Secondary Retrieve Action for Bass Fishing

Secondary Action typically refers to secondary lure action imparted during the retrieve.

Secondary Action is important to:

Trigger a Reaction Bite: The change of the lure action and/or lure speed to trigger a reaction bite.
Adjust Lure Height: Making adjustments to higher or lower to keep the lure in the strike zone.
Adjust Lure Speed: Either to introduce pauses or speed up the lure.

Adding a Secondary Action to:
- Reel Retrieves: Common to add:
  - Pause(s): Common to add a pause to trigger a reaction bite and/or to allow the lure to drop deeper back to the strike zone. Done repeatably it is often called a stop and retrieve.
  - Dead Sticking: A long pause to let the lure fall to the bottom and stay in one location with only lure action produced by the current.
  - Pop(s): During a straight retrieve one or multiple horizontal rod pulls (short sweeps). Pop retrieve displace water (commotion), varies lure action (e.g. flare a skirted lure) and varies speed.
  - Yo Yo Action: During a straight retrieve raise the rod from 8 or 9 o’clock to 11 or 12 o’clock typically repetitively.
  - Change Lure Direction: Similar to a yo yo action that moves the lure vertically, move the rod to the opposite side of the boat creating a horizontal direction change of the lure.
  - Short Burn Retrieve: During a straight retrieve add a very fast straight retrieve for a short period of time.
  - Twitches: Use the rod tip makes small sharp movements imparting subtle lure action.
- Rod Retrieves: Common to add:
  - Dead Sticking: Pause to let the lure fall to the bottom and keep the rod motionless with no reeling of slight slack line.
  - Twitches: Use the rod tip makes small sharp movements imparting subtle lure action.
  - Jerk Action: Adding an occasional jerk motion to introduce some erratic lure action.

Speed Variations: Common to change the speed during the retrieve to trigger a reaction bite.
Long Pauses: Some suggest long pauses, especially in cold water, to mimic a dying baitfish.