isnt there a way

[wareagle_fb5308]

isnt there a way you can tell what the bass have been feeding by feeling their teeth...ive heard this from several people

[JB]

Back in the olden days whenever we would fillet a bass for supper we'd always take note on what they were feeding on...i.e...shad, crawfish, bluegills,
by looking in their intestines............
however I havent eaten a bass in over 20 years now, and also havent heard about the teeth other than what pnj's theories are about sharpness and certain prey..he may know wareagle

[rrw4258]

i have heard that if the teeth are sharper than they have been feeding on minnows, but if they are dull that means they have been feeding off the bottom on crawdads and such.

[pig n jig]

It is important to those of us who have to work more than we can fish. Heres my theory , you catch a bass , you noticed when you boated the bass without a net that the gripper teeth raked your thumb and now its bleeding.You admire the bass maybe even rib a buddy about it and then release it and then continue flipping a jig.As your fishing, your wondering why it took so long to catch the first fish ?I have seen this senerio more than I can count before I woke up and fish by my gripper teeth theory.A bass is an oppertunity feeder, it hit that jig because it was an easy meal and it was dropped in front of him, maybe a reaction bite. The sharp gripper teeth are because the fish has been primarily foraging on baitfish.I switch from a jig to a spinnerbait or senko and the bites are coming in a shorter time frame. Have you ever slow rolled a spinnerbait down a weed edge and have a bass load up on it, but when you get it to the boat the gripper teeth are almost nonexistant or very dull ? Its time to put the spinnerbait down and fish a jig or tube bait, maybe even a worm on bottom. The dull gripper teeth are telling you that the bass has primarily been foraging on crayfish, foraging in the rocky bottom dulled the gripper teeth.You can catch a few fish using one type of lure all day , but if you pay attention to the gripper teeth, it can mean a whole different lure presentation will mean more fish in the boat.I have not told this theory to my freinds I fish with, I just sit back and see how the day plays out. Unfortunately they switch to the type your using because you end up boating alot more fish than their lure is producing. P N J

[zooker]

well pnj that is a deep theory. with some good sense added. but eye opening to say the least. will have to try it out..

zooker

[Rebbasser]

That is an interesting theory, PnJ. I'll start paying attention to it.

[KenDammit]

Its something I've always paid attention to. I don't know why I started, just something I always felt of. If I feel the teeth and they feel like splinters poking me in the thumb, then I'll use things more like baitfish..spinners, soft plastics, crankbaits, that sorta thing. If I feel em and they are very dull, I can go to soft plastics again, but whatever I'm fishing, I wanna do it on the bottom.

[Rebbasser]

Forgot to say I have never heard this before, but it makes a lot of sense. I'll definitely be paying attention in the future.

[KH.]

jesus!!!!!!!!!! you figure that on your own, amazing!!!!!

[pig n jig]

KH, There is nothing carved in stone when it comes to fishing.Everyone on this site can go out and catch a few bass on their favorite lure, because they have the confidence in it to fish it long enough to allow it to catch a fish.Some times we make things more difficult than it should be. I know I get tunnel vision on certain favorite lures.The gripper teeth tells us what the bass have been foraging on primarily, it doesn't mean they won't switch for a easy meal, but if you tune in to the gripper teeth theory, it should help unlock some of the mystery of getting them to react to a lure if you use a lure that imitates what they have been feeding on.It doesn't cost a thing to try.P N J

[Mac3]

Interesting post, PNJ....thanks.

[WTL]

This is just the type of post that makes this board great. Gripper teeth. Genius, PnJ is a genius....

[pig n jig]

WTL, Haaaaaa... Genius, Never. In the words of Zooker, Now thats funny right there.. P N J

[KH.]

sometimes if the bass are real active,you can see a crawfish claw or tail of a minnow in theirr mouth

[B.D. jR]

well if they have braces, you know they aint feedin on Hubba Bubba.....whooohoooo...GETERDUNN!!!

[KH.]

okay...................................... that was akward

I Caught One With No Teeth. Funiest Looking Fish I Ever Saw. Caught Him On Cooked Oatmeal. Stuffed Him, Put A Recording In His Belly And Now He Sits On Our Mantle And Sings To Us. Call Him Billy Bass....yaull Probably Have One Of His Cousins Too. There Every Where. Wish I Had Never Caught Him.

[H2O]

Originally Posted by pig n jig

It is important to those of us who have to work more than we can fish. Heres my theory , you catch a bass , you noticed when you boated the bass without a net that the gripper teeth raked your thumb and now its bleeding.You admire the bass maybe even rib a buddy about it and then release it and then continue flipping a jig.As your fishing, your wondering why it took so long to catch the first fish ?I have seen this senerio more than I can count before I woke up and fish by my gripper teeth theory.A bass is an oppertunity feeder, it hit that jig because it was an easy meal and it was dropped in front of him, maybe a reaction bite. The sharp gripper teeth are because the fish has been primarily foraging on baitfish.I switch from a jig to a spinnerbait or senko and the bites are coming in a shorter time frame. Have you ever slow rolled a spinnerbait down a weed edge and have a bass load up on it, but when you get it to the boat the gripper teeth are almost nonexistant or very dull ? Its time to put the spinnerbait down and fish a jig or tube bait, maybe even a worm on bottom. The dull gripper teeth are telling you that the bass has primarily been foraging on crayfish, foraging in the rocky bottom dulled the gripper teeth.You can catch a few fish using one type of lure all day , but if you pay attention to the gripper teeth, it can mean a whole different lure presentation will mean more fish in the boat.I have not told this theory to my freinds I fish with, I just sit back and see how the day plays out. Unfortunately they switch to the type your using because you end up boating alot more fish than their lure is producing. P N J

Thanks, man. That's great! I'll remember your theory.

[KH.]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I Caught One With No Teeth. Funiest Looking Fish I Ever Saw. Caught Him On Cooked Oatmeal. Stuffed Him, Put A Recording In His Belly And Now He Sits On Our Mantle And Sings To Us. Call Him Billy Bass....yaull Probably Have One Of His Cousins Too. There Every Where. Wish I Had Never Caught Him.

,wait, i think i got his little brother and all of his redneck cousins

[BassQualifier]

I've heard rumors about the teeth but I always check if anything is protruding from the bass' throat. A lot of times you can see a tail of either a shad or crawdad. I would assume rrw42.. is correct in his statement as it makes sense. I'm not sure how heavy you would want to place any assumptions made from observing the teeth of a bass on your fishing strategy, but I guess it can't hurt.

[Joe_S.]

I can see how that would state what they have been feeding on, but if there an oppurtunistic feeder, I don't see a reason why they wouldn't hit the jig if they are where your casting, if there oppurtuistic I don't think they would have such a preference, I would assume they have just been eating what was readily available at the time.
Other wise they would be selective feeders instead of oppurtunistic.
Just my .02

[BassQualifier]

I don't know if I would say bass are opportunistic feeders... catfish, yes... but bass, I think they are better labeled "calculated" feeders. I always believe there is a good reason why they are feeding on what they are, not just because it is readily available.

[pig n jig]

Joe your not wrong, I believe you get opertunity & reaction bites alot of the times, that is why I fish a jig the majority of time.I know my theory is way out there for most people to believe.Sometime when your out fishing for fun try it . I know its not fool proof or should you base your tournament strategy on it, but I really think it can be used as another tool to get a few more bites a day, but the fish will determine the outcome of every day out on the water.Have you ever wondered how many bass pass up your favorite lure each time you go out fishing ? P N J

[Joe_S.]

Hey Pnj, I think it's great observation and it makes alot of sense, But like you said I wouldn't base my fishing day on it. I as well pretty much only throw a jig, I just love the thing

I always go by a theory, maybe it's my excuse to always throw a jig, but I feel that a crayfish to a Bass is like Lobster to humans, or supposedly a great meal for them. I feel that if I can get that delicious item in there face they can't refuse, at least that's what I tell myslef

[zooker]

pnj has a point. ever catch a striped bass? stripers feed almost entirly on bait fish -shad, alweives,ect-there teeth are VERY sharp and long.-for a fish that has "bass like" teeth. and i can almost bet pnj has never caught a striper..



zooker