Catching the same fish over and over

[Manifestgtr]

How often does this happen to you guys? 
 

It feels like every other time I hit this one brush pile, I end up taking the same individual. It’s not even like there’s a question about it either...he’s got a very distinctive lower lip, a sawed off lower tail and a light spot on his left side.

 

It’s getting to the point where I’m starting to feel bad about it. I know it’s in my head but I caught him again today and I feel like he just hung there like “hay...what’s up” while I unhooked him then darted back to his usual spot. 
 

So far, that I know of, I’ve taken him on a senko, a fluke and tonight on a swim jig . I feel like I might just skip over that brush pile for a bit. It can’t be good for a fish to just keep getting caught over and over and over...I’m probably not even the only one who’s catching him. It’s just a weird position to be in. I’ve never caught a single fish THIS many times that I know of. 

[Bluebasser86]

Possible the fish you're catching was spawning by this brushpile (protecting a bed), and is now protecting fry by the same pile. That could explain why he's been so easily caught. Or maybe he's just a dumb fish. I wouldn't feel bad about catching the same one over and over again, there's been some days I'd love to have a sure thing waiting for me like that.

[Manifestgtr]

29 minutes ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Possible the fish you're catching was spawning by this brushpile (protecting a bed), and is now protecting fry by the same pile. That could explain why he's been so easily caught. Or maybe he's just a dumb fish.

Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. I’ll be glad when he’s off it, though.

 

Thats a nice pile...not a phrase you get to use too often. 

[Captain Phil]

When you find a "good spot", there is something about that spot that attracts bass.  If you remove a bass from that spot, another bass will take up residence.  What it is that attracts bass to that spot may not be obvious. 

 

There is a sunken dock in Lake Harris left over from the days when citrus was taken to market by boat.  You can not see this dock from the surface as all that is left of it are poles.  There is a nice bass that lives on this dock. This bass has some unique markings.  I have caught this fish numerous times.  The first time I did, she weighed about six pounds.  The last time I caught her she weighed a little over eight.  If someone kills this fish or she dies, that spot will have a new resident bass.  Hopefully, I will be around to catch her too.

 

 

[Bird]

Wish all bass were like that one.

 

I did catch the same fish twice back in March, once on a Jerkbait and again on a spinnerbait.....different days. 

 

Most predatory fish are territorial and have a place they call home 

[drew4779]

Had it happen to me some years back at a farm pond I would fish.  You could catch this bass twice a day, everyday, for about a month always in the same laydown.  Turned out, it had a soft plastic lodged deep in its throat.  This was before I knew how to get a gut hook out (thank you BR).  I believed it was starving and in turn, was super aggressive.   I hoped the hook would rust out before the fish died but it didn't turn out that way.

[Scott F]

I caught the same, little, northern pike 3 times, on consecutive casts. I was on a fly in trip in Canada And was doing a short portage between lakes. I stopped to fish a pool along the way and got a small pike on a floating Rapala. I let the little guy go and he stayed in the clear water at my feet. I cast back out and when the lure started to get close, I watched the pike dash out and grab the lure. I let him go and again he stayed close to where I was standing. As my third cast was coming in, he hit again. No telling how many times he might have hit but I took pity on him and left him alone.

[Craig P]

I caught the same LM twice from the same spot last summer and then I took a friend and gave him first chance at it and he caught it too. Last summer as well, I caught the same SM twice on two different trips. I’ve had this happen with a trout also, I caught the same trout 3 times over 3 years.

 

When they find a good place, they make it a home and the old saying of having a memory of a fish, I guess that’s tells all.

[geo g]

I have caught several fish more then once.  One time I broke off a 4lb bass on the flats and she swam off with my #3 gama hook and a zoom fluke in tow.  About an hour I passed through that same area again and threw out another plastic and set the hook.  When I pulled that bass in she had another hook and plastic attached.  It was my #3 gama hook and the fluke was still hanging there.

 

Another time I caught a bass with an old gill plate injury that was all healed up.  Two weeks later I caught that same fish with the old gill plate injury still healthy and willing to eat in the same area.

 

So localized bass have short memories, and will hit lures time after time.

[soflabasser]

There was one quality sized bass that I caught at least 4 times in one of the lakes I fish. Have caught many bass more than once. Goes to show you that catch and release fishing works. 

[Smells like fish]

You're in a relationship with that bass!! Sounded like it was getting pretty serious until you said you think shes seeing other fishermen, and it was going on at spawning time too I bet? She's not even playing hard to get, that is all the warning sign you need. She's probably been handled by every fishermen going by there, ol doorknob largey, everybody gets a turn and whispers Ned Khedes name in her sleep!!! I agree, it's probably best if you just move on, there's more fish in the sea, even some double D's!!!!

[BrianMDTX]

See if you catch it on the least productive lure in your tacklebox. Some ancient piece of junk you should have deep sixed years ago but still have. At least it will up the ante. 

 

If if that works, try a bare hook! 

[Paul Roberts]

While it could be a resident fish on that brushpile, for however long, it could also be a "personality trait" -likely both. There have been a few studies with marked fish that have shown that bass, and other fish, are individuals. And some few are highly "vulnerable to angling" and others at eh other extreme have been dubbed "immune to angling". I've found that I may make recaptures on the same fish, a year or two apart, and not always in the same location.

[soflabasser]

4 hours ago, BrianMDTX said:

See if you catch it on the least productive lure in your tacklebox. Some ancient piece of junk you should have deep sixed years ago but still have. At least it will up the ante. 

 

If if that works, try a bare hook! 

Have caught bass on a bare hook many times before on days that the bass where biting very good.

[Manifestgtr]

9 hours ago, soflabasser said:

Have caught bass on a bare hook many times before on days that the bass where biting very good.

I tell people the rainbows in my lake are like that...stocked fish. They’re so doofy, you can throw a bare hook in the water and they’ll fight over it

[soflabasser]

7 minutes ago, Manifestgtr said:

I tell people the rainbows in my lake are like that...stocked fish. They’re so doofy, you can throw a bare hook in the water and they’ll fight over it

The bass that I caught on a bare hook where wild bass in the Everglades. Have had +100 bass days while fishing in the Everglades and when the bite is on the bass will bite almost anything you fish well, including a bare hook. Have also caught 3 bass at the same time on a jerkbait and many times 2 bass on a jerkbait. Rainbow trout are a fun species of fish to catch. 

[Paul Roberts]

10 hours ago, soflabasser said:

The bass that I caught on a bare hook where wild bass in the Everglades. Have had +100 bass days while fishing in the Everglades and when the bite is on the bass will bite almost anything you fish well, including a bare hook. Have also caught 3 bass at the same time on a jerkbait and many times 2 bass on a jerkbait. Rainbow trout are a fun species of fish to catch. 

Curious: Were these, caught on a bare hook, adult fish?

[Catt]

This discussion could go several pages long  ?

 

I've caught the same bass 3 Saturdays in a row. I know it was the same bass because it had my hook with blue Big Game on it in it's throat.

 

There was 3 double digit bass caught on Toledo Bend off of different structure, taken to a weightin miles from the catch site, & released. Two were caught again off the same structure a week later, the third one was catch 3 times off the same structure in a month's time.

[Manifestgtr]

4 hours ago, Paul Roberts said:

Curious: Were these, caught on a bare hook, adult fish?

Also, were they THIS big?

 

For the record, I totally believe you. It’s just a funny story is all 

[soflabasser]

5 hours ago, Paul Roberts said:

Were these, caught on a bare hook, adult fish?

Yes I have caught adult sized bass on a bare hook. Most of the bass I have caught on a bare hook where under 16 inches. Have caught lots of big bass on hotdogs, bread, cut bait, etc while fishing for channel catfish. Goes to show you bass will eat almost anything.