Can bass think in the normal sense?

[saltystick]

Start with the definition of thinking - the process of using one's mind to consider or reason about something.
Much of the claims about lure choice involves a fish's ability to think, relate, compare, make judgements, analyze, etc., but can they? A bass watches a lure slowly moving near it, having all the time to note shape, hook(s), color and action (regardless how unnatural). Can't say it didn't have enough time to come to the conclusion, not today!

A bass sees another bass strike a lure and get hauled from the water yet minutes later will strike that same lure. Guess its thought process was on hold same as when it strikes crazy acting and looking lures!

My view: bass and other fish are opportunists and have no control when it comes to lures that get under its scales and at just the right moment. Could MikeC or anyone else have caught that giant in tournament at another time and under different conditions? Possibly. But that bass should have known better with all its experience - meaning what? Even many humans don't benefit from experience and make the same dumb mistakes time after time. (At 70, I fall into that category and I don't even like plastic worms!! )

[Oldfart9999]

Depends on how much bourbon they've had.
Rodney

[coldfront]

so here i am thinking about how we know that folks think.

evidence against:  watching folks in a contest 'killing themselves' for a small trinket of zero worth (medal).  or better yet, a greased pig contest.

bass might be smarter than some of us?

[SteveTX]

Can bass think in the normal sense?

I don't see it. Its instinctual to me. Do you think to breath or to sleep? Not really its all what you do to live. I see bass in this light. I don't believe bass think per say as they have done nothing to indicate a higher learning. They feed, migrate, feed, make babies, migrate, feed, etc etc etc

Even idiot people will generally evolve from their experiences. Of course when I hear anglers go off the deep end with some of their assessments of what bass can comprehend I totally see what coldfront is saying. 

Over many years/decades fish still are fish in every way. I guess they could think at a very low level. But that could be argued as instinct.

[saltystick]

Excellent Steve! 

Now the basic question that must be asked:  why-do-bass-bite-lures?