Texas rigged with 7" BPS ribbontail worm with 5/0 EWG hook + 1/8 oz bulletweight.

I missed two bites at the start. All I felt was one tap and I usually wait about a second before setting the hook. Both times I waited but didn't set the hook into anything. So for the next three fish I instantly set the hook when I felt a tap and ended up foul hooking two through the outside jaw/lip and one through the area between the fish's eyes. Did those foul hooks happen because the fish are instantly spitting out the worm? It was the first time I've used a ribbontail worm. I usually use senkos, baby brush hogs, or lizards and never have an issue with waiting on the hookset or foul hooks. I also usually go weightless or 1/16 oz instead of 1/8 oz, but it was windy. The 1/8 oz weight is much larger in length because its lead.

The 4th bass I caught was with a baby brush hog. The hookset was fine because the bass hit it hard, so I set the hook right away.

Ribbon tails work this time of year?

Florida, 70 degrees weather and water.

Oh lucky. I heard the bass fishing down there is good, or lots of places to fish at least. 

It sounds like the fish were just swiping at your bait... I'm usually downsizing in this case or changing color to really trigger a strike. Was the fish you caught on the baby brush hog mouth hooked or fouled? If it was mouth hooked, sounds like you have backed up my point. =]

Ribbon tails work this time of year?

all year round in Florida.

70 deg water and foul hooked fish, sounds like bed fishing.

I would bet that they weren't fully committing to your bait. They may have sucked it in, but not the whole bait. Otherwise they may have just swam by and picked it up by the tail. 

Some may disagree but I ALWAYS set immediately once I detect a bite. The only time I delay is either by accident or if on any given day I miss multiple fish, I may let them have it a second more.

Sometimes I catch small bass by foul hooking them.  I think they are just trying to play with the bait instead of eating it.

Bass like to grab the tail of ribbontail worms, so foul hooks happen. Unless you're in a tournament where you have to hook them inside the mouth, I wouldn't get too concerned about it, just be happy you caught them. 

Bass like to grab the tail of ribbontail worms, so foul hooks happen. Unless you're in a tournament where you have to hook them inside the mouth, I wouldn't get too concerned about it, just be happy you caught them. 

 

In most tournaments, hooking inside the mouth is only a requirement if sight fishing I believe. 

In most tournaments, hooking inside the mouth is only a requirement if sight fishing I believe. 

I think you're right for the most part. I know there's some states that it's illegal, which is why Mark Menendez DQ'd himself in one this year for hooking a fish outside the mouth. On the other hand, I've watched KVD catch one in the dorsal fin on a crankbait and toss it in the livewell.