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Posted

Looking to continue the conversation from some excellent posts from the latest catch thread regarding bite detection, I really think that is what sets apart the hammers from the folks like me who spend too much time with skunks. Obviously time on the water is probably the most key factor, but I'm interested to hear if anyone has further tips to optimize their time on the water and improve bite detection? This is a big focus for me this year.

 

My ideas are to use baits with more vibration so I can feel when something changes easier, and then always set the hook when I get that feeling. Agree, disagree, any further ideas on how to improve rapidly in bite detection with various baits? 

  • Like 4
Posted

Night.  Fish.

  • Like 9
Posted

Set the hook into everything that feels weird like it owes you money. Sometimes you win sometimes you lose. 

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  • Super User
Posted

Sets  Hammers apart:

Being able to locate bass on a big body of water through each seasonal pattern,

as well as selecting a presentation suitable for the conditions, depth and water clarity,

And then nailing the proper boat position, making an accurate cast with the proper tackle to mange your catch, are IMO, some of the characteristics we find in bassheads who display repeatable success. 

 

Bite detection is pretty far down that list. 

Familiarization with matched / balanced gear being used helps,

as does paying attention to what your doing.  

We'll never feel every bite but keep doing it enough, it's a skill that can be improved.

However the only way I know,

is to fish.

:smiley:

A-Jay

 

  • Like 8
Posted

I fish lipless cranks and chatterbaits more than any other type of bait or lure, and when i feel something, anything, i rip the rod to the side.

If its a bass then game on, and if not i was probably just stuck on some grass and just ripped the lure out of it. And if so then there might be a bass biting the lure a few seconds later (most of my big bass came after ripping it out of vegetation).

 

But for bottom baits and lures without vibrations get some tungsten weights, around 1/4-3/8 and dont even fish, just cast them and slowly drag the bottom. Do this over and over again in many different areas of the lake/pond you are fishing. After a few days you will be able to tell the difference between the feel of a rock, grass, mud, or wood. Then take what you learned and start fishing, now knowing what the stuff on the bottom feels like you can tell if someone feels different and SET THE HOOK always if unsure.

 

Just recently i got a few 6" Bass Mafia swimbaits, and i learned quite a bit with them, i havent fished much since i stopped last September and started back in late March so i was a bit rusty.

I forgot what the bite felt like so ive been fishing these things near the bottom hitting rocks and grass alot, so in my head im remembering what each rock, piece of wood, and grass i ran it into felt like.

A few minutes later i felt a very familiar feeling, like something was pulling it backwards almost like it was being sucked into a vacuum. Set the hook and had a nice 3.25lb bass.

 

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  • Super User
Posted

A few things that MIGHT make a difference for you:

 

Pay attention.

Put a finger on the line.

Pay attention

Use fluorocarbon, if not already

Fish often

Watch your line

Use tungsten

Pay attention

Remove wind from the equation 

Remove/reduce movement as a variable

Focus

 

46 minutes ago, FishTax said:

My ideas are to use baits with more vibration so I can feel when something changes easier, and then always set the hook when I get that feeling. Agree, disagree, any further ideas on how to improve rapidly in bite detection with various baits? 

I don't understand. Is bite detection actually a big problem with your moving/vibrating baits?  

  I HAVE watched Bigmouth Forever, so I know that I miss bites on moving bites, but nearly all those that I miss on moving baits, I am not going to improve upon.  The bites I always work to improve my detection on, are still or falling

  • Like 3
Posted

I highly doubt bite detection is the problem. Are you fishing in the right area and selecting the right lure is the question.  If you want to get better at bite detection that comes with catching more fish. If I want to catch more fish I downsize and throw more plastics.  Can't beat a wacky rig senko.

 

If you want to do a few things to also help with bite detection besides what I mentioned you have several options. 

 

1. Run braid to a fluro leader. Braid makes any rod way more sensitive. This will make a massive difference in sensitivity.  If you have the money to spend move to option 2 while also doing option 1.

 

2. Buy a higher-end rod.  Not all rods are created equal.  Bang for the buck the Shimano Expride series is amazing they are around $300 bucks, and you won't find a more sensitive rod until you jump to the 550 and up price point.  If you want the ultimate sensitivity in a rod go get an NRX+ but be prepared to drop $650.  Remember though most pros are not throwing crazy expensive rods.  Most of the time it's not the arrow it's the Indian. Will a more expensive rod make fishing more enjoyable absolutely but I don't want you to think you need a stupid expensive rod to catch fish.

 

I am not a rod snob after fishing with high-end stuff.  At this point, I don't think the high-end rods are making me catch more fish but they are more enjoyable to fish with.  Higher-end rods from the right companies are a lot more sensitive, lighter, and better balanced.

 

 

  • Super User
Posted

Go walleye fishing.  They are extremely light biters.  If you can regularly detect them biting, you can detect bass biting.

 

Most bass bites feel like a truck compared to a walleye bite.

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  • Super User
Posted
19 minutes ago, Ibock said:

Can't beat a wacky rig senko.

 

........ 

 

Run braid to a fluro leader. Braid makes any rod way more sensitive. This will make a massive difference in sensitivity.  

Wacky senko isn't a bait I'd recommend for someone working on bite detection.  Sure, I'd like to be better at detecting senko bites, but fact is that the senko is frequently going to get picked up and moved without me feeling anything....no matter how good I get at bite detection.  If you want to focus on line-watching as a means of bite detection, then by all means, practice with a senko.

 

As to the braid recommendation....I am far better at feeling bites on fluoro than braid/fluoro.  Fluro slack-line sensitivity might be said to be a myth, but in my head, it is very real

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  • Super User
Posted
1 hour ago, FishTax said:

My ideas are to use baits with more vibration so I can feel when something changes easier, and then always set the hook when I get that feeling.

 

I think this is clever. Fingers crossed it works for you.

 

I think bite detection is huge, up there with being quiet and accurate casting. YouTube's NDYakAngler is an amazing caster. In another video, I watched a professional angler fish a tight, tree-choked smallmouth river. He was fishing Hula Poppers and man, he could place them everywhere he wanted. 

 

I agree with those who set the hook if they get the slightest whiff of something different. 

 

 

  • Like 1
Posted
1 hour ago, Choporoz said:

A few things that MIGHT make a difference for you:

 

Pay attention.

Put a finger on the line.

Pay attention

Use fluorocarbon, if not already

Fish often

Watch your line

Use tungsten

Pay attention

Remove wind from the equation 

Remove/reduce movement as a variable

Focus

 

I don't understand. Is bite detection actually a big problem with your moving/vibrating baits?  

  I HAVE watched Bigmouth Forever, so I know that I miss bites on moving bites, but nearly all those that I miss on moving baits, I am not going to improve upon.  The bites I always work to improve my detection on, are still or falling

I agree with 99% of what you said. I just wish you would have mentioned that paying attention is important. 

  • Haha 2
  • Super User
Posted

Top water you visually see the strike, hook setting is a timing issue usually about 1 second delay.

Crank baits you can feel the lures wiggling bouncing the rod tip, strikes vary from the wiggle stops to the bass loads up the rod, hook set is reel fast and sweep the rod back,

Soft plastics with sliding sinker (Texas rig) strike are difficult to detect because the engulfs the soft plastic and either spits out or eat it with or without moving. The classic strike is a tick indicating the engulfed plastic. The pressure bite is the bass has the soft plastic and isn’t moving,

The engulf and bass moving can be slack in the line after the tick if the bass is moving towards you or you feel and see the line moving. Hook sets is reel the rod tip down and swing back firmly.

Swing jig is similar to a crank bait without feeling the lure wiggle, feel pressure set the hook.

Bottom jigs are the most difficult to detect, similar to Texas rig soft plastic but jig rejection is more common so set the hook faster.

Good fishing,

Tom

  • Like 4
Posted
43 minutes ago, Choporoz said:

Wacky senko isn't a bait I'd recommend for someone working on bite detection.  Sure, I'd like to be better at detecting senko bites, but fact is that the senko is frequently going to get picked up and moved without me feeling anything....no matter how good I get at bite detection.  If you want to focus on line-watching as a means of bite detection, then by all means, practice with a senko.

 

As to the braid recommendation....I am far better at feeling bites on fluoro than braid/fluoro.  Fluro slack-line sensitivity might be said to be a myth, but in my head, it is very real

My point was the best way to get better at bite detection in more bites. I don't think you can get more on any other bait year around than a senko.  IMO braid is way more sensitive then fluro...Its not even close.

  • Super User
Posted
59 minutes ago, ol'crickety said:

I watched a professional angler fish a tight, tree-choked smallmouth river. He was fishing Hula Poppers and man, he could place them everywhere he wanted. 

 

There is a small river that I fish in midsummer almost exactly like that.  We just float it with a 12 foot jon boat from point A to point B with the current.  Its close combat fishing and accuracy is paramount.  The fish sit along the shore and we cast to visual targets as we slowly float past.  Eddies, undercut banks, and fallen logs.  If you short the cast, you don't get bit.  If you cast too far, you get hung up.  The target is about the size of a dinner plate.  Unfortunately, because of drought, I haven't been able to fish this river 3 out of the last 4 seasons.  The fish in this river are very lightly pressured because they are hard to get to.  They fight like bulldogs.  Even a 12 incher feels like an 18 until you see it.

 

 

river tank.jpg

7-24-19 b.jpg

July 2019 smallmouth.jpg

  • Like 2
Posted
3 hours ago, Ibock said:

My point was the best way to get better at bite detection in more bites. I don't think you can get more on any other bait year around than a senko.  IMO braid is way more sensitive then fluro...Its not even close.

A wacky rig is a top producer around the country, but does absolutely nothing for learning to feel a bite.

Every single time ive caught a fish on a wacky rig, whether its with braid, mono or fluoro i havent felt a bite or even a slight tap. Its only when i go to reel in and theres a fish on the other end i notice it.

Its only good if you watch the line constantly, but even then you really dont feel them bite it.

  • Super User
Posted

@gimruis: Fingers crossed you get to fish your high challenge/high reward river again this summer.

 

10 minutes ago, MediumMouthBass said:

Every single time ive caught a fish on a wacky rig, whether its with braid, mono or fluoro i havent felt a bite or even a slight tap. Its only when i go to reel in and theres a fish on the other end i notice it.

Its only good if you watch the line constantly, but even then you really dont feel them bite it.

 

I agree with all of the above and this is why I avoid wacky worming when it's windy. The line tells me little when my canoe is being blown across the lake. 

  • Like 1
Posted

Hooksets are free. When in doubt, light 'em up. A good rod blank is a must. Braid is very friendly on the senses. If it stops chattering or vibrating or pulsating, light 'em up. If it feels like a big mushy purse on the other end of you line after punching a mat, light 'em up. A bass mouth is big and the bigger they are, the bigger their mouth's are. It's very easy for a bait to get lost in there. When all else fails, trust your instincts. 

  • Like 4
Posted

Knowing what a bite doesn't feel like is just as important. 9/10 I can tell you if I'm hitting rock, wood or weeds and what type of weeds I'm coming through. Anything that feels different than what's expected gets lit up.

 

Hard getting a feeling for falling baits. Need just the right amount of tension to feel a tic but not enough to hinder free fall. This is my take, if I'm doing it wrong tell me please.

 

Finger on the line for casting setups and a finger on the line when not reeling on spinning, line watching and watching where the line enters the water for the slightest ripple or it start moving on its own. 

 

Beyond those its just time on the water and experiencing it.

 

Pegged T-rig or Jig are going to be the better baits to practice. Moving baits shouldnt be hard to detect, most times they crush it or you suddenly get slack line, if you feel a bump they didnt get it. Repeated bumps and try a new trailer, different cadence, different color. Top water should be pretty obvious. Jerk baits I'll leave to @A-Jay

  • Like 2
Posted
44 minutes ago, MediumMouthBass said:

A wacky rig is a top producer around the country, but does absolutely nothing for learning to feel a bite.

Every single time ive caught a fish on a wacky rig, whether its with braid, mono or fluoro i havent felt a bite or even a slight tap. Its only when i go to reel in and theres a fish on the other end i notice it.

Its only good if you watch the line constantly, but even then you really dont feel them bite it.

 

That's very interesting to me.   The majority of the time I feel the bite on a wacky rig but I know the Expride and NRX+ help a lot with that.  I agree with the other post throw that says a tx rig is a great was to learn.  Get a light tx rig and a 6 inch worm and you will catch fish. Equipment really matter on bottom contact baits and tungsten too.

  • Global Moderator
Posted
1 hour ago, gimruis said:

 

There is a small river that I fish in midsummer almost exactly like that.  We just float it with a 12 foot jon boat from point A to point B with the current.  Its close combat fishing and accuracy is paramount.  The fish sit along the shore and we cast to visual targets as we slowly float past.  Eddies, undercut banks, and fallen logs.  If you short the cast, you don't get bit.  If you cast too far, you get hung up.  The target is about the size of a dinner plate.  Unfortunately, because of drought, I haven't been able to fish this river 3 out of the last 4 seasons.  The fish in this river are very lightly pressured because they are hard to get to.  They fight like bulldogs.  Even a 12 incher feels like an 18 until you see it.

 

 

river tank.jpg

7-24-19 b.jpg

July 2019 smallmouth.jpg

Fashion police called and said you need a hat 

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Posted

All good suggestions but for me, the best way to improve bite detection is to fish really clear water.  By that I mean at least 10 foot visibility. 

  • Global Moderator
Posted
1 minute ago, Reel said:

All good suggestions but for me, the best way to improve bite detection is to fish really clear water.  By that I mean at least 10 foot visibility. 

That doesn’t exist in these parts 

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  • Super User
Posted

I went out for the first time this year yesterday. I was a little rusty on detecting bites with a plastic worm and missed several. It took a couple of hours to get back in the groove. A lot of times the bites are not felt . I just try to  pay attention and be ready when it happens. 

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Posted
7 hours ago, TnRiver46 said:

That doesn’t exist in these parts 

I know and it's to bad...!   Like the previous poster said, a lot of times the bites are not really felt.  I would say almost half the time. 

 

  • Super User
Posted
23 hours ago, Pat Brown said:

Night.  Fish.

 

With a jig.

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