Tail biting Bass

[Ellesar]

So this weekend I was fishing 10" anaconda's through some grass. I went through a whole bag where the bass bit the tail off without taking the whole worm. I was dipping the tail's in some JJ's. I even tried waiting to let them get more of it in their mouthes but they would swim off and it would pull out, leaving me with nothing but a tailless anaconda. Anyone ever have this happen to them?

Maybe I need to dip the whole thing in JJ's. Or maybe the rage tail is just too attractive.

[bigtimfish]

Yes, and come to find out, in my case it was'nt bass, it was bluegill.

[Tin]

Should have down-sized.

[BigBassGuy]

Should have down-sized.

x2

I would have tried the 7" after a couple bite offs

[NovaBasser]

I've found myself in this situation and the culprits are most often bluegill or the like.  A 10" Anaconda with some of its tail missing is still pretty fishable at 7 inches.  Downsizing to the 7" Anaconda and throwing it out to the same spots will only have the bluegills biting that tail off too, and the 7" Anaconda isn't as fishable at 4-5 inches.  If your using the 10" Anaconda and the bass are hitting hard and your not getting a good hook set then dropping to a 7" is definitely the right call, or up sizing to a larger hook.  You can usually tell the difference between the bluegills pulling/tugging on the tail and a bass strike.  

[Steven Ladner]

Should have down-sized.

x2

I would have tried the 7" after a couple bite offs

x3, sounds like the bait was too big. I would have changed to the 7" also.

[aarogb]

Should have down-sized.

x2

I would have tried the 7" after a couple bite offs

x3, sounds like the bait was too big. I would have changed to the 7" also.

    x4.  It probably wouldn't hurt to go to a 4" finesse worm in situations like that.

[Ellesar]

The thing is I saw several bass do it. I had a few that hit it at the boat. And I would find it very hard to believe that these were bluegill that were hitting the anaconda's like that. I've never had a bluegill hit something and run like a mack truck.

I was using #6 swimbait hooks like Big-O suggested, don't think going bigger would've made a difference. They were just hitting and running with the tails in the mouth. I've used this setup before and its never happened in the past. Maybe it was just a weird day all around.

[BigBassGuy]

They were just hitting and running with the tails in the mouth.

Sounds like there was alot of competition for food(grabbing the lure and running with it so others wouldn't take it) and a slow worm presentation may not have been the best option for the day.

I would have tried something a little more compact like a swimjig, spinnerbait or something similar if that was the case.

[NovaBasser]

They were just hitting and running with the tails in the mouth.

Sounds like there was alot of competition for food(grabbing the lure and running with it so others wouldn't take it) and a slow worm presentation may not have been the best option for the day.

I would have tried something a little more compact like a swimjig, spinnerbait or something similar if that was the case.

X2  If you know it was Bass then down size like I said.  If they were running with it and you can see other bass following looking for scraps or dropped food, go with a jig and trailer, or something more compact so there is less chance of the fish missing the hook.   Flip it into the spots and then yank those guys out fast and get the jig back in there for the others!

[TommyBass]

Yes.... I have had this happen with both the anaconda and the craw... not using JJs.  Bluegill were the culprit in my case.  Occaisionally a bass will hit just the tail but repetitive cases are usually sunfish or bream of some sort.  You have to learn the difference between a bluegill hit and a bass hit... which can be hard at times.  

This has been my biggest complaint with the entire rage line.  The action is good but the durability is the same as a wet kleenex... ive lost many of pinchers and tails.  I have alot of them rip and fly off of the hook if a bass surfaces and shakes it head too hard as well.  The action is fairly good but Im wondering if its worth the price of the many baits I go through... especially at nearly $1 per bait or more.  

[DINK WHISPERER]

I encounter this a lot on my lakes in FL. I found out by downsizing that 99.9% of the time it was a Dink that wasn't getting it all down! But, that's just my personal experience, yours may be a lazy hawg!

[Randall]

If it can't get the whole bait in it's mouth it's not worth catching.

[bigtimfish]

If it can't get the whole bait in it's mouth it's not worth catching.

I disagree. I don't have to catch a leviathan every time to be happy. The dinks are fun too. The sow belly's are just a bonus

[Eddie Munster]

When I'm getting a lot of tail bites, I'll stop dipping the tail and double the worm over so the middle goes down in the jar for a couple seconds. Only problem then seems to be getting more fish that swallow the hook.  :

[rondef]

What size hooks are you using?  I use a large hook, the Owner 7/0 when I throw the 10" anacondas and have not had the tail bitten off yet.

[umahunter]

ive had this happen  a couple times i just made up  some small trailer hooks with lil bait hooks and some 30lb braid caught plenty of tail biters

[Big Bait Fishing]

What size hooks are you using? I use a large hook, the Owner 7/0 when I throw the 10" anacondas and have not had the tail bitten off yet.

x2 , you would be suprised at how better your hook-ups are by using the OWNER over-sized worm hooks in 7/0 !! any time im using a ''worm'' 10'' or bigger i use them . they will catch dinks that bite tails no problem , i was catching fish smaller than 1 lb on a 10'' berkley power worm