I have a rule that I never set the hook unless I feel the bass on the end of the line.  That rule helped me land a new personal best yesterday. 

I dropped a worm at the base of some pads where the fish tend to stack up on this one pond, and then I waited.  My line tightened and then slacked.  So I slowly lifted my rod and the line behaved as if there was only the worm at the end of it.  Having moved the worm just a couple of inches for this test I waited again.  And again the line gently tightened and slacked on its own.  As I see the line do this I am lifting the rod to get the little bit of slack out in hopes of the bass being there at the moment the slack is gone.  But again only the weight of the worm and I have moved the worm a couple of more inches.  So I wait.  My nerves are tense and my focus intent by now.  Line starts to tighten I lift the rod and feel a tick or twitch and set it.

8+lbs.  She was so full of roe I thought she was gona give birth while I held her.  Of the 5 other females I caught that day none of the others were fat.  They were just healthy.  So in Central Florida I guess some fish are on spawn, but not all. 

She must have picked it up and let it go twice and on the third time I caught her in the act.  Maybe that's not what actually happened, but it is out of site under water and that line is all I have to go by.  That's the best I can figure of it.    

Tanner

that's a big ol' hawg.  congrats.  i know you were stoked.

nice fish and nice patience. way to go!

my sons and I will be out on Toho on Tues. hopefully we can find something. I have received some tips and info from the great people on this site. hopefully we can put them to good use.

TJ

Congrats on your new "personal best".

Sounds like she got you gut-hooked now on worm fishing.[LOL]

Maybe she picked it up and spit it out to get it off her bed. You were in her bed!!!

Maybe she picked it up and spit it out to get it off her bed. You were in her bed!!!

But I don't understand why she would need to do it 3 times.  Maybe she has been taught that trick before and has learned not to hold on to long.   

But I don't understand why she would need to do it 3 times. Maybe she has been taught that trick before and has learned not to hold on to long.

If you ever get the chance to watch these fish on the bed, you'd understand. I've watched them pick up  a bait 4 or more times so gingerly that if you weren't watching you'd miss the whole thing. When they get mad enough they seem to inhale it and carry it off the bed jut one more time. That's usually when I stick 'em.

I'd be willing to bet that's what is happening.