Teaching to feel the bite

[Siebert Outdoors]

Guys and Gals,

As most of you know I'm teaching my girlfriend to fish better. My problem I have realized is she doesnt know the difference between a bite, the weeds/tree, and the bottom.

I have tried to explain it to her but I need to take it further. So here is what I have in mind.

Cast out the lure and fish it with her so she can "feel" what is what while I explain it to her. Hoping we can get a bit and let her set the hook on it.

Has anyone tried this or have a better idea?

Everything else she has picked up real quick.  Casting a baitcaster and spinning rod didnt take long at all.

[Smiths.R]

I remember starting to fish and thinking EVERYTHING was a bite.  I would think the simplest way to learn the difference between a stick, and a fish, is that every time you feel something, don't do anything.  If you don't feel anything relatively soon, and the line doesn't move, have her pull on the line just a bit.  Usually when it's a fish, you get multiple taps on the bait (I'm assuming you're fishing with plastics.)  It will only take a few fish on for her to learn the difference.  Then again, swings are free right?

[BigEbass]

DUDE - casting a baitcaster that easy - she will do fine I would think - my wife struggles at times with the open face still 

I have only been fishing for 2 years so I think this goes to say with anyone - feeling and reacting to the bite is tough I think for anyone - I mean, how many times are we bit and dont know it???  ANd how many times did we think that was a rock or a log and it wasnt?  Alls I can say about how I got a better "feel" was simply through fishing experience....

For me, what helped a ton was to go along with my neighbor to a group of pay ponds in western alabama (triple D ranch) - 75 bucks for the day - and you simply almost always catch 20-30 fish at least - so there is alot of oppurtunities to catch fish - they love the worm there and the jig and after catching many on these baits, it gave me a better "feel" - eventually I got much better quicker - now on a slower bite I think (or hope) I better applied what I had learned.

I still set the hook at times when nothing was there - I have a fairly low threshold to do that if I had any "unusual" sensations or line movements - doing this I have hooked up. 

If I had to describe a common hit on the worm to someone new I think I would differentiate it generally in this way - if she is dragging it slowly over stuff you may feel friction or some resistance at times, but when a fish generally takes it, you will feel perhaps many times a more discrete change in line tension - a "bump, bump" - but still yet, I think the experience of actually "feeling" many bites somewhere where the bite is on will be priceless - at least that is what I am hoping to achieve with my wife's first season of bass fishing this year as well.

Good Luck

[Brewerbass]

Just keep taking her out and she will get it.  My wife picked up using soft plastics after a couple of times out. 

[BigEbass]

I remember starting to fish and thinking EVERYTHING was a bite. I would think the simplest way to learn the difference between a stick, and a fish, is that every time you feel something, don't do anything. If you don't feel anything relatively soon, and the line doesn't move, have her pull on the line just a bit. Usually when it's a fish, you get multiple taps on the bait (I'm assuming you're fishing with plastics.) It will only take a few fish on for her to learn the difference. Then again, swings are free right?

That is a good point too I think, but my experience with plastics so far shows varying results - ie if you wait sometimes they will hold on to it for 3-4 seconds or so and you can see line movement then stick em - but other days if you feel something and dont do anything for a sec - opportunity missed....I am still figuring this out - I think that you have to figure them out as you go perhaps?  Either way the confidence will come.

[WRB]

Take her lakes that have a good bass bite going, size isn't important. Use lures and presentations that she can see the bass strike, like a late afternoon top water or high % strike to hook up ratio rig like drop shot and split shot techniques.

Another option is trolling a crankbait to get to know what a strike feels like.

Your goal is to keep her interested in fishing, if she already is, then let her learn at her own pace.

WRB

[Paul Roberts]

Nothing teaches better than the fish, esp if the student is keenly interested -good bite is helpful there. If she's not that interested then there are certain techniques that may be too challenging, and dull or frustrating.

If she's game, one thing that might help a lot is to go into the shallows in areas with specific bottom makeup: mud, sand, gravel, rock, wood, weeds, ... and have her see what they feel like. I do this anyway as I fish. I may find stuff by electronics or by looking at shoreline layout, but the real nitty-gritty is done by braile. And I can still be fooled by the sharp "rap!" of a firm twig amongst soft weeds or mud. This mistake is more common than some realize I think, bc I see it while watching other anglers. I've many times seen an angler's lure bump a branch or weed clump and they say, "Oh! Missed one!". If I'm not expecting a piece of firm wood, I may be fooled, but not for long -fish feel different, and wood, rocks, weeds, etc feel the same, once your mind is hip to them. Once I identify something it becomes part of the "map" I produce in my mind of the particular area I'm fishing, and from there on out I'm MUCH less apt to be fooled -sorting out the wheat from the chaff.

One thing I do is "weigh the line" which tells me if there's life on the other end. If it's a dead branch, or weed, I'll know it. You can do this with any lure, but it's easiest with soft plastics since bass will usually hold them longer. And her senses and reflexes are going to need that. She'll get quicker at assessing "the unseen" with time. It's not easy and takes experience. Practice helps, at least for confidence sake. And each new spot you fish will require this braile work.

I always tell new anglers that if it's not a fish you might not know it with certainty, but if it is a fish you'll be able to tell -there's life down there. It's different. You may miss 'em, but you'll have experienced that and it'll be easier each time.

[Siebert Outdoors]

This is some great info thanks guys.  keep the ideas flowing! 8-)

[D4u2s0t]

Feeling the difference is somethign that takes time, and comes with experience. With a texas rigged plastic, I can tell if i'm on rocky or sandy bottom, when and where i'm hitting the weeds (which is great for finding the edges) if I hit an isolated rock, or stump, etc. I don't know of an easy way to teach someone that except more time on the water. But it definitely comes with practice.

In the beginning, if you feel something "different' set the hook...  and then with time, she'll start to feel the difference between a bit and bottom contour and cover.

[Bassin_Fin@tic]

Maybe a dumb question but are you instructing her to hold the rod between 10-12 position? Explaining tight line vs-semi slack?A rod that is too low or perpendicular doesn't offer as much sensitivity as I am sure you already know. Using the wrist and fingers only,not the elbow, to gently wiggle the bait and weigh the line when a strange sensation arises?

[Catt]

With a Texas Rig those bumps, thumps, tics, & taps are the easy ones of detect its the ones where the bass inhales your bait without any tell- tale line movement.

Pay attention to your line especially on the initial cast/flip/pitch/punch

If your in 10 foot of water and it takes 12-14' of line to reach bottom you probably had a bass swim off with your bait.

If your in 10 foot of water and it takes 6-8' of line to reach bottom you probably had a bass pick off your bait.

Learn to weigh your bait. Explanation: if you can go to a swimming pool, pond, or creek any where with clear water where you can see your bait on the bottom in 5 to 10 of water. First pitch your bait about 10 to 15 yards on the ground, close your eyes and shake or hop the bait. Feel what the bait feels like in no water (I mean really learn it). Then pitch it out in the water and do the same thing. I can feel a Texas rigged worm with a ¼ ounce sinker hit bottom in 15 to 18 foot of water. If you can't you need practice!

Now you are probably asking yourself what does this have to do with feeling a fish bite. Well if your bait feels any different that this, drop the rod, reel the slack, & set the hook!

Oh yea I forgot the #1 teaching tool...night

[Paul Roberts]

Maybe a dumb question but are you instructing her to hold the rod between 10-12 position? Explaining tight line vs-semi slack?A rod that is too low or perpendicular doesn't offer as much sensitivity as I am sure you already know. Using the wrist and fingers only,not the elbow, to gently wiggle the bait and weigh the line when a strange sensation arises?

That's good point -how she's holding the rod. Two suggestions:

-Ditto Fanatic on rod angle -keeping close to 90degrees line angle off the rod tip -whether held up or to one side.

-Hold the rod still -solid. Thus any movement from below is felt. If she's distracted, which is easy to do, she may not notice changes. It's easiest to notice changes when you aren't making them. You can also introduce slow dragging of the lure with the rod tip to feel, and to watch the rod tip (vibrating lures) and/or the line (jigs or plastics). Here you still need the solid in-control rod, but there is now movement on your part involved. From here you can go to more complex rod movements -later.

[Paul Roberts]

Oh yea I forgot the #1 teaching tool...night

So true. What night does is remove those distractions. They are her/our biggest hurdle.

[Bass_Akwards]

This is probably really stupid but my friend started fishing last summer. He thought everything was a bite as well.

When we were at the lake, I told him to cast. Then I told him to close his eyes. Then i told him to reel his senko in verrrrrrry slooooowly. After he reeled for about 20 seconds I asked him if he could feel the Senko crawling on the rocks and stumps and bottom of the lake. He said "Yes."

I then walked to the tip of his rod and lightly tapped the the tip with my index finger. I asked him if he could feel the difference between my light tap on the rod and the cover he was reeling over. He said "Absolutely." With his eyes closed again, I flicked his line with my fingers as he was reeling in and again asked him "Do you feel the difference between me flicking the line and the worm crawling over the bottom?" He again said "Yup."  Me tapping on the line or rod tip is very close to resembling a regular soft plastic strike imo.

Now I know not every strike is going to be a "tap" or a "tap tap" and sometimes the strike will be so subtle that even a good angler might not feel it, but that's not the point for this discussion. The point is, from that point on, he rarely had a problem distinguishing between a "normal" soft plastic strike, and the weeds/cover/structure on the bottom.

What matters is that even really good anglers can once in a while think something is a strike, when it isn't, and even a good angler can once in a while not realize he/she is even getting a strike. A huge bass might suck that bait in with so much water, that the angler doesn't even feel it.

Obviously theres no substitute for real life practice with actual real life bass, so keep her interested and out there on the water. I'm guessing somewhere between 5-15 more hookups with a soft plastic and she'll totally start getting it down to where she can really tell the difference between a bite, and not.

[WRB]

I know everyone wants to be helpful, however too much detailed information can over load a new angler.

The Texas rig plastic worm and jigs maybe too difficult to learn as a new bass angler.

Keep it simple.

I have taught dozens of young anglers to bass fish using the slip shot rig; basically a split shot rig with a sliding sinker. It's important to use small finesse worms; 5" to 6" curl tails and size 1 worm hooks with 1/8 ot 3/16 oz mojo type sinkers. Start with the weight about 14" above the hook, use a small round BB shot to stop the mojo weight or a pegged glass bead. Bass will hook themselves with this rig if the angler doesn't do anything and start pulling against the line to let the angler know they have a fish.

If she wants to be more active casting, then use a Rapala Husky jerk lure, almost impossible to fish wrong and easy to cast.

Stick with the two techniques until she builds up confidence and develops her own style, it's all part of learning. Let her decide which presentation she likes and you both will enjoy your days on the water.

WRB

[Paul Roberts]

This is probably really stupid but my friend started fishing last summer. He thought everything was a bite as well.

When we were at the lake, I told him to cast. Then I told him to close his eyes. Then i told him to reel his senko in verrrrrrry slooooowly. After he reeled for about 20 seconds I asked him if he could feel the Senko crawling on the rocks and stumps and bottom of the lake. He said "Yes."

I then walked to the tip of his rod and lightly tapped the the tip with my index finger. I asked him if he could feel the difference between my light tap on the rod and the cover he was reeling over. He said "Absolutely." With his eyes closed again, I flicked his line with my fingers as he was reeling in and again asked him "Do you feel the difference between me flicking the line and the worm crawling over the bottom?" He again said "Yup." Me tapping on the line or rod tip is very close to resembling a regular soft plastic strike imo.

Now I know not every strike is going to be a "tap" or a "tap tap" and sometimes the strike will be so subtle that even a good angler might not feel it, but that's not the point for this discussion. The point is, from that point on, he rarely had a problem distinguishing between a "normal" soft plastic strike, and the weeds/cover/structure on the bottom.

What matters is that even really good anglers can once in a while think something is a strike, when it isn't, and even a good angler can once in a while not realize he/she is even getting a strike. A huge bass might suck that bait in with so much water, that the angler doesn't even feel it.

Obviously theres no substitute for real life practice with actual real life bass, so keep her interested and out there on the water. I'm guessing somewhere between 5-15 more hookups with a soft plastic and she'll totally start getting it down to where she can really tell the difference between a bite, and not.

Good post, Todd. I think getting him to close his eyes and then pay attention to what things feel like is a good idea.

You know, we aren't really feeling fish at all, but line and rod movement. We need to be familiar with the rig we are fishing with, and what it can tell us. If you don't know what you are feeling for, you are outta the game. I like your way of calling attention to the rod-line connection, and quelling distractions.

[santacruz]

Helped me,Find some clear shallow water with some sticks and rocks and such you can see.Have her bring her lure through that so she can see it when it hits cover.Then see can see and feel what she is hitting.Have you taken her bluegil fishing may help with the bite feel.?And for futher teaching of feel when see starts to get it right take her night fishing.

[WRB]

My 2c on novice night bass fishing; learn to cast well during the day light before attempting to go night fishing. It's true your sense of feel is better at night, but your depth perception is horrible. Tying knots, untangling line and bugs can make for a long night.

Once the casting and knot tying skills are good, night bass fishing , during a warm summer night, can be a lot of fun.

WRB

[Catt]

Another major misconception is that eye sight is required for casting, learn to feel the spool revolutions with your thumb, not only does this allow you to fish at night it helps eliminate back lashes during the day light.

Tying knots, untangling lines ect can be easy with a quality light; bugs can be handled with any product containing deet.

My suggestion for beginner night fishing would be off shore structure which eliminates the need for depth perception.

[blkbearklr2001]

wow lots of good info from this post.

Wife was the same way, I just got her out on the water as much as possible and let her fish, and I told her if it feels different then set the hook.

[Fishing Rhino]

Here's one more suggestion, particularly for jig fishing, but can be used with others as well.  Retrieve the bait using the rod, not the reel.

Reeling line can make the rod bend toward the bait simulating a strike in feel and appearance.

Moving the bait with the rod, greatly reduces that feel.

When retrieving spinnerbaits, I do use the reel since hangs are very rare compared to jig fishing.  At least where I fish.

[Siebert Outdoors]

Wow Guys,  Some great info here.  Thanks.

[hatrix]

I have had good success teaching people to fish with little grubs and a 1/4 or 1/8 oz head. The more fish you catch the faster you learn. Being able to catch bluegill and crappie along with the bass will help.

[rookiesmallmouther]

take a stick tap her rod and say thats wat it feels like when its just rocks and logs and obstruction

now take a hold of her line and give it some smooth pulls and tugs not hard tugs aor fast jerk tugs but soft smoth tugs and say thats what it feels like when a fish is on

[Lipped M]

Another option GMAN is to go into the new FISHING WOMEN section in the forums and ask the girls in there...provided of course you KEEP YOUR HANDS IN YOUR POCKETS!!