Whats the "tap tap"?

[Boett43]

Ive always wonder what the "tap tap" on the end of the rod was when a fish takes your lure a jig for instence..what i am trying to ask what exactly is the fish doing to the jig when you feel the tap tap? i hope someone understand my question  :

                  Big B

[.dsaavedra.]

its like theyre biting, and "chewing", trying to smash the prey so it dies. or sometimes they take it in, spit it out, take in it, spit it out.

[Jig Man]

Tap #1 fish taking bait into its mouth

Tap #2 fish spitting bait out

Tap #3 same fish or another fish taking bait into its mouth

Tap Tap Tap Tap some kind of brim trying to get the bait in its itty bitty mouff  (We call that the TBerry shuffle here in the Ozarks.)

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Ever been sucker punched?  Tap tap on the shoulder, turn around and WHAM!

That's what you should be doing,...tap tap on the lips and WHAM with a hook in the jaw.  

The tap tap is an alarm system to tell you to set the hook

[Boett43]

Haha good analogy LBH  ;D im pretty good at setting the hook after the tap tap i was just trying to get a picture in my head of what the fish was doing to my jig

[grimlin]

If it's a small bream they are knick picking the end of the bait....usually feel like little machine gun bites.

Bass usually inhale the lure with a good "thump".Otherwise my line just gets tight and starts swimming on it's own.

I tried setting a hook on a dink today....bad idea...that lure came flying back at me.

[Guest avid]

Kinda like "Knock Knock" only for bass.    

[Boett43]

haha i like that avid like someones at the door ...

[Hookemdown.]

Someone on the forums said this... I can't remember who.

#1 tap - The fish inhaling your lure

#2 tap - The fish spitting out  your lure

#3 tap - Your buddy tapping you on the shoulder and asking you why you didn't set the hook.

[garry77]

After watching a couple bass take my lure in clear water(and feeling the taps obviously)it seemed like the first tap he grabbed and the second tap he was getting a better grip and starting to turn with it.It also seemed thta when I get

excited and set the hook on the first tap I usually pulled it away from them but if I could get myself to wait till the 2nd I hooked him pretty good.

[Catt]

It has also been said that bass don't have hands, so what do you think it's doing?  

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Well, I guess "playing the piano" is out

[George Welcome]

Tap one is the fish taking the bait

Tap two is either the fish turning or spitting out the bait

Tap three is the fishing definitely spitting out the bait

If you wait for tap two or three you are generally waiting too long.

Bass do not chew their food. They eat it or spit it out. Eating it means swallowing it whole. If you are lucky enough to catch them during a feeding period it is almost a one motion deal. Inhale and swallow at the same time.

[morieeel]

Down here in Florida with a plastic worm, if you set the worm after the tap, you'll be reeling in water.  You have to wait till you feel the weight of the fish before the hook set.  

[mayassa]

Down here in Florida with a plastic worm, if you set the worm after the tap, you'll be reeling in water.  You have to wait till you feel the weight of the fish before the hook set.  

That odd you said this, it happened to me this weekend on plastics I got the Tap hooked nothing but water, waited for TAP Tap again nothing, TAP TAP TAP TAP pull - then set the hook and landed it.

I never have luck with just one TAP

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

x2  its either a curious  or a brim 99% of the time. But the thing is I have caught a lunker or two after feeling that and decided to not set the hook.The fish normally gets off then.

  Oh have you ever felt the tap,tap,tap,try to set the hook, then nothing, only to come and find out the fish is streaking a hundred MPH right at the boat?? Thats always fun.I think those guys know the deal and have taken a tour of the boat before.

[George Welcome]

Amazing :

[roadwarrior]

Amazing :

+1

Well, George...

Now you know what you have doing wrong all these years! 8-)

[tyrius.]

Down here in Florida with a plastic worm, if you set the worm after the tap, you'll be reeling in water.

You're waiting too long then.  The fish has already "sampled" your worm and found it lacking.  If you wait until you feel the weight of the fish then you are going to be missing most of the strikes.

[surfer]

Knock knock !

Whose there ?

Bass.

Bass who ?

To late, you shoulda set the hook already.

[Guest avid]

After reading this thread the only tap I want is one marked "Budweiser"

[NBR]

Jig Man is right on. I can't remember who it was but at a seminar I heard it explained:

Tap 1 Bass taking the bait

Tap 2 Bass spitting out the bait

Tap 3 God tapping stupid on the shoulder for not setting the       hook on tap1.