I have had this happen with gurglers or poppers. It really looks like they want to take them out (ie., swat it into the next county) but obviously not eat them. When this happens I am usually successful at going to a size 10 foam spider. Smaller figure with no hair and they hit it differently. This difference is allows me to set the hook. If that doesn't work I have some new stuff to throw at them this year that is subsurface.... and a couple of dries... and....