Fishing Speed for Bass – It's about the Allure

Fishing Speed

Fishing Speed is a relative measure of how much time the lure is in the strike zone. Fishing speed is an attribute of the lure action and retrieve technique. Generally, fishing speed is broken down into fishing fast or fishing slow. Fishing fast is when the lure goes through the strike zone quickly and fishing slow the lure stays in the strike zone for longer periods of time.

Why is Fishing Speed Important?

Fishing speed is important as:

Fishing Too Fast: Fishing too fast can result in missing inactive bass that will not chase a fast moving lure or instinctively react to a fast moving lure (reaction bite).
Fishing Too Slow: Fishing too slow results in less locations being tested for bass.

Fishing Speed Options

Fishing Slow: Sometimes referred to as “slowing it down” and a key attribute of finesse fishing. Fishing slow is keeping the lure in the strike zone for a long period of time giving bass a long time to observe prior to a bite.

Retrieve Considerations:
- Slow-Roll:
- Twitch Retrieve:
- Drag Retrieve:
- Hop Retrieve:
- Dead-Stick:

Fishing Fast: Sometimes referred to “covering water” or “putting the trolling motor on high” or “chuck and wind” and is a key attribute of “power fishing”, the lure passes through the strike zones quickly triggering a reaction bite if close or soliciting active fish to chase and bite.

Retrieve Considerations: Albeit pauses can be added thus slowing down most retrieves, generally these retrieves are used to cover water and commonly considered fishing fast:
- Straight Retrieve:
  - Burn:
  - Pop:
  - Wake:
- Walk Retrieve:
- Jerk Retrieve:
- Hop Retrieve:
- - Yo Yo:
  - Stroking:

Additional Considerations

Trying for a Reaction Bite: Fishing too slow will not trigger a reaction bite.
Depth: Fishing deep is generally fishing slower as it is more challenging to fish deep fast.
Season: Fishing too fast when the water is cold will reduce the catch rate as bass are more lethargic.
“Get a Good Look at It“. Some anglers want to move a lure fast in high lure visibility scenarios to help ensure the bass doesn’t get a good look at the lure as they believe seeing it they will shy away as it does not look natural.
Pressure: Some suggest fishing slower on highly pressured bass.
Reel Speed: Some suggest a slower rod speed is easier to fish slow. Some suggest having all reels the same speed will help fish slow.