It’s not just bass, either. I’ve noticed the same phenomenon with almost every species I’ve fished for, including trout. I think it comes down to the fact that smaller predators have to be more competetive and aggressive in their feeding, whereas bigger fish know they are big fish and are more matter of fact in their feeding.
I’ve also noticed it with larger LM bass. I sometimes think that the small fish have to “stun” their prey when they hit it, especially when the prey is large. A larger fish doesn’t have to so they don’t waste the energy. I’ve had them sip it in so quietly that it seemed like something just pulled the popper/slider/gurgler down from beneath the water. Just one other possibility for this behavior.
I’ve got to agree with Jim Smith on this one. I notice the same behavior with LMB. The little guys have got to hit by surprise and hit hard if they want a meal. If the fight goes a couple of rounds, the question of who wins a meal suddenly becomes a lot more questionable. Stun your prey quickly or lose them to escape or to another fish competing for your food. I learned pretty much the same lesson in high school, often the hard way. If there’s going to be a fight, hit first, hit quick and hit hard----you can talk trash later.
I also believe that size matters in another way with LMB. Big fish like big flies. I know, we all have our story about 4-5 pound bass that hit a size #12 Gurgle Pop or a size #14 Minibugger but day in and day out, I catch my bigger fish on 5-7 inch poppers and streamers. Just my 2% of the size dollar. I’m sure others will disagree. 8T
In my bait fishing days, which I still revert to from time to time, many times the bigger fish simply hit they bait and they have it but, by contrast, lots of time the smaller fish take a little while to worry the bait and get it into their mouths deep enough for a good hookset. No hard & fast rule but a lot of times I could tell when I had a big fish just by the way they hit.
I agree with cycler68. You never really know. Some of the most fantastic strikes I’ve ever had on a fly rod were from 4 pound plus largemouths hitting a topwater pattern. Sounded like someone threw a Sherman tank in the water!!! Last year, I even had a six pound Drum explode on a streamer the instant it hit the water exposing a third of his body on impact. That’s what I love about fishing - there certainly are tendencies, but no hard fast rules to live by which makes every fishing trip an adventure.
It could be that the smaller fish know that if they stay out in the “open” too long, they will become prey to larger fish or from up above, so, “grab it” and run back to cover. The larger fish can move in on the bait and knows all the smaller fish will make room and it can just take it’s time when feeding. Also, the younger fish have a lot more energy than the larger fish. Lets face it, we all moved faster in grade school than we did in high school!
I put it down to the same tendancy that has small children running around like turbo-charged tops while there parents tend to use (have) less energy to spend like that. Or maybe it goes back to what Green Lantern said, in a way, and burning 10 calories takes a small tyke a lot further than his larger parent.
this may be true with some species, but ive read stories of the biggest MUSKIE hitting the hardest, and then they pry the hinges of hell loose when they fight. but overall, it doesnt matter what size to me. a big splash is exciting and gets the adrenaline pumping, and the small hit and the long, hard fight ending in the “big one” is rewarding. heck, any day fishing is better than a day sitting in Biology learning about the fish. yes 8T, i pay attention, even when i dont want to.
I’ve noticed that too with panfish and bass for sure. Another thing that we noticed a few years back where there was an ample supply of yellow jackets. When they hit the water they got smacked with a vengence. Much harder than other bugs. Taking advantage of this I had a lot of fun with a high floating yellow humpy that I painted a black"bee" line on with a magic marker.
