How well do you really speak bass?

Hey, Keith here.

Growing up, I read every bass magazine I could find. I thought I understood the words, but I rarely stopped to ask what they really meant.

Take “slow roll.” At first glance, it sounds like “reel slower,” right?

Can you slow-roll a Rat-L-Trap, or is that term tied to spinnerbaits?

Same with rod actions.

For years I mixed up fast action with fast retrieves until I watched a buddy build a rod in his shop.

Understanding the lingo bass anglers use changed how I fish.

Below are more than 30 terms explained in plain language to help you avoid the same mistakes and catch more fish.

BEST LINKS

What I watched this week

• Bass fishing terms and expressions (Bassmaster)

• Fishing rods explained – action, power and more (Wired2Fish)

• Fishing terms translated: Become fluent in fishing slang (Anglers)

• Slow rolled (SA Bass)

• Fishing terms: A glossary of fishing lingo (FishTalk Magazine)

Deals of the week

• Berkley has a pack of PowerBait Hollow Belly Shad reduced from $8.99 to $4.50.

• Walmart is selling a pack of Creme Soft Stick baits for $1.28 (online purchase only).

• Abu Garcia cut the price of the Max Z spinning reel 63% from $59.99 to $21.99.

DEEP DIVE 

Why bass fishing words matter

One fall afternoon, I stood in my buddy’s rod shop and finally learned the difference between rod power and rod action.

He bent a blank and showed me where it flexed, demonstrating that action is where a rod bends, and power is how much pressure it takes to make it bend.

That clicked for me. The next weekend on the water I changed both my retrieve and my rod choice based on that lesson and started landing fish I had been missing.

Words matter because they lead to better decisions about lures, retrieves, and setups.

Bass behavior terms

These are the phrases anglers use to describe what bass are doing throughout the seasons. Understanding each one helps you know where to find fish and how to adjust your presentation.

• Current oriented: Bass positioned to face flow. Present baits from upstream so the lure comes to them naturally.

• Fanning: The act of clearing a bed with tail sweeps. Look for light-colored circles on the bottom in spring.

• Postspawn: The period after spawning when females recover and move toward the first available cover or deeper water. They often chase bait again once recovered.

• Reaction Bite: A reflex strike triggered by speed, deflection, or sudden movement, not hunger.

• Schooling: Groups of bass herding bait to the surface or against structure. Look for busting fish and birds.

• Short Strike: A bite where the bass misses the hooks. Downsizing or adding a trailer hook can help.

• Spawning: The breeding period when water temperatures reach the sixties. Fish make beds, guard them, and are aggressive but not always feeding.

• Staging: Bass that move from winter areas toward spawning flats and pause on nearby structure, such as points, first breaks, or channel swings. Think of them as waiting rooms before the spawn.

• Suspended: Bass holding off the bottom and away from the bank, often over deeper water or along breaks. They can be in the middle of the water column or just off cover. Counting down lures or using forward-facing sonar helps target them.

• Transition: Seasonal movement prompted by temperature and daylight changes. Fall transition is a classic example when bait and bass push shallow.

Retrieve types

These are the names given to different ways of bringing a lure back to you. Each one changes the action of the bait and can make the difference between a follow and a strike.

• Burn: Fast retrieve that keeps a bait high and moving quickly to trigger reaction strikes. Works with spinnerbaits, buzzbaits, and some squarebills.

• Burn and kill: Alternate fast cranks with complete pauses to force a reaction.

• Deadstick: Let a soft plastic sit motionless for several seconds before tiny movements. Great in cold water.

• Drag: Pull a jig or Texas rig across the bottom with the rod, then reel slack. Mimics a crawfish.

• Hop: Small upward pops that lift a bait off the bottom, then let it fall.

• Kill it: Stop the retrieve suddenly to let the bait drop or suspend. Many bites happen here.

• Slow roll: A spinnerbait retrieve that crawls along the bottom or cover while keeping the blades turning. The goal is maximum time in the strike zone with frequent contact.

• Stroke: A more aggressive, higher snap to jump a jig several feet up before letting it fall.

• Walk the dog: Side-to-side topwater cadence created with short rod twitches and slack management.

• Yo-yo: Lift the rod or reel a few cranks, then let the bait fall back on a semi-slack line. Deadly with lipless cranks and blade baits around grass or points.

Rod types, power, and action

The terms below describe how rods behave under pressure and how much strength they have. Matching the right rod to your lure and fishing style will help you cast more accurately and land more fish.

• Action: Where the rod bends. Fast action bends mostly in the top third and gives crisp feel for single-hook baits or working lures, like jerkbaits. Moderate action bends deeper and is forgiving with treble hooks. Slow action bends throughout the blank and is great for casting distance and absorbing surges.

• Broomstick: Angler slang for a very stout, often extra heavy rod used for big swimbaits or heavy cover. The idea is minimal flex and maximum control.

• Fast action: Quick tip that recovers fast and transmits feel. Excellent for jigs, worms, topwaters, and jerkbaits.

• Glass or composite crankbait rods: Softer parabolic bend that keeps treble-hooked fish pinned, especially with lipless cranks and mid depth plugs.

• Medium heavy: A popular power rating that covers jigs, Texas rigs, spinnerbaits, and many moving baits. Pair with fast action for single hooks, pair with moderate for cranks.

• Moderate fast: A blend that starts bending in the upper half yet still offers backbone. Solid for squarebills and chatterbaits where you want some give without losing control.

• Power: The rod’s stiffness or resistance to bending. Common ratings range from ultralight to extra heavy. Heavier power moves fish out of cover and sets big single hooks. Lighter power protects light line and tiny trebles.

Quick reference: Put it all together

• If fish are staging or suspended, think counting down, jerkbaits, lipless cranks, and precise angles rather than beating the bank.

• When you need a reaction bite, try burn, yo-yo, or burn and kill on lipless cranks or spinnerbaits around grass and points.

• In cold water, deadstick, drag, and slow roll keep you in the strike zone where lethargic fish will still eat.

• Match rod power to the hook style and cover, match action to the lure’s hooks. Single hooks like fast action, trebles like moderate.