If you're learning to fish, you may want to go weightless on the soft plastics.  When I was learning, I did that and noticed that bass held onto the lures longer.  If you haven't taught yourself to set the hook as a reflex yet, this will kind of buy you some more time.  The more you practice, the more strikes you get, the more you'll learn about detecting strikes (feel, line watching).  

 

Fishing in the canals and small waterways, flukes and senkos fished weightless can be a blast.  Use a light wire hook, and I'd get a line with less stretch, which will give you more feel.  You'll need it, with the softer rod.  

 

Have fun, and tight lines!

AQ, my suggestions and comments on your situation:

1.  Hooksets are free. Go ahead and set the hook anytime you feel a hit.

2.  Go to a shaky head presentation on 8-pound braid using a Zoom Trick Worm in the Junebug color. Tie braid directly to the 1/8 ounce jig head you need to use for this presentation.

3.  Use a spinning rig for the shaky head presentation.

4.  Always keep a finger on your line. You will feel the taps better.

5.  Always keep the line somewhat tight. Very little slack.

6.  Keep rod tip up, around 11 o'clock.

7.  Fish the shaky head slow. Cast out. Let sit on bottom for 20 seconds, then start your slow retrieve in sections. Sit, move a little, sit, move a little, sit. Remember for every one inch you move your rod tip the bait can move up to six inches on the bottom. Then do it again until the bait returns to you.

8.  Use a "fan" pattern. Start on your left against the bank, then move the bait a little out and then in small steps move it to your right. When you get the bait to your right, do it all over again in the opposite direction.

9. Always watch your line. If it moves a bass has picked up your bait.  And keep concentrating on your line transmission with your finger.

10. You can use a Zoon finesse worm, too, in lieu of a trick worm. But a shaky head or Swamp Crawler (smaller than a trick worm) may be substituted.

11. If you can see the bass the bass can see you. Try to stay out of sight.

 

You can use the "fan" technique for a drop shot or Texas rig or any bait of your choice.

 

Now, let's talk about the fish looking at your bait and not hitting it.  Change colors. Go from watermelon to Junebug to green pumpkin. For some unknown reason, the bass are looking at your presentation but are not interested in killing or eating it. So there is a problem and the first step to try is changing colors.

 

After changing colors, you need to change techniques.

 

Use a scent on your plastics. Although the verdict on scents has not been finalized, JJ's Magic, MegaStrike or the scent of your choice will work.

 

Your homework is to work at colors, baits and presentations. Something is wrong and you will have to figure it out.

 

And don't be too upset. This happens to all of us, especially when throwing crankbaits. The bass will run to the crankbait and then turn away because they don't like the color, the speed, they saw the line, or who knows why?

 

Good luck and let us know what color, bait and technique works.

 

 

On 12/23/2017 at 7:21 PM, Way north bass guy said:

“When in doubt, set the hook!”

 

also “ hook sets don’t cost anything”.

Except when they get snagged on a log or something. ?