A long discussed topic. Here is a good article I found on this topic. Still...is it memory or "instinct"??

http://www.outdoorpages.co.za/Fishing/BassFishing/Articles.asp?ID=69

IMO i think its both but i dont have any real evidence behind that so its anyones guess

Observational bias; an observational bias occurs when researchers only look where they think they will find positive results, or where it is easy to record observations.

I"m sorry...I forgot the question (just kidd'n)

It's difficult if not impossible to segregate 'Memory' from 'Instinctive Conditioning', which reside in different parts of the brain.

In most cases the memory of a bass is evaluated based on how soon after striking a lure, the same bass would be vulnerable

to the same lure. Although results vary, most estimates are short-term (minutes rather than hours).

Based on different studies, the mean estimate of bass retention is about 20 minutes.

As a result of this presumption, when a trophy bass is missed the common practice is return to the same bass about 1/2 hr later.

Again, this excludes instinctive conditioning which is imprinted and lacks the 'storage & recall' function of memory..

Roger

The homing instinct some animals have, including bass, can't be related to memory. Bass return to same areas during the same seasonal periods year around. We don't have a clue* how birds, fish, insects and other animals travel great distances to return to the exact spot they were born. This is a basic survial of the species instinct.

Some bass never strike an artical lure, some strike the same several times. Is the shy more aware bass that doesn't get caught smarter then the aggressive bass that does? If this is true then bass would be getting dummer every generation, based on survival rates.

Learning from positive or negative experiences differs with individuals; some learn lifes lessons and some don't. This isn't analytical problem solving, it's called survival.

Tom

* hundreds of book on this topic.

Plenty of threads on this site about bass memory and conditioning. I just haven't the faintest idea how to search for them.

I dunno honestly, but I did catch a fish today right after breaking off, landed this fish and he had my fluke from the previous cast stuck in the corner of his mouth. Not sure if you wanna call that anger and aggression or starving. lol Either way it saved me a bait and a hook.