Your Reaction Time

[Dye99]

Im 52 and I havent noticed any lack of reaction time yet. But I also am adamant about eating healthy, exercising and staying in good shape.

Then I must add that I make my fishing runs short and sweet. 5 hours max, wear sun gear and make sure to hydrate.

I feel as if Im in my fishing prime, old enough to learn from my youthful mistakes, yet young enough to not have the physical ailments that are due in the coming years.

[Darth-Baiter]

My reaction time is fine. I’m still have great feeling in my hands. Almost spidey senses. 
 

 

im Now old enough to afford some of this now. Win!!

 

[Catt]

9 hours ago, WRB said:

The average reaction time when measured is about 3/4 of a second.

 

Sportsman tree

Perfect light: .500

Pro Tree:

Perfect light: .400 

[MickD]

16 hours ago, MN_Bassin24 said:

The test said that I had the reaction time of a 52 yr old and I'm only 18!

I'm quite sure the issue is not your reaction time, but your focus.  Keep trying and I think you'll see big improvements.  Finger on a key so that it measures your reaction time and not the time it takes to go from above the key to stroking the key.  

[Swamp Girl]

I took the test. I'm almost 67 and the test said my reaction time is that of an 18-year old. However, since I surface fish a lot, a slower reaction time is better than a fast one. I've come a long ways in surface fishing. I used to explode when the water exploded. Now I wait until I feel the fish regardless of the splash.

 

Quote

Before you can react you must detect the strike first and most bass anglers of all ages mis detecting strike a high % of the time.

 

Gosh, yes! I remember fishing with others and I'd see the tap-tap-tap of their rod and say, "You have a fish."

 

They were clueless. 

[Pat Brown]

There is some video on YouTube where Greg Hackney talks about how in tournaments he fishes with baits with no hooks on them to determine if there are fish in an area so that he can go back and catch them during the tournament.  

 

What really got me going on the slow hook set deal is him talking about how it's a rather common occurrence for fish to swim around with a 3/4 oz jig in their mouth for hundreds of feet before deciding it's not food.  He even says it's fairly difficult to shake them off sometimes even with no hook!

 

Food for thought and ultimately why I go slow to set the hook.  I mean we naturally are already in a hurry and slow is relative.  It all happens so fast anyway.  I just try to pause and make sure the fish has the bait.

[Gera]

On 7/25/2023 at 9:11 AM, Mobasser said:

My doctor is a bass fisherman, and when I have an appointment, we always talk fishing for a few minutes.                                            I mentioned that I feel like I've missed more fish this summer than I ever have.             He said it's very common for us to have a slower reaction time as we age, and, this affects hook setting.              He also mentioned other factors. The heat, or, if you have any aches or pains that bother you. In my case, some aches and pains from my years doing carpentry work. These aches and pains are magnified as we age, and cause distractions which can slow your reaction time.                It may not affect everyone. A friend I fish with sometimes is 73, and he rarely if ever misses a fish.             He recommended things Im already doing. Drink plenty of water, get plenty of rest, and take vitamins, which can help you stay alert while your fishing.          I'll be 66 in October.                                   It's all part of getting older. Has anyone else noticed your reaction time slowing down, and causing you to miss fish?                                                

 

Your experience will makeup for the lost reflexes. I'm sure you're killing it out there.  

[Mike L]

@Pat Brown

 

I do the same on the last practice day of an upcoming tournament.
It’s not that uncommon. 
I’ve been with boaters who do it during every day before. 
 

You’d be surprised how hard it is to shake a fish without a barb. You’d think it wouldn’t be a problem but sometimes it definitely is, which is a learning point in of itself. 
 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[A-Jay]

The way I look at this is,

as long as I can safely maneuverer my truck & boat trailer up the highway,

down the boat ramp, and then safely navigate my boat to the area I'm fishing,

hooking a bass is well within my ability level.

My workout routine takes care of the rest. 

Fish Hard

A-Jay

[Bird]

With age comes wisdom, at least we hope.

I mainly throw baits with really good hook-up ratio and never require " swinging for the fences".

AND stay away from really windy days.

 

Then there's the scenario where I can't tell I'm slowing down......but really am. ?

[MickD]

1 hour ago, Pat Brown said:

What really got me going on the slow hook set deal is him talking about how it's a rather common occurrence for fish to swim around with a 3/4 oz jig in their mouth for hundreds of feet before deciding it's not food.  He even says it's fairly difficult to shake them off sometimes even with no hook!

This is really interesting, and confirms what I've been thinking about some of the lost fish, especially on small swimbaits that with the traditional rigging don't have much hook gap.  I've thought that most of the fish that are on for 10 seconds or so then gone don't even have the hook in them.  They are just holding on.  We have had muskies take smallies and hang on for quite a long time, until you get them close to the boat.  They have the smallie in their mouths across the back and not anywhere near the hook.  They are just holding on.

[Pat Brown]

Going further down this rabbit hole, a big reason I don't do the slack line snap hook set is hinted at in all of this.

 

The way bass clamp down on a bait, you're better off using torque and muscle to drive that hook in slow and deep with a firm sweep.

 

When you snap on slack line, you just blow their lips open and the bait comes flying out most of the time.

 

Last year I lost a lot of big fish because of my hookset being too snappy and quick.  I mean a lot.  It was really killing my confidence.  Learned the hackney sweep set and I do it with everything at all distances now.  I don't lose fish very often.  Sometimes they don't get the bait very good but that's out of my control.

 

YMMV

[Skunkmaster-k]

I wish my doctor was a fisherperson. All he wants to talk about is boring stuff that ain’t no fun. 

[A-Jay]

8 minutes ago, Skunkmaster-k said:

I wish my doctor was a fisherperson. All he wants to talk about is boring stuff that ain’t no fun. 

I wish my fish were all doctors.

Going to my appointments would be a whole lot more fun.

Plus they have no fingers.

?

A-Jay

[Catt]

18 minutes ago, Skunkmaster-k said:

I wish my doctor was a fisherperson. All he wants to talk about is boring stuff that ain’t no fun. 

 

Told my wife's doctor who she has been going to for 40 yrs he needed to buy a bass boat so I could borrow it...I know I've paid for one.

 

@Pat Brown During the tournament Hackney is anything but slow. He's peers say he has the more violent hookset on the circuit.

[Skunkmaster-k]

9 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

I wish my fish were all doctors.

Going to my appointments would be a whole lot more fun.

Plus they have no fingers.

?

A-Jay

When I read this I had a mental picture of my doctor flopping into the exam room with a hook stuck in his lip . “ Sorry to keep you waiting, I was with another patient. ‘. 

[Pat Brown]

@Catt I mean I watch hackney set the hook and he does it with authority but it's forceful rather than quick is how I'd put it.  He almost always gets the tip of his rod loading up before he lifts and that's a BIG part of how it works IMHO.

 

If you can take a few steps back on the bank or deck of your boat, even better.  You just want torque.

 

He explains the whole deal in great detail in some video somewhere. I can't remember.

 

All I know is it helped me stop losing ole big ???????

[Catt]

8 minutes ago, Pat Brown said:

hackney set the hook and he does it with authority

 

I've watched every video with Hackney in it. ?

 

My point is he ain't letting em run with nuthin!

[ironbjorn]

Being big into Call of Duty taught me a lot about reaction time. Those of you who think you haven't noticed any difference, I promise you there is a difference. Even if it's just milliseconds, which isn't enough to really effect your fishing. My reaction time in game isn't the same as it was 15 or even 5 years ago. Most COD pros retire at around 25 because the milliseconds they lose matters when playing the fresh young teens coming on scene. At what point is your slower reaction time as you age having a negative impact on fishing? No idea, haven't gotten there yet. I think decision making, fatigue, and wear and tear on the body is probably most impactful in the sport of bass fishing.

[Pat Brown]

@CattI think what we may be getting hung up on (pun definitely intended) is more like the part where 'you know he's got it'.  That part I try to get through as quickly as humanly possible.  Recognizing the difference between a limb/a rock/a little clump of weeds/a closed mouth bump and the bait being in a basses mouth is the more nuanced part of the whole deal and I try to do in a reel big hurry if I can, like milliseconds.  That part requires  deep focus and staying  in contact with your bait at all times and is probably the single most important part of fishing bottom contact baits. If I feel something that isn't right I swing but I try to swing in a firm and measured and powerful way rather than got startled by my teacher napping during lecture kinda motion. ???

 

[Catt]

2 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

If I feel something that isn't right I swing

 

Once i make my mind up to swing it's with speed & with authority!

 

Yes I've seen em hold on while trying to shake em off but I've had em spit it to many times. 

[Bankbeater]

I know my reaction time has slowed a bit, but the bass are working with me.  They just pick up the bait off the bottom and start to swim slowly off with it.  Maybe I'm catching old bass?

[Woody B]

I have a knack for being too quick.....or too slow.   Spotted bass (I think) like to nibble at stuff before actually picking it up.   I blame the worms that break right behind the hook on a hookset on Spots.    Largemouth pick stuff up quickly, and many times swim away with it.   A couple weeks ago I laughed at myself until it hurt.   I made a perfect cast under the center of a pontoon boat with a t-rig.  I can't skip a t-rig,  just made a nice 2 inch above the water cast at least 15 feet under the boat.   I was standing there thinking "what a great cast" when my line started moving.   I ended up landing a ~3 pound Largemouth, but it "felt" like it took me 5 minutes to engage my reel, get up the slack and set the hook.   

 

Last year during the spring I was fishing mostly topwater.  I keep a t-rig handy, and close by to cast out if something rolls on my devils horse, but doesn't take it.   So......I had fished an area and was getting ready to move.  I had stowed my trolling motor.  The worm off my t-rigged rod was dangling into the water a few inches.  When I went to pick it up a small spotted bass nailed it.  I boat flipped a 10 inch spot when picking it up.  It was flipping around in the boat.  I picked it up, and put it back in the lake, then I noticed the hook was still completely buried in the worm.  I guess it grabbed the tail, then got a ride into my boat.   

 

 

Added:  I've got stuff to do right now but I'll go try the reaction timer later to see how old I am.   I "think" I still have quick hands.  I'm a former boxer.  When sparring (with protective equipment and heavy gloves) I wear out my 17 and 19 year old grandsons.  They can't touch me.   I also drag raced for 20 years.   

[WRB]

To react you must 1st process in the information that triggers your brain to send the message to your muscles to react. You all discussing the brain signal time and not the process time to start the reaction.

It’s my point of contention that few bass anglers never process the initial strike that goes undetected. This happens more often then we think and I witness multiple strikes that go undetected by anglers that don’t react until the fish nearly sets the hook or swallows the bait pulling the rod down into the water. I have watch partners tuna fishing and their  line is literally skipping across the water surface and they don’t react to the strike and yelling at them set the hook!

This occurs often when bass fishing using jigs when trying to teach friends to jig fish.....your bit set the hook!

You are saying not me! I am saying yes you!

When I younger my ability to focus on a task  was maddening to those around, zoned out.

As we all age more and more distractions enter the equation and our skills change. I could simply look at a casting target and the lure landed within inches. Today I see where I want the lure to land and mis often by feet not inches. I pride myself on casting skill and don’t spend enough time on the water to hone casting skills or stay laser focused on what my lure is doing. We all look around to enjoy our surroundings but it’s those moments that distract out attention and we mis strikes.

Tom

[Big Hands]

On 7/25/2023 at 7:24 AM, Team9nine said:

Bass hang on to baits much longer than most realize, and they really want to eat your bait if just given the opportunity. 

 

Not all the time, but quite a bit of the time, I am amazed at how long they will hold a bait. We can even have a subtle tog-of-war. I have had times when I could (and in some cases, had to) let the bass swim several feet with a plastic bait before setting the hook with a Carolina rig. I'm talking 15-20 feet! Sometimes like they will clamp down harder and really put the munch down when I apply a little pressure to them.

 

OTOH, I enjoy watching Scott Canterbury fish a jig. His reaction time seems lightning fast to me and he uses a solid and crisp hookset.