What is a "reaction strike" and why does banging rocks trigger it?

A reaction strike bypasses the smallmouth's inspection habit entirely: a sudden, erratic stimulus — a crankbait deflecting hard off a boulder, a jerkbait snapping sideways — fires the strike before the fish has time to study the bait. For a species that will otherwise follow and scrutinize for meters, that shortcut is gold. It works because the deflection mimics prey breaking cover in a panic, a signal the lateral line and eyes process faster than the "is this real?" evaluation. Deliberately grinding cranks and swimbaits into rock is a core smallmouth tactic, not an accident.

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