Short strikes

[Jig Man]

Tuesday I decided they would eat a spinnerbait or go hungry.  I caught a few some quality some small.  Then they started short striking.  I thought maybe they were hitting the blades so I pulled out a bladed jig.  I still got short hits.  They were in very shallow water of maybe a foot or two.  Changing colors and even foregoing the trailer didn’t work.  This is off color water with about 2’ of visibility.  Bleeding shiner has been my go to color.  I’m going back next week and can’t decide what kind of trailers to make.  Any suggestions?

[Mobasser]

Try a smaller bait, shorten up the trailer, and add a trailer hook.

[Mike L]

1 hour ago, Mobasser said:

Try a smaller bait, shorten up the trailer, and add a trailer hook.

Ditto!

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[Jig Man]

I did all 3 of those things.  Do you think a trailer that has action like a twin tail grub or swimming chunk would provoke a more aggressive reaction.

[Functional]

Blade type possible but try changing up your retrieve speed in both directions. 

[the reel ess]

I never use a trailer. It could also be something like they really want another color or they're in direct sunlight. It can be hard to get bass to take something at or near the surface when you're in full sunlight. You could try to slow your roll, so to speak. I've been a trailer hook guy for a long time. Lately I went to the Megastrike Big Bass spinnerbait. It has a swinging head on it and they claim it negates the need for a trailer hook. Presumably the bass can inhale it more easily. One other thing I'd consider is the line type and rod action. Braid has no stretch, while mono has the most. I like to use 15# Big Game mono for my MH-Mod spinner/buzzbait rod. It's actually the only bass combo I use mono on anymore. But if you're using one of the other lines, you could drop down to a medium rod to make up for the lack of stretch.

[Bluebasser86]

Sure they were bass? Green sunfish were tearing up my bladed jig trailer during my tournament a few weeks ago in the same areas I was catching bass and always the first few feet from the bank. Their first "tap", felt a lot like a bass, but I yanked a couple clear out of the water and even caught a few so I figured a lot of short strikes I was getting must have been greenies. 

[Big Rick]

When I get a short strike I go right back in there with a paddle tail swim bait on an underspin. I prefer the Owner Flashy Swimmer. I use the Colorado gold blade when fishing off-color water. I love spinnerbait fishing. But I never throw a spinnerbait without having a paddle tail rigged for short strikes. Works like a charm. 

 

 

[ATA]

Anytime I get short strike I go crazy hahaha... always try wacky rig or Texas rig immediately. 

[Jig Man]

16 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Sure they were bass? Green sunfish were tearing up my bladed jig trailer during my tournament a few weeks ago in the same areas I was catching bass and always the first few feet from the bank. Their first "tap", felt a lot like a bass, but I yanked a couple clear out of the water and even caught a few so I figured a lot of short strikes I was getting must have been greenies. 

It is possible.  I can’t tell on a moving bait like I can most of the time on a worm.

[fishballer06]

The fish act differently every single day (and they'll even change mid day at that). They may not be short striking next time around. 

 

You can also try downsizing some. A small Keitech maybe? Or on an underspin to add a little flash? Or a shallow squarebill? Swim jig? It's always hard to say what it is they really want. 

[WRB]

Just go to a plain 1/4 single blade chartreuse and white.

Next week the bite will have changed as the baitfish are moving around now.

Tom

[Bankc]

I had a similar experience a while back.  I thought the bass were short striking my spinnerbait, so I decided to tie on a 1/4 oz. underspin crappie jig with a 3" fluke trailer and see what happens.  Turns out, it was gizzard shad.  I caught one about 10" long.  

[scaleface]

I go to less bright colors and less belligerent blades but use the same weight bait . Still have to make the cast count and going down in weight means having to switch rods .

[Bankbeater]

I would use a smaller spinnerbait and no trailer at all.  When the bass hit the bait I want them to get the hook in their mouth and not just grab hold of the trailer.

[Jig Man]

Lots of food for thought here.  I’m going back on Monday.  I have 5 setups rigged differently and a neighbor for the back seat.  Maybe I’ll learn something then.  Thanks for the ideas.

[islandbass]

This is just crazy me, but maybe if you experience the same thing on Monday, toss an inline spinner at them. 
 

I was having a worse time last out not getting even short strikes, lol. 
 

I had some experimental inline spinners I made with me that were intended for salmon so I tied it on thinking I had nothing to lose. Tossed it out and bam!

Perhaps the change in the sound created by the blade (vs the spinnerbait) was the difference or kicker. 
 

You can see the inline lying on the deck. It’s sad times for my bass fishing when it’s pitch black dark and it is only 2001 hours ?(09/23/21). 

 

 

[Captain Phil]

Bass sometimes swim along with the bait holding it in their mouths and you won't know.  I learned this years ago while stand up fishing in my boat.  I felt the blades stop and looked back to see a large bass with my spinnerbait bait in its mouth swimming at the same speed as my retrieve.  If you don't use a trailer hook, you are missing fish you will never know about.  Look closely at this photo I took last week.  What do you think the chances are you would have hooked this bass without a trailer hook? Zero...

 

 

[Spankey]

On 9/30/2021 at 7:54 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

Sure they were bass? Green sunfish were tearing up my bladed jig trailer during my tournament a few weeks ago in the same areas I was catching bass and always the first few feet from the bank. Their first "tap", felt a lot like a bass, but I yanked a couple clear out of the water and even caught a few so I figured a lot of short strikes I was getting must have been greenies. 

I sort of had the same situation happen to me yesterday. I was getting hard thumps and taps fishing the edge of some grass lines. Would have lost the house because I was sure they were Bass. They wind up being bluegills to my surprise, not huge. They were hitting the heck out of a 3xd in Bully. Was wild. I took a few pics because it was a bit unexpected. I’ll try to post. Stopped using that pattern. Caught a mixed bag along these weed lines on cranks. Bass (runts), channel cat and those bluegills were all short strikes.