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Bite Detection

Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Landbased & Surfcasting
Forum Description: From rocks or beaches, here's the place for the landbased fishos to share information
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=88005
Printed Date: 01 Jun 2026 at 5:50am


Topic: Bite Detection
Posted By: Zambezi
Subject: Bite Detection
Date Posted: 10 Feb 2013 at 10:18pm
Ok serious question.

When you guys talk about bit detection on a rod more so about the tip being sensitive. Is that because you watch it and wait for a bite? Or attach bells and walk away?

I don't understand this obsession about bite detection through the rod. Does it impede on the sensitivity of feeling bites through the line (when actively fishing I've always got a finger on the lines, thought everyone had)?

It really stumps me. I know shy fish can be gentle/sly on the bite, but never encounted one I didn't feel through the rod.  Hell I can feel peckers on my SK4 & the heavy tip on my Poseidon 5. Only thing I've ever noticed dull the bite is heavier line classes more so with mono.

Because then you get braid, which is like porn for morse code buffs when your baits being pecked to all **** buggery by a small swam of peckers. I regularly have MASSIVE amounts of slack when bait fishing and have the rod pointed at the bait so that removes the rod most times from the detection equation and can feel even small bites/mouse nibbles as the mrs call them, fin. Works just as well when I have the rod raised with less slack (using circle hooks).

I'm really stumped on this...

Or is it that the target species is like some super duper shy biter that can surgically remove bait from hooks while disguising the bite as the gentle pull of seaweed.

Last thing I've ever cared about was the "bite detection" aspect of a rod, have I been doing it wrong? Keeping that in mind, I do fish lighter lines on lighter casting weight rods, but that's been about all the attention I've paid to it, never because of bite detection though. Or have I been tin arse about the whole thing and so always drop to light enough line for good bite detection on lighter weighted rods.

I still haven't encountered that fish that can remove baits (target/preferred species) with out me feeling it (keeping in mind I haven't fished further south that Port Waikato).

So yeah, thoughts on bite detection....


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Replies:
Posted By: chad
Date Posted: 10 Feb 2013 at 10:37pm
The term "bite detection" is given to explain the action of the rod bro. Just a simple way to explain how sensitive the tip of the rod is. Just another way to explain the action of the rod without going into to much detail.  No more than that. Generally a rod with fantastic bit detection has a lighter action, and loses its sensitivity "bite detection" as the action gets heavier.

Chur


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Posted By: chad
Date Posted: 10 Feb 2013 at 10:41pm
An example would be, the bite detection on am older 222 model ( great rod) has poor bite detection on species like gurnard which struggle to move the rod. On a windy day, shes near impossible to tell. In comparison, a Jarvious walker will go banana's over a gurnard bite, because the bite detection is so much better..........

Most don't hold rods, I don't in most places unless the surf is massive, and I fish two rods. " Bite detection is a visual thing, not so much for feeling. You will find rods with great bite detection are much better for playing the small fish.

BUT bite detection, is just one aspect of a rod, you sacrifice bite detection for casting distance. 


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Posted By: Zambezi
Date Posted: 10 Feb 2013 at 10:45pm
Ok but does that mean, that most people are not hold/touching the line for actual bite detection?


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A man’s comfort in life can be measured by the quality of the toilet paper he uses to wipe his arse.

Posted By: Zambezi
Date Posted: 10 Feb 2013 at 10:48pm
This is what I picture when people talk bite detection in nz.

http://www.worldseafishing.com/shore/basic_bite_detection.html" rel="nofollow - http://www.worldseafishing.com/shore/basic_bite_detection.html

Sitting there watching the rods.



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A man’s comfort in life can be measured by the quality of the toilet paper he uses to wipe his arse.

Posted By: Zambezi
Date Posted: 10 Feb 2013 at 10:54pm
I should expand I think, when detecting actuall bites, I either have a trigger finger over the line coming off the spool of a spinning reel, or  my thumb holding the line just off or on the spine of the rod when using an overhead.

I thought this was common practice. I feel very small bites all the time, loses sensitivity in 24 & 37kg, but when I'm using that I'm not usually targeting a feed.

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A man’s comfort in life can be measured by the quality of the toilet paper he uses to wipe his arse.

Posted By: chad
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2013 at 5:29pm
Line detection of bites and rod detection are different.

Thats more or less comparing braids and mono


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Posted By: Zambezi
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2013 at 6:09pm
Sweet, at least I understand it now.


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A man’s comfort in life can be measured by the quality of the toilet paper he uses to wipe his arse.

Posted By: feijoa
Date Posted: 11 Feb 2013 at 9:10pm
often im just sitting back chilling on the rocks having a yarn with a mate and a drink as the rod does its thang.

nice to be able to see a bite come through if not holding on to it.

Posted By: Naki-Fisher
Date Posted: 13 Feb 2013 at 4:54pm
On the rocks I'm always holding my rod with a finger on the line like you say.
On the beach I tend to fish 2 rods and depending on whats happening I may sit back or hold on, some times i find if the rod tip starts moving I'll remove it from is holder and let the fish run with it before giving it what for.
It depends a little on your set up and rig to what is best.


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The 20lb+ Snapper club No Longer Eludes me Broken with a 12kg new PB
Goal for the next 12 months: catch another 20lb+ Snap and watch it swim away
Hook a King LB here in the Naki.

Posted By: ThomasW
Date Posted: 13 Feb 2013 at 6:07pm

When shore fishing I just leave the rods in their holders, and do something else like check another rod, make replacement rigs, go for a walk or take a few photos. 

Every so often I glance at the rods to check, sometimes I notice they have gone slack which means something moved the sinker. Sometimes the rod would be bending, that means something is pulling on the line.  Sometimes, I would check the bait and discover I had hooked a fish (sometimes a large fish), when pressure is not applied they often just rest up on the bottom rather then run. I only use circle hooks while shore fishing, and its easier to apply pressure to early rather then to late. 

 If I am fishing with just a single rod from a boat, I would use the line to detect bites... but I normally just keep them in the holder and wait until I hear the drag losing line. 

Posted By: Zambezi
Date Posted: 13 Feb 2013 at 6:08pm
Yeah when unattended with surfcasters I use circles, and a running rig.  Other wise j hooks, line detection, strikes.

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A man’s comfort in life can be measured by the quality of the toilet paper he uses to wipe his arse.


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