bump bump but no take

[pops02]

i was fishing saturday night, in some very calm, very high water, and was tossing 9" rubber, and working it very slowy on top, had fish bumping it, and or maybee inhaling it, and spitting it before i could set the hook. what were they doing, and what could i have done differently to trigger an aggressive strike ? my fishing partner took 3 on slowww top water pluggs...