Gentle Bass

robfisher · 08-22-2006, 08:42 AM

Something I noticed fishing early at Inanda this weekend was that the bass were being really gentle with the lure? I did in fact catch one fish just because I reeled in to cast somewhere else? later on they started biting the way I?m used to?. But for an hour or so there was no aggression in the take. And then chatting to a customer in my local bass fishing shop we were chatting about Goedertrouw and having a day of no bites at all and he said that we would have gotten bites and we just didn?t know about it? he was one of the only chaps to get a full bag both days and his advice was to really concentrate in times like this and even a gentle bump could be a bass. It?s times like this that good fluorocarbon line, an expensive Loomis rod can make all the difference.

Food for thought!

Ninja · 08-22-2006, 09:43 AM

You right robfisher, I was at Inanda the next day and "gentle" is an understatement! Even the biggest of the day was so gentle I thought I hooked some grass or something. One nice thing is that winter or no winter once they one they give their normal fight. Come on SUMMER!!!

PS: Did you get the PM I send you yesterday about Inanda and the location names?

VX70 · 08-22-2006, 09:47 AM

I had the same experience on Sunday! The bass where killing the bait, and I mean that where hitting it very had, the all of a sudden this one bite where so soft I wasn't sure if it was one or not so I set the hook, it ended up being my biggest bass of the day! If I weren't holding my G Loomis I would not have gotten that fish ! Sometimes it pays to have expensive tackle !

08-22-2006, 10:24 AM

i can agree, in fact no matter how expensive a set-up you get or fish with you will never be able to detect all your bites.

I have seen videos explaining this very thing, a bass will literally inhale a lure and within a second spit it out, i dont think that any rod will register this as anything more than a hang up like a weed or grass.

It is up to you as an angler to work this problem out.

Roy · 08-22-2006, 10:35 AM

I have been reading all the comments by you guys and i have one view on this and was told to me by a verry well known bass fisherman.When fish are taking the baits softly and i have seen underwater footage where three or four fish have inhaled and exhaled crankbait and spinnerbaits without the angler knowing not to speak of plastics. That at the slightest differance in lure action, line movement, weightlesness and pressure set the hook.And his motto was
( A STRIKE IS FOR FREE SO STRIKE AS MUCH AS YOU WANT U NEVER KNOW WHATS ON THE OTHER SIDE).
So always remember a strike is for free and u can strike as much as you want whats the worst that can happen.I think most of us are always looking for sure signs of a fish at the end of the line and we do miss alot of fish in this way.
Tight lines

robfisher · 08-22-2006, 10:36 AM

What I hate about this is that when you do catch these gentle nibbling bass the damn hook is deep into the throat and the blood is flowing.

VX70 · 08-22-2006, 11:13 AM

robfisher Wrote:What I hate about this is that when you do catch these gentle nibbling bass the damn hook is deep into the throat and the blood is flowing.

If its so deep in and you think it wont affect its eating leave the hook in .. it will rust off every quickly ! You can refer back to the article on the site...

tolla · 08-22-2006, 11:14 AM

if it feels strange strike, you would be surprised how many times you end up with a fish.

08-22-2006, 01:48 PM

This "gentleness" occurs for multiple reasons. The water is rich in food and the fish have had their fill, the water is cold and the fish are concentrating their energy on generating a comfortable body temperature, rather than feeding, etc. In such cases the fish will play with their food. It would not necessarily be food, it could just be something bite size in the water. It's their curious nature, which will as good as forces them to at least investigate. In any event the object would have to be in close proximity to the fish as it will not go out of its way to play with it.

As fisherman, it would be nice to know that the end of our line is close to a fish. Then we could just leave it there and wait for them to swallow. Something like that has happened to me. My reel over wound caused by looking elsewhere and not at what I was doing. I casually sorted the mess out, all the while my line was still in the water. Once I'd reeled in the slack and started my retrieval the rod sprung into action and a very decent fish was landed. A little lucky, but hey, we'll take it.

robdog · 08-22-2006, 02:33 PM

Some of my best bass have ben caught while eating a sandwitch with my lure still in the water. I don't like to waste a second, even to eat or drink!

VX70 · 08-22-2006, 04:34 PM

robdog Wrote:Some of my best bass have ben caught while eating a sandwitch with my lure still in the water. I don't like to waste a second, even to eat or drink!

I hope you not trolling from one spot to the next! :twisted:

I caught 2 fish like that on Sunday, the one nearly took the rod out my hand when I opened my drink ..

08-22-2006, 06:31 PM

I will apply the new kowledge you great bassers so openly share. The bass will come second now. Lets see how it goes?

robdog · 08-22-2006, 08:22 PM

Just don't eat too many sandwitches Lukas, or you will get fat :lol:

SoCalBass · 08-22-2006, 08:49 PM

My motto at work is, If in doubt cut it out? :lol:
and in fishing ?If in doubt STRIKE? :wink:

8)

08-22-2006, 08:58 PM

I am already fat man. I release to many bass so a fat free protien source is hard to come by. my boat does look like a picnic float when I am fishing. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Gentle Bass