Fish Talk Translator Needed

**Minners N Jigs** · 10-20-2015, 09:34 AM

I always hear folks say, "You gotta let the fish tell ya what they want". Makes sense, "if" you speak fish. So, some of yall that do speak "fish talk" maybe you can decipher what the fish were telling me. I was on fish. I was on baitfish as well. I was also getting bit with a decent consistency, but I wasn't hooking up with them well. Several, several short strikes. The fish that were landed weren't hooked like they choked it, but the strikes were pretty aggressive, which tells me maybe they were small fish strikes ?

So, here's the story: Overcup 4:30-6:45 PM
Started out fishing Nimrod style, with Nimrod's lure of choice. Had some bites, all short strikes. Changed to exposed 1/16 pink head, white/chartreuse Midsouth. Basically same result, but did hook up with 1 fish. Changed to exposed 1/16 pink head and solid white Midsouth. Nothing doing there, not a sniff. Changed to exposed 1/8 pink head and went back to a white/chartreuse Midsouth, but this time I trimmed the tail at an angle like I do on my spinner baits when I'm getting short strikes and don't wanna fish with a trailer hook. I ended up landing 3 with this setup before dark settled in on me but had enough interest and strikes that I feel like I should have boated more fish if I had made the correct adjustments to convince the fish to "take the bait" instead of "sample" it.

At holiday gatherings, when I was a kid and would just pick at my food but not eat, my granddad used to tell me, "Boy, if ya ever wanna be a bass you cant eat like a bream".... That's all that kept running through my head !

So, in "fish talk" what were they saying ?

**Cmj** · 10-20-2015, 10:11 AM

You weren't giving them exactly what they wanted. It was close enough to get them interested, but not enough to get a good commitment strike. Lots of times it is as simple as a different color or size jig head. I had that problem at Overcup a couple of months ago. I changed to a white head and never lost another fish.

If you are tipping with a minnow, try a smaller minnow, or no minnow at all with a nibble. If you are not using a minnow, then try tipping your jig.

Some days are just like that, but there is almost always that one little trick that gets the job done. For me, I always start playing with colors and that usually does the trick.

As you said, let the fish tell you what they want!!

**NIMROD** · 10-20-2015, 10:48 AM

Alot of times sharp strikes with no hook up are Bream too. We see lots of that on brushpiles where after a bunch of hits catch a Bluegill . Seems like even fish too small to get the bait will bump it . Some days fish are feeding and will inhale a bait and others they just don't do anything than bump one . Fish also have different moods where they will not move to take a bait . Some call it a neutral mood and will not chase anything .
I have seen slow times where I was about to give up on a spot , catch one and then 2 or 3 in the same spot as fast as I dropped in . I figure fish are like dogs . There are times when a dog will pick up a bone or other offering but not eat it . Put 3 more dogs in the same situation and they will inhale the offering and even fight for it . Boils down to feeding frenzy or competition at times . Keep trying and if something fails change up (depth , location , type of cover , speed , ect )

**Minners N Jigs** · 10-20-2015, 11:00 AM

Looking back on it, the Chartreuse tail was the common denominator on the baits that were bit... Wonder if moving the Chartreuse color to the head would have been the ticket ? Only colors that didn't get bit at all was pink head and solid white body tube. Everything else had chartreuse tail, and most of the strikes resulted in "getting caught with my skirt pulled down" ! Ha ! That is one of the advantages of fishing Nimrod style.... They cant yank your skirt down !

**Minners N Jigs** · 10-20-2015, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by Cmj

If you are tipping with a minnow, try a smaller minnow, or no minnow at all with a nibble. If you are not using a minnow, then try tipping your jig.

No minners were harmed in this outing. I'll have to try keeping some nibbles on hand, never tried em'.

**Mac Daddy** · 10-20-2015, 12:03 PM

If they are jerking the skirt down, for me that usually means it small bream hitting it. They grab the skirt and you try and set the hook pulling the skirt down, but no fish.

**Cmj** · 10-20-2015, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by Minners N Jigs

No minners were harmed in this outing. I'll have to try keeping some nibbles on hand, never tried em'.

Don't believe the hype. Minners will get you bit when nothing else will! Go to a tournament and see how many of the pros launch their boat without minners....

**MEATGETTER** · 10-20-2015, 01:38 PM

None !!!!!

**RCC** · 10-20-2015, 01:49 PM

Good advice from people that "git r done".

**RBM** · 10-20-2015, 05:59 PM

Probably yellow bass or bream, if crappie you would eventually catch one. Hey Nimrod have they cranked back up yet?

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