Hi, I recently was fishing a personal favorite river that comes off lake ontario. I was using my black max baitcaster with spiderwire stealth braid  and originally was lured with a sixth sense crankbait. I got several hits almost as soon as the lure hit the water but the fish never got hooked. I thought maybe ill try a smaller lure but alas the same thing happened. The lure would hit the water the fish would hit the lure but I wouldn't hook the fish. Does anyone know how to avoid this? Maybe tips on how I can better help the fish to commit. Is it the lure, the timing, the fish, or maybe all of it. ? I know we can't make the fish bite thats why it's fishing and not catching but I'm just curious as to how I can become a better fisherman. 

I would say it's bad timing and there's nothing you could have done. Also it could've been another species than bass going after your lure on the surface. This happened with me while fishing with a weightless senko, and I missed like five fish in a row right when the bait hit the water. Come to find out, it was gar the whole time.