how does the bite feel (using worms)? 2024

3kings reply :

im a newbie with bass fishing. i tried salt water fishing. in saltwater when the fish bites it snatches and runs away with it.

how about for bass using worms?

Shad_Master reply :

There are several different answers to this question and I am sure you will get them all on this forum. The long answer is that a bass bite is usually a "thump-thump" as the fish sucks the bait in. It is important to watch your line, 'cause sometimes that is the only notice that you have that the bass has taken your bait. There are times when the bass will pick up the bait and run with it. This is a possible sign that there are other bass in the area and they are trying to run off before another fish snatches it away. Other times you will feel the "thump-thump" and when you set the hook, nothing is there. This is often a sign that the fish sucked in your bait and spit it out immediately. In this case try something else to see if they like it better (a good time to use GULP!, 'cause they will chew on it a while, giving you time to set the hook). Some times you will feel the bump, but nothings there. This can mean that the bass are checking out your bait and "blowing" on it (phewie) to see how it reacts. This sometimes happens with highly pressured bass who are wary of the bait. The primary difference between a bass bite and a blue gill bite (IMO) is that the BG bite will have a vibration to it, although they may run with the bait also.

The short answer to your question it that it is the greatest feeling you can have with your clothes on -- unless you are one wierd fisherman ;D

3kings reply :

thanks shad master.

another Q how do you position your rod while fishing worms? 10-12o'clock?

nwgabassmaster reply :

The majority of the bites that I feel when I feel the bite, are the "tap-tap-tap" or either just one huge thump.

As for the positioning of the rod, it just depends on what rig that you are using.

For the T-rig, I use a hopping retrieve, so, that would put it at 9-10 o'clock, most of the time.

For the C-rig, I use a sweeping retrieve, so, that means that I reel down to where the line becomes tight, and then, sweep it back.

For a jig-headed worm, I will hop it, so, about the same thing as the T-rig.

Experiment with different retrieves until the bass tell you what they want.

AceHigh reply :

I've fished worms since 1972 when they finally could no longer be ignored by us spinnerbait and plug fishermen. I put my hardbaits down and fished them and nothing else until I learned how to fish them (I also fished 20 or 30 tounaments in 1972 and 1973 as a no boater and learned something about worm fishing from eveyone I fished with. Bythe following year I was winning tournaments worm fishing.

There are at least a dozen different ways a bass will take a worm and when you have experienced them all enough you will know what each means.

I always have the line between my finger and thumb when worm fishing and know what the worm feels like when no fish is present. When that feeling changes, it may be a bass. It could be a single heavy thump (very good, likely a larger fish), line suddenly going slack, a mushy feel like pulling the worm through molasses, a tick that you can barely feel, several sharp taps (very good - actively feeding fish and likely many competing), a steady pull or even a huge jerk.

I use only flourescent blue Stren when worm fishing (I like 14 lb.) so I can see what the line is doing at all times. After a cast, the line will stay reasonably taut until the worm hits the bottom, then the line will go slack, You need to be watching during this time especially as a slight tick in the line at this time usually cannot be felt, but can easily be seen. That tick is a bite.

Here's a few hints that will help you catch more bass while worm fishing - 1) fish at least twice as slow as you think you should, 2 stop and let the bait sit in the same place for ten to fifteen seconds at a time after every few casts, then see if youcan move it less than 6 inches, and 3) while the worm is where you think the fish are try no to move it more than 6" at a time (most will move the worm 3 to 4 feet) and 4) in water less than 2 feet deep flipor pitch the worm gently so that it makes a very quiet entry into the water.

Shad_Master reply :

You're right AceHigh, I forgot about the "mushy feeling". Sometimes you just don't feel anything -- the best time to set the hook is whenever it "feels different". I was on my third tournament this year and had caught several dozen good bass before I "felt" my first bite this year.

As for rod position, I usually try to keep it between 9:00 and 10:00 o'clock (or 2:00 and 3:00 o'clock if your looking the over way ) when fishing soft plastics.

3kings reply :

GREAT INFO GUYS! I DO APPRECIATE IT!

keep the info coming.

i do feel the tap-tap but sometimes its just the bullet sinker hitting the floor. i do set it anyway fish or no fish.

there was also one time that i thought i had a snag and when i was reeling it in the line just moved so i set the hook and caught one.

really the bass fish is really challenging!

paully reply :

Yeah bass fishing is tough but thats part of the fun; finding out how to catch them that day. For me, when I fish a worm its weightless and texposed. I keep a semi tight line at all times while its falling and when I know it hit bottom i give it a jerk or two and then lift it up and let it drop again.

hawghunter reply :

That "tic" that AceHigh is referring to usually means a good fish ;D

Marty reply :

My personal experience is that I rarely feel anything. I detect strikes by seeing the line move off to the side. When I see it moving, I reel in most of the slack and set the hook.

Kendammit reply :

Yep, its never been a feeling thing for me. Every single time I've had a bite, whether the bait was falling, sitting on the bottom, on a retrieve, tight or slack line, the hit has been just a constant movement of the line in a direction I'm not moving it. Sometimes you just hone in and you just KNOW when theres a bite..its kinda weird to explain.

BASSMAN1301599783 reply :

Quote
The short answer to your question it that it is the greatest feeling you can have with your clothes on -- unless you are one wierd fisherman ;D

LOL, oh man thats great!

texasbass1 reply :

The biggest problem I have is seeing the line. What color line do you guys use in clear water? I've been using green but have switched to clear. It is still hard to see unless the fish just starts swimming off.

bassackwards reply :

I use fluroclear and I can't see it unless its on top of the water, or right at the rod. I usually leave alot of slack out to watch my line and this ensures the fish eats the lure by the time I reel that slack in, but I can't really do that with that type of line.

I keep a curve from the end of the pole to the water, so I can see the line move. I can tell a fish is taking it, yet still enough time to let the fish eat it (instead of ripping it away from him).

I have felt bites, especially durin spawn. what else seems to make sense is when there are active fish feeding, they ****** their head to the side after they eat it.

Most of the time, I never feel the bite. I see the line, or if I think I'm snagged, I have to reel in lightly and feel the fish before setting the hook. rarely I do that, I just set the hook anyhow.

hawghunter reply :

Wow......I'm very surprised that some of you "never" feel the bite. I know that sometimes I don't but, I would bet that 80% of the time I will feel the bite, either the tap tap, thump or tic, etc, etc.

I wonder if the equipment that you are using is not sensitive enough? or maybe too much slack in your line?????

ernel reply :

I would have to agree with HH on feeling more often than not. The majority of my fish caught on a worm have been more than willing to give a good tappity tap to annouce they where ready for boat ride to the weigh in.

Nick reply :

3 Kings,

I've been at this since the 60's with worms and most of the time if you think you have a strike, go "on point." That is, take up any slack keep your rod tip at 11:00, and feel gently for the fish that could be taking your worm. Overwhelmingly, the bass will let you know it is one by moving the line or giving you a definite tug. Then you can lower the rod tip and snap your wrists hard to set the hook. I don't deep hook bass this way because the entire game takes only a couple of seconds. If you go "on point," and nothing moves or tugs, you have some sort of false alarm. You won't be fooled nearly as often as you would by setting the hook every time you hit the bottom or an object.

Marty reply :

Quote
Wow......I'm very surprised that some of you "never" feel the bite. I know that sometimes I don't but, I would bet that 80% of the time I will feel the bite, either the tap tap, thump or tic, etc, etc.
I wonder if the equipment that you are using is not sensitive enough? or maybe too much slack in your line?????

HH

In my case, I don't feel most of the hits even with a no-stretch line like Fireline. And I don't think it's too much slack or lack of a sensitive rod because I have no problem feeling the zillions of sunfish taps.

Quote
The biggest problem I have is seeing the line. What color line do you guys use in clear water? I've been using green but have switched to clear. It is still hard to see unless the fish just starts swimming off.

I use smoke Fireline or clear mono and it IS difficult to see the line much of the time, but I manage OK by watching it like a hawk.

master_baiter reply :

when u say leave slack in the line how do u do this?

i have a problem with this cause of drifting from wind or current so i tend to drag it a sec before i twitch it to regain the slack back.

Kendammit reply :

Quote
Wow......I'm very surprised that some of you "never" feel the bite. I know that sometimes I don't but, I would bet that 80% of the time I will feel the bite, either the tap tap, thump or tic, etc, etc.
I wonder if the equipment that you are using is not sensitive enough? or maybe too much slack in your line?????

HH

could very well be the equipment that I use. Its not the most expensive or most technologically advanced, and the line is 20lb big game most of the time i'm fishing worms.

bassackwards reply :

leaving slack in the line: with a spinning reel, just pull some extra line out of the spool as it sinks. if it sinks to the bottom and needs more, pull out more. and leave enough so line goes straight down from the rod tip to the water.

now I always keep the line straight, as it can curve up in the water. I feel like that may be overkill and miss a bite. I hope that makes sense.

basically, I just pull out extra line and let it lay on the water. not a lot of extra line. only a foot or two. The guy that taught me how to fish plastics does this. its just his ole school way of fishing. he knows the fish quite well. his purpose really for leavin slack line is: by the time he sees it moving, and reels in the slack. he can set the hook. he gives the bass enough time to put the bait fully in his mouth.

now there can be overkill with this. so dont go to any extremes.

if that didn't make much sense, please let me know for future posts

Shad_Master reply :

HawgHunter,

The problem for me is not the equipment or the line, the wind always blows here in Nebraska and this cuts down on the feel and makes it more difficult. I do feel bites most of the time, but have noticed (especially this year for some reason) that the bite has been so light that I often don't feel it. Today, I was passing by a lake on my way back from a meeting and stopped to wet a line. The wind was blowing about 30-35 mph from the north. I managed to find a rocky point positioned on the south east side of the lake and casted into the wind. As I was jigging my worm back in, I thought I was hung on a limb of a laydown, until I noticed the line was moving away, into the wind. Set the hook and landed a 15" to 16" bass. Never felt the bite, but was able to tell I had him on by watching the line.

Nick reply :

Slack line is the enemy of worm and jig anglers. Keep that line fairly taught unless you are working a bed and can see the fish take the bait. I've fished with lots of the top pro's on tours and I've never seen one purposely keep slack in the line unless they were peeling it off to get more depth immediately like in a dock fishing situation.

hawghunter reply :

Nick, I agree 100%

Shad Master,.....30-35 mph wind! No wonder you didn't feel the bite. I wouldn't even throw a worm in that situation (thats just me tho)

For fishing windy conditions with a worm you need to go to a heavier weight. What size were you using today in that wind?

Shad_Master reply :

30-35 mph winds are fairly normal here -- we fished a tournament in April where the winds were 25 mph at blastoff and got stronger as the day went on :-X I don't like to use a weight unless I have to and then only use the lightest weight I can get by with -- today I was using a 1/16 oz and casting a ZOOM Vibra Worm into the wind -- the weight would help hold it down, but the current (wind) would wash it past the point and the bass picked it up in the slack water on the back side ;D

heresdustin reply :

The winds are a definite negative factor in your situation. Where I live (Central California), the way I fish worms, is pretty much just a slow drift. Let the boat drift with the wind, or use the trolling motor on a dead-wind day. And I try to maintain constant contact with the bottom, with the exception of a twitch-twitch-pull every now and then. So you are constantly feeling the contours of the bottom of the lake, but when I get hit on the worm, I feel a tug----tug-tug. or if it's a little fish, I feel a shaking or rattling feeling. And sometimes, mostly on bigger fish, it will feel like you are snagged on a log or something! But, that's just me. Everyone on the site lives in different areas, and fishes different bodies of water, so you just have to adjust to your surroundings. But anyways, I hope I gave you a little bit of advice you can use. Tight Lines, brother!

fishingrulz reply :

watch your line carefully after you get your first fish you will get used to it. you will feel a tap tap and then the fish will take it our the line will start to move on its own away from you either way set it. i fish my 5" worms by casting tem just in front of the lillys and let them fall this is in about 4-5 feets of water i get the majority of my bites on the fall down to the floor so watch carefully then. hope that helps.

bassaddict62 reply :

First, you won't feel anything accurately without a very sensitive rod (graphite). This really matters if you are working the worm across the bottom. Anyway, bluegills attacking it will hit the worm with several rapid fire taps. A bass hits with one solid tap. Point the rod toward the fish, then set the hook HARD! When in doubt (if it was a hit or not) wait two seconds then set the hook. A bass will normally swallow the worm so fast and deep, you'll have plenty of time before they can spit it out, if they ever wanted to.

Lately since I started fishing strictly Texas style (research this technique) I've has bass fighting for a full 15 seconds before spitting out the hook, and the hook was never even in the bass! The hook never made it through the body of the worm. This is why you really have to set the hook hard.

guest reply :

i fish worms a lot and this is my experience It goes from real aggressive pulls(especially in shallow water) to thump thump to hardly any thing at all. A big thing I always try to remember is TO WATCH THE LINE AT THE WATER LINE if its doing something like moving right or left or looks like its going slack as your reeling it in you might have a fish on also if you are reeling in and the line looses resistance put the rod tip down and set the hook a lot of times they have the worm and are swimming in the direction of the boat

3kings reply :

any more feedback?

Panamoka_Bassin reply :

I love it when someone resurects a thread that I haven't seen yet...

What everyone said above is absolutely true. Whne it comes to worms, or pretty much any soft plastics, slower is better. I do like to mix up pattern to my jigging, though. Sometimes I'll do the hop-hop motion, especially when it's cold, or if the water's a little warmer, I'll do a bit of a yo-yo technique. If I know I'm on some bass, I'll more often than not give the bait a bunch of quick twitches to trigger a strike...Nothing extreme, mind you, I'll maybe move the worm 6-12 inches with 10-15 little twitches. I'm basically just shaking the rod tip to get the tail of the worm fluttering.

Hope this helps!

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