Theory on why bass or other gamefish can at time become very selective.

[king fisher]

I am recovering from a shoulder injury, and have way to much time on my hands to think about bass behavior and come up with theories, that could be describe as boredom BS.  I apologize for being long winded in advance.  Until a bass is able to talk, the question, why bass can become so selective at times, and at other times hit anything they can get down their mouths will never be answered, but this is my best guess. I wont be offended by anyone who calls BS on some or all of my theory.

       I consider bass exceptional hunters, and often compare them to human hunters when trying to make sense of their predatory ways.  

       I'm going hunting one day in the early fall, I can legally shoot ducks, geese, rabbits, pheasants, and quail.  I like all of the game equally, and have a shot gun and amo that will work equally well for everything.  I know a field that has lots of rabbits, and considering the weather is warm, and most of the ducks are still north of me, I feel I have the best chance of being successful targeting the bunnies.  The grass is taller than usual, making it difficult to hit the rabbits as they run away.  After missing a few, I realize if I spot them before they take off running I can get a quick shot in and am successful.  The key to spotting them quickly is to spot their white ears, when they raise there heads.  I become very focused on any slight movement, and a flash of white.  This works but takes total concentration.  I am so concentrated on looking for white ears, I don't even notice the weather cooling and a few ducks flying over head.  Having to focus has made me selective.  Even though I don't favor rabbits over the other animals, in order to get the rabbits which are the most plentiful game, I have to concentrate so hard to find them I ignore all other game.

         After I get a few rabbits, I take a break, and notice a duck flying over head.  I shoot the duck, and wonder how many have flown over my while I was busy looking down concentrating in the tall grass.  I start looking at the sky more often, and see more ducks, but start missing the rabbits from lack of focus.  It is difficult to look up at the sky and at the ground at the same time, so I give up on the rabbits all together, and start to look up at the horizon hoping to see more ducks.  This works and I bag a few ducks.  The ducks are very colorful, but the color, size, or how they fly makes no difference to me, because I can see them silhouette against the sky and they fly straight making them easy targets.  Problem is the ducks don't fly over the same place, and when I try and change my position to get in their fly way they spook out of range.  

     I know there is a pond over the next hill where the ducks will probably concentrate so I decide to go there.  While I walk to the pond I am ready not only for ducks to fly over, but I could easily flush a pheasant or quail so I am basically ready shoot anything that moves.  I get to the pond and hide in the tall grass on the shore.  This works, and soon I have many ducks and even a couple of geese.  No need to be selective because tactics for the geese are the same as the ducks.  Again, I am not concentrating on size, color, or movement to get them.  I can see the ducks coming from a great distance and don't have to concentrate on finding them like I did the rabbits.  This gives me time to look around while waiting for more ducks.  I spot a pheasant and a covey of quail moving out of the cover to feed.  I decide I can sneek over an shoot a couple of them and still get back to my hide in time for the next flight of ducks.  I am not being selective on what I shoot, because I don't have to focus on any one thing in order to be successful.  Now the fog moves in.  I can't see the ducks coming, and the pheasants have ran and hid.  I am about to go back to the rabbit field, when I hear a goose honk.  I go to where I here the noise, and get close enough to get a goose.  Now I become focused on the sound of geese, and shut out any other distractions.  Due to the fog I am becoming selective again.   All the other animals are still there, but I must concentrate on one thing, sound if I am to be successful.

    The fog clears and It is time to walk back to my car.  On the way I go back to shoot anything that moves mode.  I get a pheasant, but miss a couple of rabbits, because like before I have a hard time hitting the rabbits once they get going, and because I'm not focused only on finding the head movement and white ears I don't see them in time to shoot before they run. 

     I feel bass are no different than other hunters.  Sometimes like the hunter with the rabbits, they have to focus in order to find and catch their prey, these times they can be selective and matching the hatch- movement, size, color, sound, smell, individually or in combination, may be the only way to catch them.  Other times what they are feeding on doesn't require a certain tactic, is not difficult to catch, or does not require extreme focus.  Making matching the hatch less important.  Then there are those times, when there is no particular prey and they are basically shooting at anything that moves.

     This is why when someone tells me a bass will eat anything they can get their mouths around, I will say yes and no or when someone tells me bass are selective feeders I give the same answer.  Not because they are selective, or smart, but because they are efficient hunters.   I live for the times, when they are in shoot anything that moves mode, but am prepared to match the hatch. 

 

      

[GetFishorDieTryin]

Sounds like you need a dog

[TnRiver46]

Then throw in fishing pressure to the equation…………

 

I know trout waters that are loaded with monsters that won’t bite anything on account of being over caught and released 

[Mobasser]

Good read, and good comparison with your hunting experience. Fishing pressure, weather, cold fronts and type of forage available to bass might all  help to answer this. One thing for sure, bass do get selective at times, and these days have been the hardest fishing for me.

[WRB]

It’s more then likely an abundance of one type of prey the bass prefer, like hundreds of quail you wouldn't bother with rabbits.

Tom

[GaryH]

1 hour ago, king fisher said:

I am recovering from a shoulder injury, and have way to much time on my hands to think about bass behavior and come up with theories, that could be describe as boredom BS.  I apologize for being long winded in advance.  Until a bass is able to talk, the question, why bass can become so selective at times, and at other times hit anything they can get down their mouths will never be answered, but this is my best guess. I wont be offended by anyone who calls BS on some or all of my theory.

       I consider bass exceptional hunters, and often compare them to human hunters when trying to make sense of their predatory ways.  

       I'm going hunting one day in the early fall, I can legally shoot ducks, geese, rabbits, pheasants, and quail.  I like all of the game equally, and have a shot gun and amo that will work equally well for everything.  I know a field that has lots of rabbits, and considering the weather is warm, and most of the ducks are still north of me, I feel I have the best chance of being successful targeting the bunnies.  The grass is taller than usual, making it difficult to hit the rabbits as they run away.  After missing a few, I realize if I spot them before they take off running I can get a quick shot in and am successful.  The key to spotting them quickly is to spot their white ears, when they raise there heads.  I become very focused on any slight movement, and a flash of white.  This works but takes total concentration.  I am so concentrated on looking for white ears, I don't even notice the weather cooling and a few ducks flying over head.  Having to focus has made me selective.  Even though I don't favor rabbits over the other animals, in order to get the rabbits which are the most plentiful game, I have to concentrate so hard to find them I ignore all other game.

         After I get a few rabbits, I take a break, and notice a duck flying over head.  I shoot the duck, and wonder how many have flown over my while I was busy looking down concentrating in the tall grass.  I start looking at the sky more often, and see more ducks, but start missing the rabbits from lack of focus.  It is difficult to look up at the sky and at the ground at the same time, so I give up on the rabbits all together, and start to look up at the horizon hoping to see more ducks.  This works and I bag a few ducks.  The ducks are very colorful, but the color, size, or how they fly makes no difference to me, because I can see them silhouette against the sky and they fly straight making them easy targets.  Problem is the ducks don't fly over the same place, and when I try and change my position to get in their fly way they spook out of range.  

     I know there is a pond over the next hill where the ducks will probably concentrate so I decide to go there.  While I walk to the pond I am ready not only for ducks to fly over, but I could easily flush a pheasant or quail so I am basically ready shoot anything that moves.  I get to the pond and hide in the tall grass on the shore.  This works, and soon I have many ducks and even a couple of geese.  No need to be selective because tactics for the geese are the same as the ducks.  Again, I am not concentrating on size, color, or movement to get them.  I can see the ducks coming from a great distance and don't have to concentrate on finding them like I did the rabbits.  This gives me time to look around while waiting for more ducks.  I spot a pheasant and a covey of quail moving out of the cover to feed.  I decide I can sneek over an shoot a couple of them and still get back to my hide in time for the next flight of ducks.  I am not being selective on what I shoot, because I don't have to focus on any one thing in order to be successful.  Now the fog moves in.  I can't see the ducks coming, and the pheasants have ran and hid.  I am about to go back to the rabbit field, when I hear a goose honk.  I go to where I here the noise, and get close enough to get a goose.  Now I become focused on the sound of geese, and shut out any other distractions.  Due to the fog I am becoming selective again.   All the other animals are still there, but I must concentrate on one thing, sound if I am to be successful.

    The fog clears and It is time to walk back to my car.  On the way I go back to shoot anything that moves mode.  I get a pheasant, but miss a couple of rabbits, because like before I have a hard time hitting the rabbits once they get going, and because I'm not focused only on finding the head movement and white ears I don't see them in time to shoot before they run. 

     I feel bass are no different than other hunters.  Sometimes like the hunter with the rabbits, they have to focus in order to find and catch their prey, these times they can be selective and matching the hatch- movement, size, color, sound, smell, individually or in combination, may be the only way to catch them.  Other times what they are feeding on doesn't require a certain tactic, is not difficult to catch, or does not require extreme focus.  Making matching the hatch less important.  Then there are those times, when there is no particular prey and they are basically shooting at anything that moves.

     This is why when someone tells me a bass will eat anything they can get their mouths around, I will say yes and no or when someone tells me bass are selective feeders I give the same answer.  Not because they are selective, or smart, but because they are efficient hunters.   I live for the times, when they are in shoot anything that moves mode, but am prepared to match the hatch. 

 

      

KF that’s one heck of a write up. Maybe like humans they get tired of the same ole food and want something different. ?
But like most predators they will definitely go after the best bang for the buck. Most protein with least amount of energy used.

[Catt]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

It’s more then likely an abundance of one type of prey the bass prefer, like hundreds of quail you wouldn't bother with rabbits.

Tom

 

Exactly ?

 

Now that doesn't mean I wouldn't bust a rabbit or two!

Edited August 15, 2021 by Catt
Operator Error

[king fisher]

22 minutes ago, WRB said:

It’s more then likely an abundance of one type of prey the bass prefer, like hundreds of quail you wouldn't bother with rabbits.

Tom

I believe you are right.  The more abundant the prey, the more likely the bass will ignore other prey.  My point was addressing the belief, that bass can eat anything and match the hatch is never important.  I feel that sometimes the reason the bass are keying in on one or more aspects of an abundant prey is not because they like the prey more than others, but because a hunting tactic that is required to catch that prey may require them to become selective and key in on a certain, color, size, action of the abundant prey, in order to successfully catch that prey.  If there were hundreds of quail flying everywhere I wouldn't be looking at the ground, or notice a rabbit on the ground because I was already trying to hit a fast flying bird.  That is why a bass that is having difficulty catching fast swimming shad, may key in on flash, or a certain action to help him catch the shad and ignore a crawdad colored jig, but maybe while feeding on crawdads that are abundant, and easy to catch the same bass will hit a shad or bluegill imitation.  The first example the bass appear to be selective, the second they are not due to the difficulty associated with catching the abundant species of prey.  A rainbow trout feeding on salmon eggs will ignore a mouse swimming over his head, not because he likes eggs more than mice.  Mice are a bigger meal that he will gladly eat at other times.  The reason he wont hit the mouse is because he doesn't see it.  The reason he doesn't see it is because he is concentrating on getting an egg that dislodges from the nest, before another fish gets it and without the salmon attacking him.  He has to be focused in order to take advantage of the feeding opportunity.  After the salmon spawn is over the mouse will surely be lunch, because the trout will start to look all around for other opportunity's.  A successful angler will have to match the size color, and drift of the salmon eggs in order to catch the trout.  Not because the trout is smart, or picky, but because he is focused on one thing in order to be a successful hunter.

[Catt]

Minimal output...maximum intake 

 

That fact made the bass a selective feeder, as it does every predator.

[Sam]

When angered, startled, or provoked into attacking a prey, the preferred feeding strategy of a bass is to strike instantly when the prey or your lure passes within close range. The bass will grab the prey and quickly dash away, returning to its station of safety. 

 

The bass can swim with bluegills and bream without any attacks or they can change their attitudes and attack the baitfish swimming around them.

 

This is why we say bass will hit your bait out of frustration, anger, hunger, ease of attack, or protecting their territory or their baby bass.

 

Largemouth and smallmouth bass are outstanding hunters and it is a challenge to catch them. Although they have a small brain, their instincts make them an outstanding preditor and they will eat what they can catch to survive.

 

 

[Deleted account]

Since you said you won't mind, total BS. Fish aren't people, and if they ever figured how to use  a shotgun, we'd be in trouble...  

[Catt]

8 hours ago, king fisher said:

A rainbow trout feeding on salmon eggs will ignore a mouse swimming over his head, not because he likes eggs more than mice. 

 

The trout is "ignoring" the mouse because he doesn't have to chase the eggs.

 

Minimal output ?

[TnRiver46]

10 hours ago, Catt said:

 

Exactly ?

 

Now that doesn't mean I wouldn't bust a rabbit or two!

I’m no hunter Rabbit is really really good!!! Hopefully my friends will trade me some for fish fillets this winter 

[king fisher]

1 hour ago, Catt said:

 

The trout is "ignoring" the mouse because he doesn't have to chase the eggs.

 

Minimal output ?

Trout only has to move two feet to get mouse.  Mouse is bigger meal than 50 eggs.  Same trout will swim 30 yards to try and steal one egg from another trout.  I have seen this happen many times. I believe Something more than energy in energy out at play.  I can’t say what simply making a wild guess.

[Catt]

7 minutes ago, king fisher said:

Trout only has to move two feet to get mouse.

 

Now you're adding the depth!

[MGF]

11 hours ago, WRB said:

It’s more then likely an abundance of one type of prey the bass prefer, like hundreds of quail you wouldn't bother with rabbits.

Tom

I'd go with the rabbits any day.

[Mobasser]

I've often thought that competition for food items come into play also. Even when a predators food is abundant, and he's not really hungry, he may grab an easy meal just to keep another predator from getting it. It could be selective feeding also, depending on what items are available.

[king fisher]

32 minutes ago, Catt said:

 

Now you're adding the depth!

Could be the trout is simply focused on the bottom and doesn’t even noticing an easy meal swimming above.  If there were many mice and few eggs concentration would be on the surface and fish would not notice a tiny egg on bottom

[Catt]

We started out on bass & ended up trout fishing...interesting!

[BayouSlide]

10 hours ago, Sam said:

Largemouth and smallmouth bass are outstanding hunters...[snip]...Although they have a small brain ...[snip]...their instincts make them an outstanding predator.

 

 

For me, that sums up this entire discussion, leaving little to add.

 

[813basstard]

I don’t know about all that, all I know is these ones around here got masks on lately. 
I’ve been to Tuesday night bible studies with more action…

[WRB]

To have a temper the bass needs to have emotion and they don’t. What you may observe as anger is simply territorial instinct displayed during the spawn cycle. Reaction strikes are created by opportunity, it’s not emotional it’s survival.

abundance of preferred  prey dictates location, where the prey is are.

Tom

[Skunkmaster-k]

I hope your shoulder heals quickly . This discussion really got me thinking  ? 

[CrankFate]

@Mobasser competition is the one part of the equation most people leave out. I believe that when the fish can eat at will, without ever worrying about competition it creates what most people call “pressure.” And makes fish harder to catch. When the fish need to prevent the competition from eating, they get more aggressive and feel like they need to eat to prevent the competition from getting that meal. That makes for easier to catch fish, even in places that are fished to death.

[TnRiver46]

1 hour ago, CrankFate said:

@Mobasser competition is the one part of the equation most people leave out. I believe that when the fish can eat at will, without ever worrying about competition it creates what most people call “pressure.” And makes fish harder to catch. When the fish need to prevent the competition from eating, they get more aggressive and feel like they need to eat to prevent the competition from getting that meal. That makes for easier to catch fish, even in places that are fished to death.

Excellent point