Science of the Strike

Episode 25: Herring

Episode 25 continues our Prey Mini-Series with a deep look at blueback herring, which are arguably the single most disruptive baitfish in modern American bass fishing. We get into what bluebacks actually are, how they ended up in lakes hundreds of miles from saltwater, and what they've done to every fishery that hosts them. We talk about the behavioral rewrite they cause: bass abandoning structure and becoming more pelagic. We cover the herring spawn, what triggers it, where it happens, and why bass key on it like nothing else. Finally, we get into the trade-offs: yes, herring grow big fish, but the rest of the food web pays the bill. When it comes to advancing yourself as a largemouth bass angler, if you understand the prey, you'll understand the predator.

Episode 24: Fish Care

If you only listen to one episode of this show, we'd ask you to make it this one. Episode 24 is all about fish care when angling for largemouth bass. Fish care doesn't get the airtime that lure selection or pattern-of-the-week content does, but every fish you catch is a fish whose survival is at least partly in your hands, and most anglers, ourselves included, have been doing things wrong for years without realizing it. We get into largemouth handling from the ground up: where to grip, where not to, what a vertical hold actually does to a jaw, and why the "lip and support" rule exists. We talk about the slime coat: what it is, why it's the bass's first line of defense, and how a net or a boat's carpet can undo it in seconds. We cover livewell management in detail: temperature, oxygen, additives, what actually helps versus what's marketing, and how tournament fish end up dying hours after release, even when they swam off looking fine. Of all the episodes we have recorded and will ever record, we believe Episode 24 matters most.

Episode 23: Oliver Ngy

Episode 23 keeps the Experience vs. Science miniseries rolling, this time with the founder of Big Bass Dreams and a guy who's spent more time analyzing largemouth bass than most people will spend during their whole lives, Oliver Ngy. We sat down to figure out where his decades on the water line up with the peer-reviewed literature, and where the two camps quietly disagree. We get into angler pressure and what it actually does to a fish day-to-day, the murky and surprisingly contested question of largemouth memory (how much, how long, and whether "memory" is even the right word), what the wind is really doing when it kicks up your favorite bank, and a handful of other principles that explain a lot of what anglers usually chalk up to feel. Oliver brought the reps, and we brought the citations. The conversation went where most fishing talk doesn't: past the anecdote and into the mechanism.

Episode 22: The Spawn - Part 2

In the conclusion of our deep dive into the spawn, Episode 22 moves from the largemouth bass's internal biology to its external action. We explore the dramatic behavioral shift that occurs when a largemouth bass transitions from a nomadic hunter to a hyper-focused protector. Episode 22 breaks down the science of nesting behavior, explaining the specific environmental triggers that cause a bass to lock on to a piece of structure and the territorial psychology that makes them view anything entering their space as a threat rather than a meal. We also tackle one of the biggest mysteries of the spring: the dietary shutdown. Scientific observations show that as the spawn reaches its peak, a bass’s primary drive to feed is often overridden by the drive to defend. We’ll explain the difference between a feeding strike and a defensive strike, and why understanding this distinction is the key to triggering a bite from a fish that technically isn't looking for food. From the aggressive guarding of the fry to the post-spawn recovery phase where metabolism and appetite finally realign, we’re giving you the behavioral blueprint to master the most complex season in bass fishing.

Episode 21: The Spawn - Part 1

In Episode 21, we kick off a two-part deep dive into the most critical period of a bass's life: The Spawn. While most anglers focus on finding beds, Episode 21 focuses on the incredible internal transformation that dictates every move a bass makes during the spring. We break down the anatomy and physiology that drive the reproductive cycle, from the microscopic level to the physical toll it takes on the fish. By understanding the biological "why" behind the spawn, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the resilience of the species and a more scientific approach to targeting (and protecting) largemouth bass during their most vulnerable state.