The First Bite: How Important It Is

When fishing a crankbait in an off-shore area that you know is holding bass but you can’t seem to get to bite, there are several “tricks” you can try to entice them. For instance, try to vary your retrieve speed (steady, stop & go), change your presentation angle (reposition your boat or change to a bait that dives at a different angle), bump off the bottom, deflect off of cover or even change color lures. Do whatever it takes to get that “first” bite. Many times the most important bite is the first one. Once you get the first fish to commit to the lure and bite, it can excite the entire school and you can literally catch every fish in the school if you can keep your bait in front of them. Boat positioning and pinpoint casting are keys to catching these fish once they have been excited. Sometimes, kicking a buoy marker overboard once you catch your first fish will help you keep your place in case you drift away while landing your fish.