More Than The Bite

Photo by S. Zelov

More Than The Bite

Robert Wiggers

It Is The Bite That Catches Us

Fishing is the type of activity that creates memories that, as anglers, we never forget. These memories are often the reason people enjoy fishing and are as varied as the different techniques they use to catch various species. But if you had to narrow it down to the memory of just one moment that keeps us coming back for more, it has to be the instant when a fish hits.

The bite of a fish on the end of a line has been described by anglers for centuries using any number of unique terms. Words like strike, nibble, tap, slap or hit are used in an attempt to convey the aggressiveness of the attack on the bait. Certain words have even become associated with specific species. Instead of “biting,” billfish “strike,” bream “nibble” and striped bass “slap.” The term “thump” must have originated from a freshwater bass angler after feeling a largemouth bass inhale a plastic worm.

Regardless of how anglers describe the actual bite, the word is always spoken with excitement. The bite stimulates our senses, and depending on the situation, can be seen, felt, heard or any combination of the three. That feeling becomes ingrained into our subconscious mind, and whether we realize it or not, from that point on, we chase “the bite.” It’s addictive. And those who don’t fish would have a hard time understanding the sensation. The bite obviously doesn’t affect everyone. If it did, there would be a greater number of individuals who take up a lifetime of fishing.

Patience has always been a key part of fishing. The overwhelming anticipation of the bite helps maintain that patience. The most devoted anglers can go hours, even days on end, without a bite, yet keep fishing. Whether the bite occurs without warning or is predictable, there is always that split second of surprise when a fish hits.

You could argue that seeing a bobber suddenly pulled under water in no way compares to the feeling of seeing a boil the size of a car created when a bluefin tuna takes a bait on the surface. But both trigger that instantaneous surge of adrenaline, just at a different level. It’s a feeling that words cannot describe.

As anglers, we have all run across people who don’t share our passion. Some people never understand why we choose to pursue what is considered to be a leisurely, even boring, activity. Still others seem content to just fish every now and then. They enjoy it, but never have the desire to fish all the time. And if someone were to ask, “What is it about fishing that you find so appealing?” In the simplest form, it’s all about the bite. Everything that happens thereafter is just icing on the cake.