Interpretations Of Bites?

[Jaheff]

Funny things happened to me today while fishing. First, I was drop shotting deep with a texas rigged trick worm, the bass hit it, i did the normal reel down and check,felt him set the hook for a miss, then he nailed it again, landed her.Second fish did the same thing but it missed it three times before i got her.About three fish later, same thing happens, I set the hook for a miss, get a wind knot, as I fix the braid around the tip, she hits it again and I land the dinker. Why does this never happen to me, and why three times in one day? Also how do I inerprete the fishes mood cause of this?

[Missouribassman95]

Maybe the bass were trying to hit the lure to stun it our something, then it would be easier to chase down and eat.

[Jig Man]

When that happens to me I assume that there are more than one fish and for some reason the first one didn't take the bait. So I beat the heck out of that place to see how many I can catch.

[J Francho]

^^^^^ what he said

[brushhoggin]

There's a wide range of variables that dictate bass fishing conduciveness. No telling how those variables lined up for you that day without being there with you, and even then i probably wouldn't have been able to tell you. But I agree with the above assumptions. I have heard a fish will bite the weight on a dropshot as well as a carolina rig. Another theory is one fish is spittin it out in the same second another fish sucks it down. It's competitive down there ya know? Set the hook when the 'ticks' are over and all you feel is solid weight. But don't wait too long, I'd rather lose a fish on a fight than land a gut hooked one.

[Shad_Master]

Another option could be that there was some subtle problem with your lure - size, color, etc. - you were close enough that they wanted it, but not enough to commit. Make a subtle change in your lure and see if that changes anything.

[Catt]

Funny things happened to me today while fishing. First, I was drop shotting deep with a texas rigged trick worm, the bass hit it, i did the normal reel down and check,felt him set the hook for a miss, then he nailed it again, landed her.Second fish did the same thing but it missed it three times before i got her.About three fish later, same thing happens, I set the hook for a miss, get a wind knot, as I fix the braid around the tip, she hits it again and I land the dinker. Why does this never happen to me, and why three times in one day? Also how do I inerprete the fishes mood cause of this?

This is the way Shaw Grigsby put it to me, its call the three tap theory.

The first tap the bass has inhaled your bait

The second tap the bass has exhaled your bait

The third tap I'm tapping you on the shoulder asking you why you didn't set hook!

Drop the rod, reel the slack, & set the hook

[J Francho]

Jaheff, were you fishing for smallmouth? If so, Shaw's rule doesn't really apply. Sometimes the fish simply bump into your line. Happens all the time, especially targeting fish suspended in the water column.

[dave]

I've done that. Feel the tap (the inhaling of the bait), reel down to "feel" the fish (I feel the blowing out of the bait as the second tap) Swing and a miss. Twice. (it is then that I remebered the Shaw Grigsby theory)

Third time I decided to watch the line. Bait went down, line twitched, set hook, fish in the boat.

[Jaheff]

Honestly I dont think it was a hook set problem.To me it was the mood of the fish that i havn't seen before.Me missing the hook set, the bait flying five feet up and away from that fish,then getting slammed, tells me they wanted the bait in a fast moving motion? So that seems they were in an aggressive mood, yet they were just nipping the worm sitting still.

In my limited fishing experience, I dont remember getting another chance after missing a hook set, but one fish I had three chances, then nailed him?

Francho, they were largemouth. I guess it will be a mystery to me with out someone witnessing it with me.