Do Bass Remember Being Caught?
All anglers probably have their favorite fishing spot where they go from time to time. But if one day, you notice that bass doesn’t come anymore, it might be because they remember being caught by the same lure.
Do Bass remember being caught? Yes, they do. Fish have memories too. In fact, a bass caught on a spinnerbait is almost impossible to capture again using the same lure the next few days.
I will be discussing how fish, particularly bass, remember being caught in this short read. Also, find out which lure is exempted from fish’s memory and the reason why you can’t catch a fish in a particular area anymore.
Bass Can Remember?
A chairman of the zoology department from the University of Oklahoma, Dr. Loren Hill, says that people often think that fish can’t remember and rely on instinct.
He also says that people believe that fish easily forgets things in just a few minutes. But that is not the case.
As a matter of fact, a bass caught on a spinnerbait will be difficult to capture on the next day using the same lure.
Besides that, exposing it to the same lure every couple of days for a week or more will take you around 20 days before the bass bite again—no wonder why many anglers keep a wide collection of lures to have a variation when fishing.
Unfortunately, it is not only the captured fish that remembers, the fish who saw the capture too. Fish who saw what happened will remember what the lure looks like, which it will avoid.
Why Is It Hard To Catch A Bass In A Particular Area?
It has something to do with fish memory. Fish can remember being caught, so no wonder if you can’t catch even a single bass in lakes exposed to heavy fishing pressure.
When fish see more lures around them, they are more alert, making them harder to trick.
On the other hand, it is easier to catch fish in a virgin lake.
You can actually capture a fish with anything that you will throw out there. But if the lake has been exposed to lures daily, the fish will definitely become more cautious against baits.
The Only Lure That Fish Don’t Remember
If you love fishing in the same lake, increase your catch by using plastic worm lures. These are the only ones that fish don’t remember.
According to Dr. Hill, it is possible to catch bass using a plastic worm one day, and it will still come the next day. There is a reason why worms don’t trigger the same memory response that other baits do.
Conclusion
In conclusion, fish also have a memory. But it is not as sharp as that of a human.
They remember the lure used to catch them, and they associate its color or colors with danger. So to increase your catch, try using different lures when fishing in the same spot.