Bass will often bite subtly, and spit your bait before you can feel anything; late strikes are a common phenomenon for novice bass anglers. To combat this, especially when fishing bass in deep waters later in the season, seasoned bass anglers will use shorter, stiffer rods and reels spooled with braided lines. The lack of “flex” in this setup ensures that you can feel even the slightest change in tension on your line, allowing for quicker and more assured hook sets. When casting into shallow water situations, try fishing with a coloured, more highly visible line. It’s not unusual to see your line twitch from a pick-up, even though you can’t feel the bass that’s inhaling your bait. What to do if you see your line moving unnaturally? Reel down and set the hook immediately.
