groups of young bass hanging out together

[aceman387]

the past couple of weekends Ive spotted groups of smaller bass around 12 inch hanging out together. the water i fish in is crystal clear strip mine pits and since the bigger bass aren't around i have been targeting these groups of smaller bass . its pretty easy to catch them by throwing small 4 inch watermelon worms at the group. its like feeding frenzy among the group to see who can grab the fake meal first.usually i can  catch one after another before they catch on . the question i had was are these small groups of bass like a pack of hyenas or wolves that are working together for food or do groups of bass like this generally hang around together?

[Raul]

the past couple of weekends Ive spotted groups of smaller bass around 12 inch hanging out together. the water i fish in is crystal clear strip mine pits and since the bigger bass aren't around i have been targeting these groups of smaller bass . its pretty easy to catch them by throwing small 4 inch watermelon worms at the group. its like feeding frenzy among the group to see who can grab the fake meal first.usually i can catch one after another before they catch on . the question i had was are these small groups of bass like a pack of hyenas or wolves that are working together for food or do groups of bass like this generally hang around together?

Schooling serves sevral purposes, the two most important ones:

1.- Protection

2.- Wolf pack ( hunting )

Not always highly efficient predatory fish are loners, a good example are barracudas.

[carrothead]

Have you ever seen a school of LARGE bass following a hooked one to the boat?  Now that's cool.  ;D

[Bobby Uhrig]

When I was  diving I would often see "cookie cutters"-schools of bass together -all about the same size- Juveniles-(12 inchers)  2/3 lbrs together  and then some bigger  ones together (4 lbs). What I did notice though was fish over 6 lbs were usually rogues. They were by themselves. Maybe another one with them but not like the smaller ones that were anywhere from 6 to 30 fish in a school. The big fish seemed to be loners.

[Raul]

Have you ever seen a school of LARGE bass following a hooked one to the boat? Now that's cool. ;D

Sure !

[SirSnookalot]

Not always highly efficient predatory fish are loners, a good example are barracudas.

I absolutely agree about hunting and protection, but not about the cuda comparison.

Much of the time cuda do travel in small packs, see this everyday on the incoming tide. See one and there are others nearby, as they swim nearly 30 mph they don't have to be next too each other to be in a pack, bass swim about 12 mph, I believe . Hook a cuda and several are almost always following. I think a muskie is a better example of a loner fish.

[CWB]

I see this all the time. They cruise the shallows chasing minnows and whatever right up to the shore and busting them up. I let them have their dinner and leave them alone. It's also not unusual to see a group of 3 or 4 big ones cruising together. That's when I toss a senko out in front of them and pull it in so it will drop about a foot or 2 in front of them. Without fail, one will grab it, maybe just so the other ones don't get it. Like money in the bank. Solo big ones can be finicky. Most will at least take a look at the bait before ticking me off and swimming away but some actually take it.

[Bassn Blvd]

Not always highly efficient predatory fish are loners, a good example are barracudas.

I absolutely agree about hunting and protection, but not about the cuda comparison.

Much of the time cuda do travel in small packs, see this everyday on the incoming tide. See one and there are others nearby, as they swim nearly 30 mph they don't have to be next too each other to be in a pack, bass swim about 12 mph, I believe . Hook a cuda and several are almost always following. I think a muskie is a better example of a loner fish.

Snook,

I believe he was saying cudas are a good example of schooling fish, which they are.

[Raul]

Exactly, that 's what I said.

[SirSnookalot]

Sorry.........I read as meaning cudas were loners, which they are not.

I see groups of bass corralling their bait much the same as sailfish do, except with sails it's only 3 or 4 of them.