Capt. Mike Gerry explains how to avoid missing bass that bite.

As a full-time bass guide I get all kinds of fisherman in the boat. Let me tell you about the kind that probably misses the most fish. I refer to him as “Bite Twice Guy.” Let me set the stage for this.

OK so there we are: BTG is working a worm slowly back to the boat and feels a peck up through the line. He immediately drops the pole and freezes, perfectly on point. In fact he’s downright picturesque with his right foot is back, pole extended, perfect posture, ready to cross the eyes of this big bass. He feels the bite again and every muscle tenses for action. The third time he feels a tap on the line he rears back to set the hook hard. Guess what? You got it… the fish is long gone.

Well, what did he expect? The fish probably felt him on the first tap. The last time a tempting meal came with strings attached somebody crossed its eyes. Fish don’t think, but they can be conditioned. The fish looks up and sees BTG up there a big smile on his face. Tension on the line, BTB up there on point, and zoom! He’s out of there.

If I can appeal to your common sense or fishing sense, please don’t be Bite Twice Guy. Fish don’t have to chomp down two or three times to get a good hold of your worm. A bass generally goes after the head of its prey because it can’t swallow a hard-finned baitfish like bream from the tail. Bass have a natural instinct to attack the head of its food source, and you as a fisherman can benefit from that knowledge. The first time you feel the fish, immediately crank down and cross his eyes and watch your fish count go up.

Do you ever feel a tug, set the hook on empty water, and pull up a worm with the tail missing? That’s happened to all of us. Generally it was because you did not feel the bass’s initial hit and not because the fish was biting just the tail. Claiming the fish only had the tail or let the worm go too soon is just an excuse. Put blame where it should be: waiting too long to set the hook. Don’t think you have to feel the bit twice; when the fish vacuums up your bait, set the hook hard.

Captain Mike Gerry
Fish Lake Guntersville Guide Service
Web: www.fishlakeguntersvilleguideservice.com
Email: bassguide@comcast.net
(256) 759-2270