While retrieving and a fish shows up

[LKB3rd]

The natural reaction of a baitfish would be to speed up. I will usually change the retrieve in some way, usually with some pops and twitters to make it look like a scared baitfish. As has been mentioned, if they follow and don't strike they are probably unsure it is food, so some sort of change is appropriate to change their mind.

[tattoobob]

I seem to think that the second strike is from a different fish, So when I get a strike, bump or nudge I always set the hook with out even thinking, I don't like it but that's my first reaction. This usually pulls the plug out of a second strike range and if there was 2 or 3 fish together then 1 of the others gets the plug. I usually stop the plug and take up line slack and star to slowly retrieve back to the rate I was reeling to begin with

[Christian]

i always continue my retrieve the same way i was doing before, like nothing has happened, it has worked well for me.
in the past i would pause or slow it.
it also helps you keep your focus and not trying to set the hook before you feel weight.

think of how many swirls, boils and splashes you dont see hear or feel at night, and you just keep the same retrieve because you dont know theyre there...

[numbskull]

Two totally different scenarios. During the day, if a fish hits and misses a surface plug, you got a very good chance that fish will turn and try again. Pause a moment, twitch once or twice, and restart your retrieve. Follows, unfortunately, are a whole different issue. Those fish a sniffing and not aggressively eating. My success rate with fish over 15-20lbs that follow a plug more than a few seconds is very low. Nothing I do (including scents) seems to work. Once you can see them, they can see you, and the longer they follow the closer to the boat they get, and the farther away from their feeding location they end up. Nowadays, I sometimes try killing my retrieve early, letting the fish sink away before the boat spooks him, then throwing a different style plug (usually a pencil/spook/flaptail if I've been using a swimmer) back in the same spot. Better yet, mark the spot and return later in the day, a few hours often makes a huge difference.