Last week and again this week, we are taking a closer look at detecting a strike after you deliver your bait or lure to what you trust are fish that are ready to devour your offering.

When it comes down to it, there are basically two ways to determine if a fish is taking your presentation — you can see it happening, or you can feel it happening. As I pointed out last week, most of us probably started with the “seeing method,” that is, we likely watched a bobber or strike indicator of some sort and then set the hook accordingly. Admittedly, learning to set the hook by watching a strike indicator of some kind is probably the easiest system to master; however, the “feel” technique is likely a bit more difficult to reach a satisfactory comfort level. However, if you want to improve your fish catching ability, it’s important that you learn both techniques.

Feeling a strike is a part of all freshwater fishing. Some of my earliest fishing for trout was on First Fork Sinnemahoning Creek and Pine Creek-two outstanding trout streams. My buddy’s dad was an expert salmon egg fisherman who took me under his wing and taught me the technique-it was all about holding the rod tip high, keeping a tight line, and holding the line in your hand to feel everything that touched the bait. Eventually, I learned to feel every “bump,” sometimes the bait hitting the bottom and other times fish taking the offering. We would cast upstream and follow the bait down through the riffle and then repeat the procedure.

Interestingly, the same basic technique is used by we fly fishermen when we are fishing nymphs using the “high-sticking” approach. We are doing nearly the exact same thing but with a different piece of equipment and an artificial fly. Trust me, the art of “high-sticking” isn’t something new or something we picked up from another country; my mentor taught me the technique many years ago when I was still in high school. The point is that in order to detect a strike, you must eliminate any slack line so that a strike can be transmitted through the line and rod and into your hands.

Learning to feel a strike isn’t just relegated to fishing for trout with bait or high-sticking a nymph but rather learning to detect a strike by feel is a vital part of many other presentations. Believe me; you can greatly increase your ability to catch bass, walleyes, pike, pickerel, and an assortment of panfish by learning to feel a strike. One of the best ways to learn is to go after crappies, bluegills, or perch in a lake using an ultralight spinning outfit with a two-to-four-pound test line. A sixteenth once lead-head jig and a two-inch plastic grub are all you need on the business end. Cast the jig and allow it to drop on a tight line! Many times, the hit will come on the drop, so keep the rod tip up and the line free of slack to feel the hit; set the hook immediately. Hits can be very subtle, and learning to detect that slight bump is important.

When it comes to bass and many other warm-water fish, feel is all-important in a number of presentations. Certainly, the same thing that works for panfish will also take the bigger warm-water fish, jigs of all types, including Ned-rigs, tube jigs, and any number of other similar lures, but again, line control is essential. Several years ago, I was introduced to the “wacky worm”- a plastic worm hooked in the middle and left to hang at both ends. Generally, no weight is used; the lure is cast and allowed to sink slowly to the bottom, where an occasional little lift or twitch is all that is needed. Naturally, a tight line is a must. Sometimes even before you feel a strike, the line may begin to move-something that actually falls under last week’s piece; set the hook when that happens.

There are many other applications for feeling the strike, such as when working a Texas Rig, Carolina Rig, or a swim gig, or any other of a number of different lures. The point is to learn to detect strikes by feel and sight, and you will greatly increase your success rate.