Bass Jiggin' 101: Feel the Bite

Feeling the bite when fishing a jig can be difficult at times. I don't think I'd like to know how many fish have inhaled my jig, only to spit it out without me knowing. The bone jarring strikes, or when your line starts swimming off is fairly easy to detect. Other times, it's not so easy.

If I'm fishing a jig slowly, I like to keep a free finger on the line. This allows me to have a better feel for what's going on under the water. I've gotten pretty familiar with how wood, rock, grass and soft bottom feel when fishing a jig. So, if I feel something that's just a little off, I'm likely going to set the hook. Having my finger on the line allows me to have a better feel of when something's off.

I can honestly say I've caught fish I wouldn't have otherwise caught if it weren't for keeping my finger on the line. You can also use this hack when fishing soft plastics or other presentations where you're fishing slowly.

Editor’s Note: When in doubt, set the hook; jerks are free.