How long will you let a bait sit? 2025
The Maestro reply :
This is one of the things I plan to work on this season. I tend to fish too fast and I feel I pick up for my next pitch too soon when I should probably let the bait just sit motionless on the bottom for at least a few seconds.
So how long will you dead stick a bait before picking up? Do you always dead stick when fishing jigs and bottom presentations?
rickyg reply :
You're gonna get a whole lot of "let the fish tell ya" answers, and that's never a wrong answer. I've never let a stick bait sit more than about 30 seconds before moving it. This has worked, and I'll vary it between 0 and 30 seconds until the fish let me know and even then, who knows--each fish could be different. Now, with a topwater, I'll let it sit there as long as I can stand it before twitching it or starting the retrieve. My grandfather said that my great-grandfather would eat a sandwich between the time his topwater hit the surface and when he would twitch or retrieve. I don't think I've ever waited that long, but a couple minutes or so before moving it.
Mike L reply :
I always wait until the ripples dissipate for all floating top waters before I move it.
As far as dead sticking is concerned, I usually let the water temp dictate the time.
The colder the water the longer it sits.
But usually no more than 30 seconds but there have been times I'll let it sit more than minute.
Mike
The Maestro reply :
Here's a link to an interesting video that shows how predator fish show a preference to striking prey when it's sitting still. It's amazing how long they'll wait before striking in the blink of an eye.
https://fishncanada.com/video-trout-tiger-muskie-showing-how-they-catch-a-meal/
MountainMan83 reply :
On 4/28/2019 at 9:03 AM, rickyg said:My grandfather said that my great-grandfather would eat a sandwich between the time his topwater hit the surface and when he would twitch or retrieve. I don't think I've ever waited that long, but a couple minutes or so before moving it.
Haha! The visual is cracking me up.
2tall79 reply :
I can't tell you how many times I've backlashed on a cast to find that I have a fish on after a 2 or 3 minute fix.
Ratherbfishing reply :
On one occasion, a buddy and I discovered that nearly all of the fish we caught (in a flat interspersed with cattails) were after we brought the bait back to the boat and fished them vertically. Most of these fish probably followed the baits back to the boat and took some time before they decided to bite. If we'd lifted our baits up immediately, we'd have caught fewer fish. This is a slightly different scenario BUT sometimes fish do take some time before they decide to bite.
Todd2 reply :
Good post, curious to see other responses. If I'm in the sweet spot (brush pile, laydowns) I might let it sit for 30 secs max. If I'm working a long point or big flat with a T-rig or C-rig sometimes my only pause is just long enough to move the rod back in position to move it again. I'd say on average I'll let it set still for 5 to 10 secs or so. Maybe that's too fast. I do struggle with patience. I've fished with people that say I fish too fast and others say too slow.
The Maestro reply :
On 5/22/2019 at 12:26 AM, Ratherbfishing said:This is a slightly different scenario BUT sometimes fish do take some time before they decide to bite.
I think it applies even more to big fish.
fishwizzard reply :
About 10-15 seconds is as long as I can stand it for bottom contact lures.
I have started retrieving jigs and plastics very slowly by using my thumb to advance the spool. I have had some success with it but it’s really easy to think everything is a bass and it seems like it’s costing me more jigs then the “drag/hop and pause” retrieve.
Dirtyeggroll reply :
I once had a jig in the water for 6 minutes before I got bit. I didn't realize it had been that long until I went back to review the catch on my GoPro.
NYWayfarer reply :
On 4/28/2019 at 9:03 AM, rickyg said:My grandfather said that my great-grandfather would eat a sandwich between the time his topwater hit the surface and when he would twitch or retrieve.
waymont reply :
With jigs I like to let them settle on the bottom, wait for 20-30sec, then start a very slow retrieve to begin with.
Then later if that's not working try being more active with them. The short wait triggers lots of fish with jigs.
I find if I start the retrieve immediately I'm taking it away from the strike zone too quickly.
Lots of time bass with see the jig fall, and go over to investigate it.
Smalls reply :
Roughly half as long as my ADD lets me. I’ve been trying really hard lately to slow down while fishing. I even power fish Ned rigs.
jbsoonerfan reply :
I would say 90% of the time, not long enough. I usually get more bites when I cast out a soft plastic and then get my phone out to check it.
CrankFate reply :
I don’t know.
GrumpyOlPhartte reply :
I usually let my lure sit until I get the backlash cleaned up. Seems to work for me. (Obviously the amount of time varies when using this method. Skilled casters may not find it as effective!!!)
papajoe222 reply :
Compare how long to wait to how fast to retrieve a buzz bait. Often times, with bottom contact lures, the fish will hit your bait on the fall, a second or two pause prior to moving it is all that may be necessary. Other times moving a buzzer as slow as possible is the ticket and so is letting a bait sit.
If I have confidence that a spot is holding fish, I'll start out with a short pause, but I'll try dead sticking before moving on. I've caught some big fish letting my worm sit for over a minute and then moving it six inches or so only to let it sit again. Not my favorite way to fish, but catching is the reason I'm out there. I can chuck and wind in my back yard.
Munkin reply :
The guy that taught me to fish hair jigs in cold water would smoke an entire cigarette before moving his bait. I thought it was crazy but the 4lb SM he was catching told me he was onto something.
Allen
Bluebasser86 reply :
Depends a lot on the bait. Usually it's not very long, but I'll fish a bait very slowly. I probably let topwaters sit the longest before moving them and have had untold numbers of fish hit them the instant they moved. My largest swimbait fish to date was on a Slammer that sat for well over a minute and she crushed it the instant I twitched it.
Hammer 4 reply :
Long time ago, my Son and I were fishing a rock ledge at our local lake. I had a few new craw baits I wanted to try, made a cast, bait hit the bottom in about 15' of water. My Son started asking me questions about fishing, we talked for at least 10 maybe 12 mins..not paying attention to my line. I gave a gentle tug, it felt heavy, thought maybe I snaged on a rock or something, then the bass 4 1/2 lb started the fight. I could not believe the fish just softly inhaled the bait, and Sat there. After that I made a habit of keeping a finger on my line as soon as it hits the water. Anyway, I'll let a bait sit sometimes depending for a few mins..
Flatrock reply :
According to most of the responses here, I've been fishing my jigs way to fast. With that said, I went fishing yesterday and I wasn't sure what I was seeing was correct or a trick of the eye, but it looked like fish flash by my lure when it would get about 10 feet from the boat as it was on the upward retrieve.
Todd2 reply :
On 5/22/2019 at 9:32 PM, Flatrock said:According to most of the responses here, I've been fishing my jigs way to fast. With that said, I went fishing yesterday and I wasn't sure what I was seeing was correct or a trick of the eye, but it looked like fish flash by my lure when it would get about 10 feet from the boat as it was on the upward retrieve.
Reminds me of a story that've I told many times. Many years ago I was fishing with my non fishing brother in-law at my Dad's pond. He was burning a worm at warp speed. I think I was mid sentence in explaining why he was working it too fast when the biggest Bass I'd ever seen in that pond destroyed it. I stayed quiet for much of the day after that....lol
Tennessee Boy reply :
On 5/22/2019 at 9:32 PM, Flatrock said:I went fishing yesterday and I wasn't sure what I was seeing was correct or a trick of the eye, but it looked like fish flash by my lure when it would get about 10 feet from the boat as it was on the upward retrieve.
I’m guessing what you were seeing were fish that were following your bait but not hitting it. They followed it up until they saw you, then turned away. It’s like they are very interested in your lure but not convinced it’s something they want to eat. When I see fish doing this, I throw a finesse worm. Have seen that work countless times.
Flatrock reply :
On 5/22/2019 at 9:55 PM, Tennessee Boy said:I’m guessing what you were seeing were fish that were following your bait but not hitting it. They followed it up until they saw you, then turned away. It’s like they are very interested in your lure but not convinced it’s something they want to eat. When I see fish doing this, I throw a finesse worm. Have seen that work countless times.
I was throwing everything.. white spinners, white chatter, pumpkin jigs / crawfish trailers in about 2-3 feet of brownish color waters... I just not sure what I'm doing wrong. But its obvious I'm fishing my jigs too fast
keagbassr reply :
About as long as it takes to turn the handle and engage the reel.????
scaleface reply :
I never let it set for more than a few seconds . Sometimes , if I'm over a limb , I'll lift it and jiggle it then let it settle back down . I might do that for a minute .
The Maestro reply :
On 5/22/2019 at 11:51 AM, Bluebasser86 said:Depends a lot on the bait. Usually it's not very long, but I'll fish a bait very slowly. I probably let topwaters sit the longest before moving them and have had untold numbers of fish hit them the instant they moved. My largest swimbait fish to date was on a Slammer that sat for well over a minute and she crushed it the instant I twitched it.
This makes sense. Something about the bait (profile, color etc..) has the fish convinced enough that it MIGHT be alive/food that they'll watch it closely and then that first little bit of movement seals the deal.
BassThumb reply :
Maybe 15 seconds at a time, and that's with topwater only.
With jigs, I regularly do 5 second pauses, but that's about it. Sometimes a cast lasts 3-4 minutes if I'm fishing cold water or bombing heavy football jigs over large areas as a search lure.
If I'm going to fish that slow, I need to be really sure there's fish in that area. It's always a constant mental battle to decide whether to focus on covering water targeting semi-active or active bass vs. slowing down to possibly entice inactive fish to bite. More often than not, I tend to do better moving quickly. I'm not a deadstick kind of guy.
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