What Can Bass Really Learn? See What Science Says - You May Be Shocked

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Check out my Bass Behavior Bundle: Behavior Videos, Newsletters, and Livestreams. Thank you for your support of the channel! www.steverogersoutdoors.com/bass-behavior-bundle-info

[@DVaz-v6k]

2:24 Is what they do to humans too through mass immigration from "not quick to learn" people

[@Woefman911]

Had to watch this twice, so good. This is an incredible channel, and Steve has a knack for telling the story with a good radio voice so to speak.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

I actually almost went into radio. I was a broadcast major in college and went for radio. Just love it.

[@Woefman911]

@@SteveRogersOutdoors is there a podcast on the way? Bet you could find guests. 👍

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

@@Woefman911 i have thought a lot about it. It would be fun.

[@robertbrost7777]

Steve, at my lake in the last 5 years I have gone through multiple presentation winners so, I am a firm believer that my fish need something new every season. 2019 was the year of the jerk bait, 2020 they wanted the Ned Rig, 2021 was a big Drop Shot year, 2022 it was back to the Ned Rig and 2023 was the year of the swim jig. Now, they wont touch the jerk bait or the drop shot and the Ned Rig and Swim Jigs get occasionally bit. Also, it seems once I catch a bass on a presentation, I'll get maybe 1 or two more bites and they shut off to that bait. I'm running out of techniques and money! I've got plenty of lures for sale. The one thing I have gotten wiser about though, is to not run right out and buy several of the lures that worked that day. LOL

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

What a great observation to share with everyone. Thank you! I have talked to anglers that have small ponds on their property and have experienced very similar results.

[@iLearnt-IT-on-You-Tubes]

Damn thats what i need to learn. Everytime after a good morning of fishing i go straight to bass pro and get $50 of what ever i caught them on and replace whatever i lost. I need to learn its ok to run out of something. I have enough brush hogs to last 3 pandemics.

[@Gstar5150]

Start Crappie/White Bass fishing then, panfish lures are cheap as hell.

[@Boethius411]

⁠@@SteveRogersOutdoorsit is true in my pond as well. But… not a hard and fast rule by any stretch. I do believe that fish get conditioned to particular lures but I also know that they can have individual preferences that seem to stick sometimes too. It sounds weird, but I have one fish that we named stumpwaller that has been caught probably 40 times. She used to stay around one corner a lot. Now she’s all over the place. She avoids almost everything thrown at her now too, but she can’t seem to resist a big red worm. She will eat it over and over again Lol… I actually think a lot of bass probably move and alter their feeding behavior more than they change their choice of lures. As in I have watched the behavior of fish offshore change due imo to fishing pressure on the Tennessee River. They used to stack up in giant 100+ fish schools and feed mostly near bottom on top of the ledges. Then the schools became broken up and spread out into smaller groups of 10-20. Now I find them a lot farther up on the ledge and away from the drop. Or they suspend out over the channel more now. Before when you found them like that they were typically inactive and weren’t catchable. Now the ones close to bottom seem hardest to get to bite and the suspenders are more vulnerable. It’s gone from heavy swim baits and football jigs on bottom to jerkbaits, underspins, and of course jig head minnows up in the water column. I think they would probably still eat the same big crank baits and big worms as before if you could fish them effectively at or above their level. You catch them on what can most effectively cover the water they’re in. I just think as more people learned how to find them out there with their mapping and graphs those smarter ones at least moved away from the obvious places like high spots and drop offs.

[@fryeguy9939]

I really enjoy your channel !! You seem to always have something new to make me think about fishing in a different manner.. I always leave with something to think about and use .. Thanks again Steve...

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thank you! I try hard to keep producing content that is something a little different. I hope folks find it helpful!

[@Puffens_Adventures]

Love your documentaries

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thank you!

[@Puffens_Adventures]

@@SteveRogersOutdoors if you're ever in South Mississippi hmu I got some spots with monster bass

[@pensnut08]

I live on a lake that gets a TON of pressure and I like to watch what lures/techniques the boats are using... And then do something different. Anglers def like to jump on a bandwagon or get in a rut... I was watching guys fishing a tournament last fall.. EVERYBODY was throwing white spinnerbaits!! Sometimes both anglers in a boat... It was non-stop. I KNOW there are HUGE bass that hang around these docks... I see them all the time.. They cruise the shoreline, they move in and out from the docks and walkways.. They will even push the the bluegills up to the shore when feeding.... But will they bite... Not as far as I know! Great video!

[@maxcole3930]

Their smarter than most give them credit for! The huge bass in one of my favorite honey holes are extremely smart. Very very hard to get them to bite!

[@LowBrowFishing]

This is such an informative video! Personally, I think a video like this can be a great tool for demonstrating bass behaviors. The information here is eye-opening! Great video, Steve!

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

It was a fun one to work on. Took a lot of work to get it put together, but that's ok. I like how it turned out.

[@Surfer-727]

Thank You Steve ! 🐟🐟

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

You bet!

[@mikem2590]

They're well educated in my local waters.Alot of pressure on them.Gotta change it up constantly.Keeps it fun using different techniques.Thx Steve.

[@deanmentjes7774]

Great video, thanks! I'm not a bass fisherman, but I can apply these concepts to musky fishing. Great educational value here as well as really good production. I'm a fan!

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ddewjr]

This is great content! Thank you! Yes, you are saying "habituation" correctly!

[@johndynneson662]

Good job explaining this one. 👍

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thanks!

[@squonto47]

Great stuff again, Steve. If it’s the same book I’m thinking of, I believe the author suggested that a fish might eat a lipless crank, chatterbait, buzz bait and other “loud” lures maybe a couple times before they stay away from them for life. That same fish, however, might be tempted by a subtle bait like a tube, Ned or shaky head repeatedly as there is no obnoxious sound or appearance to associate with it. Those baits will always appear more natural and not tip off the fish that trouble awaits.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Makes sense!

[@jberg8159]

This is a good channel. God bless you.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thanks, you too!

[@bradr.7249]

Great video Steve. I have always believed these things about bass behavior. When I look at fishing reports, I use them to know what not to throw, because every one will be using those colors and lures. It works for me most of the time, but man do I get skunked sometime!

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

That's a great tactic! I hadn't ever thought of that one.

[@rodneychandler82]

Great Video Steve , thought prevoking 👍

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thank you!

[@MrJohnB-qs6dp]

Great information!!! Thanks for passing it on!!! Stay Safe & God Bless!!! 🤠👍

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thanks!

[@Cornelius798]

Very informative. Thanks, Steve.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thank you!

[@richthompson3326]

Another great and informative video Steve! Thank you sir!!!!

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thanks!

[@rickvann3489]

Great video

[@shannonkirby9295]

Got skunked the other day, Steve, so apparently Bass can learn a lot😂. Be safe, Steve, and great video

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Lol. Every time I go out I feel they are learning a lot - like how to avoid a bright red boat. I need to focus on those that don't learn - like at that lake in the video. Have a terrific weekend!

[@somewhereinsd362]

Very educational, thank you...makes sense that every living thing learns from negative experiences

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thanks! Hopefully, your better weather is starting to show up.

[@somewhereinsd362]

@@SteveRogersOutdoors ice is about 85% gone now... heavy winds today and tomorrow should finish it... be bass fishing soon 😃

[@davecurtis408]

I wish they would reintroduce that book it was an awesome read!

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

The copy I have is from 2002. It would be a great one to republish for sure.

[@johndynneson662]

I remember gut hooking small sunfish that would bite a small jerk bait (( maybe like half pound). Throw it back in the water by the boat. Watching it trying too swim quivering around. Thinking maybe better just take it home. Just to watch a huge dark shadow come up and swallow the hole thing. Where I’m going with that is there can be a learned behavior. Fish following boat traffic around because small fish getting hit by props. Like you say storing up sediment. Exposing food. Interesting stuff.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

It's so fun to learn about these great creatures!

[@bobcruse624]

I once caught the same bass off the same corner of a submerged bridge three Saturday's in a row, exact same lure ,same time of day. The fish had a black spot on its forehead . 3 1/2 # a few years before I caught 6 fish off that bridge from 3 1/2 to 6 1/2 in 6 consecutive casts . King Kong here! To old now don't catch much

[@Unit_With_Legs]

I have pictures of a bass that had one eye damaged. I would catch it about once a month. Called him ol one eye. I was happy when i caught him.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

I’ve seen a decent number over the years with a damaged eye. That world under the water is tough for sure.

[@itllkeal]

I had a bass bite the hair on my hairjig 4 times and move it off the bed without getting the hook once. I hand tied chartreuse and black on a size 3 baitkeeper hook and dropshot it so I could antagonize them and I caught 1 of 2 that I was messing with. The 2lb smallmouth was Albert Einstein's study partner. The last time it placed my jig in between 2 branches causing me to break off

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

It is amazing how they can avoid getting hooked like that.

[@christopherzepf8841]

What if we gave the bass a treat right before we release them and train them to want to get caught for the delicious snack?

[@Steve-ev6vx]

They would probably jump back into the boat 😂

[@AMERICANSUPPLY-s5h]

🤣I just may start trying this.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

That reminds of those videos you see sometimes where homeowners hand feed some bass right off their dock. I have always wanted to try that. I need to start carrying snacks in the boat that aren't just for me. Lol.

[@robertbrost7777]

I am a firm believer that bass get spooked when you catch and bring in one of their buddies. I think they get wiser seeing that and harder to catch. Not a firm believer in if there is one in that spot, there are more.

[@spencerbond3514]

There are definitely times that both are true. Multiple times i have caught multiple fish from the same stump or lay down. Other times I have caught one fish on a lay down and continued to fish the same lay down with no luck. From my experience and my own deductions (this isn't science), when the bass hit the lure really hard, it seems to be because they are competing with other bass in the same area.

[@squonto47]

Certainly possible but I’ve seen and heard more examples of other fish getting fired up when they see a “buddy” getting caught. The other fish can’t process the idea that their pal is “caught”, just that he ate something and that it’s fighting back. They tend to follow that fish hoping he’ll spit it up. I’ve had multiple smallies follow one I have on the line so often in the last few years that I’m convinced that happens far more than the opposite.

[@rickylunsford6137]

Steve, I have tried many, many times, to subscribe to your channel with no results. What's up with this? HELP, really like your channel!!!

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

When you hit the button it doesn't subscribe? Or you aren't getting the notifications? If it is the notifications, make sure that you hit the little bell. If it is neither of those but a different issue, let me know and I will try to get it figured out.

[@Southpawreb]

I grew up close to a railroad, i miss hearing the trains.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

To this day I love railroads. I used to have a huge model railroad as a kid and would love to get into it again.

[@Rooster0529]

Well I think the fish on my lake are quick learners.

[@johnm2617]

The bass anymore get so much pressure ** They know the price of the lures their looking at

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

They do get a whole bunch of pressure. At least around a lot of the lakes I fish, it seems like once July 4th hits, the pressure backs down a little.

[@Puffens_Adventures]

If you're ever in South Mississippi hmu I got some spots with monster bass you wouldn't believe

[@jaredl2239]

I dunno how smart bass are. I do know I had bluegill swallow the hook so I had to cut the line and toss him back. Immediately cast right back to the same spot and caught that bluegill with the line hanging out of its mouth.

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Wow! Apparently that bluegill was super hungry.

[@DetroitFishigan]

BASS have to learn a lot more then my little class fish, because he knows when I pick up the food jar it's time to eat, and mixed up Days and time when I feed that little guy. This little guy or girl lol is as small as a pinky nail. 🤔🤷🏻

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

Thanks for sharing that! Reminds me a my tropical aquarium fish I had when I was a kid.

[@turtlepoi]

Rattling lures, I am not a fan of any stimulus others overuse. They are in almost all crankbaits. Give me balsa Rapalas or quiet vintage plastic ones. "They don't get big by being dumb".

[@SteveRogersOutdoors]

I am definitely a big fan of silent crankbaits. There was a time when it seemed like everyone was throwing a balsa shad rap.

[@turtlepoi]

@@SteveRogersOutdoors Shad rap fits right in with the size thing about the width not the length...I still throw them.

[@FrankSancimino-pp9nr]

New salesl ! I've used a Mans worm since I first heard of it in the early 80's it killed um ! Now.....hard catching 2 on it why ? Impossible to know. I have seen fish avoid the hook by pulling on a bait away from the hook.. Busy boat traffic moves water makes sound their used to it on a busy lake . I think we over think it.........Bad people example : kids vs elderly. Who's running ?

[@iLearnt-IT-on-You-Tubes]

I have a super secret spot that may or may not be private property. It definitely feels illegal with how many i catch there. Its a pond full of dummies for sure. Those MFs never learn. Its tought me alot on how to set the hook and get used to the feel of a bite. Really cant trust my effectiveness at actually fishing my lures tho.

[@Southpawreb]

That's funny just like humans.

[@Steve-ev6vx]

So bass that get caught alot are the literal idiots of the bass world. 😂

[@timothyroche6445]

stay away from dumb people and smart fish, walleyes on my lake are smart, heavily pressured

[@saminthewoods]

Bass are the easiest fish to catch besides bluegill. It takes 0 skill. Bass are dumb.