Memory of bass

[BigMoneyGrip]

What is a bass' memory like? I was told that after a couple of hours, they'd forget what they were caught on. I know the ones in my pond (about half an acre) have quit biting anything that ain't alive.

I'm just wondering if they remember for quiet a while.

Scott.

[Steven Ladner]

Check this thread out, might help answer your question some:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1244008860

I think over time, they will get used to seeing something over and over again. That's why when an angler uses something different in an area that the fish are used to seeing the same bait, he will be able to start catching them easier. I think that's why the big boys are so tough to catch, they have a lot more experience and won't be fooled as easily.  

[bigtimfish]

I started a thread like this a few weeks ago. I was told that a bass has a memory of only 15 mins :-?. I can not agree. I think fish have a longer memory than that. If a fish eats a brush hog and everytime it does it gets it's lips ripped off it's going to remember that. IMO that's why a bait SLIGHTLY looses it's flair. Not that it won't still catch fish,but because the fish remember that when it bites that thing it goes for a ride in a boat. A few hours is more believable than what I heard.I may be wrong though. I guess there is no real true way to know unless your a fish. good luck, I hope you get some good answers.

[Muddy]

Bass have horrible memories because as they say Where there is Grass there is Bass  

[bass wrangler569]

Bass have horrible memories because as they say Where there is Grass there is Bass

That explains it  ;D

[JellyMan]

Saying a bass has a bad memory in my opinion is totally wrong. Pretty much any animal can be conditioned to something.

Tell me this guy doesnt remember when he gets to eat!!!

[JellyMan]

Bass have horrible memories because as they say Where there is Grass there is Bass

haaa!

[cabullwinkle]

I would say that Bass definitely do get conditioned to certain baits.  I fish at what can be a VERY hard lake to fish at times.  I partially contribute this to the fishing pressure that gets put on the lake.  Also, here is a thought for you.  It is much more common to catch smaller fish than bigger fish.  This could possibly be because they have not seen all of the lures and have not been around the block.  There are many posts that talk about numbers vs. quality fish.  Numbers are typically smaller.

[Bassnajr]

I'll find out what colors are "working" at a lake/pond and throw something TOTALLY different...seems to work.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

10-20 minutes (call it 15), ask any fisheries biologist.

You guys need to remember, it takes a brain made up of different parts (parts a Bass' brain doesn't have) to have cognitive thought. Rationalization and reasoning are not even physically possible.

[Fishing Rhino]

Chances are the reason you catch more small bass is simply that there are more of them.

Due to predation, and other natural causes, some never make it to lunker size.

Think about it this way.

Of the eggs that hatch after spawning, what percent of those survive the first year?  Of the yearlings, how many survive to make it to two years?

As you can see, without any scientific study, the census of any year class of fish declines with the passage of time.

If the large fish outnumber the small fish, a pond is in trouble.

[Mottfia]

15 minutes sounds a little short for a few of its major functions. From what i have read river bass will travel miles to spawn in the same place that they spawned last year. Also in summer some "local" bass will travel back to where they were originally caught.

In my humble opinion that takes a long term memory of at least a year for the spawning and a few hours for returning home.

Maybe the 15 minutes is just for short term memory

Mottfia

[avid]

I used to know this.

But I forgot.

[J Francho]

They don't have a "memory," since they don't have the parts to even form, let alone store thoughts.  A better question would be how long before a bass will bite again.  There was a long drawn out thread on that about a week or so ago.  A lot has to do with how the fish was caught, how it was handled, and how quickly and where it was released.

[RoLo]

If the large fish outnumber the small fish, a pond is in trouble.

You don't see that posted enough, but FR is right on the money.

Roger

[Raul]

Anecdote:

About a year ago while fishing at Zimapán Lake I caught a fish with a paddle tail grub, released it just to catch it again 3 casts later with the same bait and 20 ft away from where I caught it the first time.

[Tom Bass]

Last weekend my friend hooked a bass on a Slider Grub and the bass was hooked and fighting hard. As my Buddy got the fish up to the boat the bass dove, came up a threw the hook. As the grub and the bass hit the water the bass attacked the Slider grub again and my Buddy got him in. I had never seen that before. It was a very cool moment.

BUT, there is always a "but", It's my belief that bass do learn what to take and not take regardless of what biologists and scientists have stated otherwise. It's called survival and Darwin and a whole bunch of other folks have proved it many times throughout the years.

One thing that I have learned that is interesting is I go the "hot hole" at Lake Norman. It's the cooling canal for the reactors at the power station. Probably thousands of bass have hit silver flukes there and a multitude of bass fisherman use them. Usually they fish the lure fast along the top of the water. Many do catch fish that way everyday. Try the same flukes fished slow like a dying minnow and BLAM! You get gangbuster action all morning long. Why? Different presentation of the same lure fish have been conditioned with over time.

My opinion is that bass fishing and the biology of it is like practicing medicine. It's a "practice" not a science. If it were science and exact the challenge would be gone and we would be into some other outdoor sports.....like chasing women....but I digress. 8-)

[Bassnajr]

Not much of a memory, but INSTINCT......that's important also.

ajr