Guys and Gals,

As most of you know I'm teaching my girlfriend to fish better.  My problem I have realized is she doesnt know the difference between a bite, the weeds/tree, and the bottom.

I have tried to explain it to her but I need to take it further.  So here is what I have in mind.

Cast out the lure and fish it with her so she can "feel" what is what while I explain it to her.  Hoping we can get a bit and let her set the hook on it.

Has anyone tried this or have a better idea?

If you feel the tap set the hook.  If it feels mushy set the hook.

Hook sets are free

I think that's the hardest thing about fishing.Feeling the bite.Specially those silent ones.

I still go with JackJ's advice....Hooksets are free.Normally you feel a tap or your line moves.Great thing about moving baits they usually hit those suckers with some force.


Too many times i gotten jig bites and the dang fish never moved or tapped the line.Talk about an extremely light bite!Those bites when you try to move they feel like it's dragging through weeds.If you ever watch the way KVD fishes...he moves his bait like he's setting the hook every time.I still think that's just his secret into not missing so many bites.The fish literally hook themselves every time he moves his rod.

and tell her its ok if she sets the hook into a limb.   Just means shes casting to the right spots

Maybe have her swim some jigs.  She won't have to worry about even setting the hook.  They'll get on and hook themselves.  Maybe some that way will let her know how the bit and the weight feels.  I did that with a townie last summer.  He couldn't catch anything till I got him on that and he kicked my butt on a couple of banks.

Disclaimer: I’m not very good with jigs; or any other bait for that matter, but……..
I had a day like Grimlin was describing; I was bouncing a jig on an 8 to 10’ flat and I missed several fish. I would try to “feel the weight” of the jig but as I lifted the line I would feel the wiggle and proceed to miss the fish. After missing several fish I started power lifting my jig and my catch rate went way up. After reading a few post on here I learned that I might have done better if I had been swimming the jig to begin with.

One of my first outings with my Grandson was a bit frustrating for him. He didn’t know how the bite felt and missed several. We finally stopped in one place where there were a bunch of small fish and anchored the boat. After about an hour of constant catching he had it down!

Tie a Big M crank on the line for her, not a doubt in the world when a fish hits it

Seriously when you are finished teaching her to feel the light bites, then you can teach me bacause I suck.   I can miss fish on a jig better than anyone in the country.