Getting Bites But Not Hooking Up

[SoopaJig]

so my uncle and i went fishing yesterday and had lots of action but had a lot of trouble hooking up on the bites we were getting. It was a cloudy, breezy morning with air temperatures around 70 degrees, and lots of fish were busting the surface. The night before a line of thunderstorms had rolled through the area, and the water was muddy.

All of our bites came when we were swimming jigs with paca craw trailers just below the surface or on top of the water. We also got a couple of bites burning spinnerbaits just under the surface. We were having two problems; either the bass would blow up on the bait and miss completely or the bass would take the bait, we'd wait to feel the weight of the fish and we'd set the hook into nothing. We tried slowing down and speeding up our retrieves, and we changed colors twice. (we only had 3 colors of jig and spinnerbait, black and white and green) They didn't seem to like the buzzbait, I thought maybe it was too noisy?

Were the fish just finicky? Was it just bad luck? Or should i have tried a wider variety of things? Maybe a wake bait? or rage toad?

It's tough to switch up baits when they're going after what you have tied on, i kept thinking "ok the next fish i'll connect on" and it just didn't materialize. Now in hindsight i'm kicking myself for not trying a wider variety of things. It was a frustrating day.

Any of your thoughts and opinions are appreciated.

[Jigfishn10]

We were having two problems; either the bass would blow up on the bait and miss completely or the bass would take the bait, we'd wait to feel the weight of the fish and we'd set the hook into nothing.

Did you set the hook too late? It doesn't take long to spit out jig or spinnerbait. If you think the fish took the lure, swing away.

IMHO, you had the right color and/or presentation working if, in fact, you know the fish took the lure. No need to waste time in changing colors.

Now, if the fish blows up on a fast moving lure as you mentioned, try a slow presentation type lure as a follow up, something like a worm, or use your jig and hop it or drag it. Up here, my follow up lure that's been working aces has been a tube.

JMHO, hope this helps and good luck on your next outing.

[SoopaJig]

Did you set the hook too late? It doesn't take long to spit out jig or spinnerbait. If you think the fish took the lure, swing away.

IMHO, you had the right color and/or presentation working if, in fact, you know the fish took the lure. No need to waste time in changing colors.

Now, if the fish blows up on a fast moving lure as you mentioned, try a slow presentation type lure as a follow up, something like a worm, or use your jig and hop it or drag it. Up here, my follow up lure that's been working aces has been a tube.

JMHO, hope this helps and good luck on your next outing.

ahhh, so when swimmin a jig or spinnerbait fishing, you want to set the hook as soon as possible? We were definately waiting to feel the fish like you would if you were frog fishing.

Also, i didn't mention it in my OP but were hopping the jig along to bottom that day as well, we just didn't get any bites when we went that route. The bites only came when swimming it. We were also following up by hopping and dragging the jig if the fish blew up on it and missed, we just never got a follow up bite either.

Would it be better to have a completely different follow up bait rigged up on a different pole?

thanks for the input!

[Jigfishn10]

If you were using the jig on a slow presentation and got nothing out of it I would go to something different as you mention. Having 2 rods rigged is the way to go if you can do it. A lot of times the follow up needs to be done right after the blow up. Sometimes I get lazy and cast my spinnerbait out again after the blow up and get lucky, but I really don't like doing that. I have a lot more confidence with a completely different slow presentation follow up lure.

Other thing you can do is kill the spinnerbait or swim jig right after the blow up. A lot of times the bass will circle the wagons and come back to nail it. IMO, I think the initial hit on the bait is to "stun" the prey only to come back for the feedbag.

[SoopaJig]

yeah i'm definately guilty of lazyness here. I certainly could have had 2 rods rigged up, but i chose not too, as i didn't want to carry the extra rod around that day, and that probably cost me the follow up bites.

[OHIO]

Other thing you can do is kill the spinnerbait or swim jig right after the blow up. A lot of times the bass will circle the wagons and come back to nail it. IMO, I think the initial hit on the bait is to "stun" the prey only to come back for the feedbag.

This is what I do. It wastes no time, unlike picking up another rig and casting it out.

[SoopaJig]

This is what I do. It wastes no time, unlike picking up another rig and casting it out.

now that i think about it, it does make more sense to just let the bait fall that to follow up with a different lure.

we've just always seen people frog fishing on tv and they always throw a follow up lure and thats what we were thinking yesterday.

thanks guys, there are things that you have brought up that hadn't even crossed my mind. Thats why i posted!

[WRB]

Your bass were reacting to a faster retrieve, no reason to change what is working. Next time rig a stinger hook or change to a shallow running crankbait with treble hooks.

Bass don't have hands; if you feel the strike set the hook, if you only see the strike then wait until you feel it...keep on reeling to load the rod up.

[Khong]

so my uncle and i went fishing yesterday and had lots of action but had a lot of trouble hooking up on the bites we were getting. It was a cloudy, breezy morning with air temperatures around 70 degrees, and lots of fish were busting the surface. The night before a line of thunderstorms had rolled through the area, and the water was muddy.

All of our bites came when we were swimming jigs with paca craw trailers just below the surface or on top of the water. We also got a couple of bites burning spinnerbaits just under the surface. We were having two problems; either the bass would blow up on the bait and miss completely or the bass would take the bait, we'd wait to feel the weight of the fish and we'd set the hook into nothing. We tried slowing down and speeding up our retrieves, and we changed colors twice. (we only had 3 colors of jig and spinnerbait, black and white and green) They didn't seem to like the buzzbait, I thought maybe it was too noisy?

Were the fish just finicky? Was it just bad luck? Or should i have tried a wider variety of things? Maybe a wake bait? or rage toad?

It's tough to switch up baits when they're going after what you have tied on, i kept thinking "ok the next fish i'll connect on" and it just didn't materialize. Now in hindsight i'm kicking myself for not trying a wider variety of things. It was a frustrating day.

Any of your thoughts and opinions are appreciated.

A lot of the guys are right, but they may be forgetting one important factor. What type of rod were you using. You may have been using a moderate action rod and trying to set a hook on a spinner or jig. Just remember a moderate action rod bend too much and hardly can set a hook. This type of action rod is only good for treble hook or more use for crankbait. You may want a moderate fast action for spinnerbait and swimming jigs. For weedless T-Rig or Finest, use Fast action.

[Big-O]

Your bass were reacting to a faster retrieve, no reason to change what is working. Next time rig a stinger hook or change to a shallow running crankbait with treble hooks.

Bass don't have hands; if you feel the strike set the hook, if you only see the strike then wait until you feel it...keep on reeling to load the rod up.

X2 and might follow up with a weightless or light weight soft plastic since the fish seem to be reacting well to shallow presentations. A senko or Craw weightless and/or a "weighted hook high action soft plastic" (Rage Rig) might be the ticket. Tip the bait w/JJ's chartreuse and keep the profile short and compact or around 4". Follow up's in shallow water or on shallow strikes with small horizontal fall SP's seem to be extremely effective in these situations. Hope that helps

Big O

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