Do big fish just "bump" your lure?
 

Like they are just "sniffing" it to see if it's real?

That really gets me.

Well I went fishing today, got 1 "bump"... uggg


How can I turn that bump into a solid hookup?

they don't always bump it, I like it whan they smack it ten feet into the air with a tail the size of a broom:D
smaller fish tend to bump plugs too big for them to suck down in one shot-try downsizing your plug and see if that helps. You also have to remember that bass aren't stoopid-if they take a whack at a plug and miss it the chances of him (or most likely her) going after the same plug is slim and none-switch plugs, and maybe vary the retrieve to trigger a harder strike-I was fishing in RI last fall and the fish were just bumping my 7" black mambo which I was bringing in on a very slooooooow retrieve. I started using different retrieves till I got a hookup, then stuck with that. it's all about the presentation;)

Tail swat to stun.....pause and hold on!!! If it is a "Big Fish" you gonna go for a ride!:bounce:

hmmm...can't wait for the first screamer of the year!!!!! can ya possibly beat the sound of the drag screeching????ohhh boy oh boy!:happy:

LOVE That tail slap
 

Love that tail slap!

let the plug sit there after twitch it like crazy for a couple seconds then nothing, then a couple barely noticeable twitches then CRUSH. :D

:)

Had a double tail slap on a surf howdy. The first slap I thought the fish just missed it. It wasn't until the second slap, almost instantaneously, that I realized it was a tail slap. I didn't pause & twitch; instead I just kept walking the dog and missede the fish. Next time, I'll try the pause & twitch.

YES!!!!

I have found when using soft plastic (shads, sluggo, etc.) that bumps can be changed to smashes by using Smelly Jelly. I think the fish may veer off at the last minute because the plastic doesn't smell right. IMHO