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Other Fish

Hugh gives us the scoop on how to know what other fish are hitting your bass bait in "Other Fish".

Other Fish

The angler using wild shiners is likely to have other fish attempt to eat his wild shiner. There are ways to determine what is biting. There are ways to eliminate some of the unnecessary bites. Knowing what is biting is important.

The most famous wild shiner eater that bothers the bass fishermen is the Mud Fish. This beast of the water is also known as Shoe Pic, Dog Fish, Grennel, and several other names. This fish will crush its prey. With a vice grip mouth containing sharp, fish hook curved teeth the mud fish will strike its prey in the side and crush it. Once dead, the Mud eats its prey. Reading the cuts in the shiner and mouth marks in the side tell the angler what bit. Normal bass hook sets do not work. But, if you want to catch the Mud-let him swim until he stops and then starts. Then set the hook. They are great fighters! DO NOT PUT YOUR FINGERS IN THEIR MOUTH!

Chain Pickerel live in grass. They also are side strikers. They kill the prey and then swallow it. Some times it seems like they love to strike the prey several times- watching it suffer. Holes in the shiner and cuts indicate the Chain Pickerel is around. If the hook is set and it feels like a razor cut the line-the probability is that the Chain Pickerel stole the hook and bait.

There are many varieties of gar. They are almost impossible to hook. The key here is that that gar usually swim on top of the water. Get the shiners down by removing the strike indicator and gar bites are greatly reduced. Signs of gar bites on a shiner are narrow trails of teeth marks. Needle fish are similar to gar. Get the shiner under water and needle fish bites are greatly reduced.

Once in a great while red fish are in bass areas. When a Red hits a shiner there is a hard vicious hit with a long hard run. The hard fast run is unmistakable!! A Striper or hybrid Striper will hit similar to a Red.

Catfish will also hit a wild shiner. Catfish usually have a pull the shiner, let it go, pull the shiner, let go type of hit.

All these types fish live in the same areas as a bass. If you do not catch bass-move. If you are catching bass and these others bite-endure the duress. More bass will bite.

Hugh Crumpler