great advice. Unfortunately I need more experience to sense what that something different actually is. Also knowing the water helps, too. Is it grass? Is it rocky? What type of rocks? Pebbles? I know my regular fishing lakes and can tell when something is unusual. Fishing a new body of water takes some getting used to. I imagine that over time I'll get to learn these things more quickly.

 

[2tall79]

You have to become a line watcher.  After 40 years in construction, I have lost a lot of feeling in my forearms and have nothing but callouses on my hands.  I can no longer feel strikes like I use to.  By leaving a little slack in your line you will be able to see any strike before you would be able to feel it.  You will have to experiment on which lines provide you the best visibility and work best for your style.

[Fishin' Fool]

When I fish a weightless senko I let it fall on slack line.  I'll wait 5-10 seconds and slowly reel up the slack.  If you feel weight that is moving set the hook.  It's just an acquired feel to tell the difference between hung in the weeds and a fish has it.  Even the most experienced of us will set the hook on weeds now and then.

[Zeeter]

Just now, 2tall79 said:

You have to become a line watcher.  After 40 years in construction, I have lost a lot of feeling in my forearms and have nothing but callouses on my hands.  I can no longer feel strikes like I use to.  By leaving a little slack in your line you will be able to see any strike before you would be able to feel it.  You will have to experiment on which lines provide you the best visibility and work best for your style.

 

Leave slack, huh? If I do that I won't feel the jig or worm on the bottom so much. Not saying you're wrong, and that makes sense.

 

I was using fluorocarbon 12#.