Ask a critical bass angler how one can catch a real trophy largemouth, and there’s a robust chance that glide baits are going to return up. These massive and jointed arduous lures characterize mammoth prey like shad, trout, and juvenile carp.
Between manufacturing fashions present in sort out retailers and customized lures handmade by unbiased builders, glide baits for bass can be found in a plethora of shapes, sizes, and patterns. What all of them have in widespread is their motion—underwater, they gently glide backward and forward in a large, sweeping sample, which fantastically mimics a carefree or injured goal. In different phrases, it seems like a simple meal for a giant, lazy bass. It’s truthful to say that glide baits are one of many trendiest lures in bass fishing proper now, besides there’s actually nothing new about them.
Greatest Glide Baits for Bass
The Rise of Glide Baits
Glide baits have existed for many years within the muskie world. Nevertheless these previous muskie lures often have wood our bodies and rounder shapes and look vastly completely different from the glide baits for bass that we see at this time. The second coming of those lures began in Japan within the early 2000s. To outsmart the massive bass in locations like Lake Biwa (which might finally cough up the present world-record largemouth), anglers started eradicating the lips of their massive swimbaits and tinkering with the inner weights to make the lures droop and glide by way of the water. This class of lure has come a good distance since then. Glide baits had been as soon as in excessive demand, however now there are simply attainable glide baits made by a handful of corporations. However earlier than you’ll be able to harness the ability of the glider, there are some issues you’ll want to know. Listed below are some key ideas for catching bass with glide baits.
Learn Subsequent: Greatest Swimbaits for Bass
Fish a Glide Bait Slowly
I just lately had an opportunity to hang around with Keith Thomas, the person behind Pennsylvania-based Black Talon Customized Lures. His glide bait, the Donk, is among the most coveted glide baits available on the market, when you may even name it “available on the market.” To attain one, you have to be one of many first few folks to remark when Thomas posts a bait drop on his Fb web page. Should you get in, you’re paying north of $200 for one among these small-batch baits. In accordance with Thomas, there are individuals who have been attempting for years. So, what units the Donk aside? It’s the eye to element that comes with artisan craftsmanship and the lure’s skill to droop within the water column. It’s this suspension that makes the Donk so deadly, however Thomas says that truth typically falls on deaf ears.
“Individuals are likely to need to overwork a glide bait,” he tells me. “They need to see it darting backward and forward in these massive, vast, sweeps. I’m not saying that gained’t set off aggressive fish, however the actuality is that many of the greatest bass I’ve caught on a glide bait hit when the bait was doing completely nothing.”
Make the most of a Glide Bait’s Versatility
Glide baits are versatile. Level the rod tip on the water and reel briefly, quick bursts and the lure kicks backwards and forwards shortly and erratically, an motion referred to as “chopping.” Reel slowly, imparting light downward strokes of the rod tip, and the lure ought to softly glide from side to side. However what separates glide bait from a fantastic glide bait is its skill to sink so slowly that it’s barely falling in any respect, and its skill to twitch, jackknife, and quiver ever so barely with the lightest motion of the rod tip.
To make use of Thomas’s analogy, when you’re a giant man sitting on the sofa and a meal you crave is being introduced by a five-year-old that’s working in all places, there’s a robust likelihood you’re not making the trouble to chase it down. Conversely, in case your meal is being carried on the again of a tortoise, you realize you’ll be able to catch it and usually tend to make the transfer. An amazing glide bait is arguably the almost definitely bass lure to get smashed by a cautious, 5-plus-pound fish when it’s inactive.
Understanding Which Glide Bait to Throw
There are two faculties of thought when selecting a glide bait. The primary falls immediately consistent with matching the hatch. In essence, you’ll need to discover precisely what the large bass in a given physique of water are feeding on, after which match that precise coloration sample within the glide bait you’re throwing. For instance, when you’re fishing a stocked trout lake, throwing a giant rainbow trout glide can set off the most important bass of your life into placing.
The second, nonetheless, goes completely in opposition to matching the hatch. Choosing massive, gaudy, and flashy colours might be a good way to face out from the group and pull un-pressured bass over to your glide, however it will probably additionally result in an extended day of follows with out a single taker.
So how one can you realize whether or not to match the hatch or stand out from the group? Easy. Let the bass let you know which they like on any given day. Should you begin the day with numerous follows however no bites, take that as a transparent signal to combine issues up. Sure circumstances like cloud cowl, water readability, and wind speeds will impact how massive bass need to eat. That will help you get began, I like to recommend matching the hatch when fishing closely pressured our bodies of water and going with flashy colours if I’m fishing someplace that doesn’t get a lot fishing exercise.
It looks as if bass in closely pressured conditions are more likely to draw back from a bait until it seems excellent, whereas un-pressured giants will typically let their eyes be larger than their abdomen with out pondering twice in regards to the coloration of your glide.
Discover Inexpensive Glide Baits
STORM Arashi Glide Bait
STORM Arashi Glide Bait
Customs just like the Donk are coveted for his or her gradual sink charges and talent to be finessed, however you don’t need to spend lots of of {dollars} to hook up. Glide Baits like 6th Sense’s Circulation Glide, Livingston’s Viper, and Storm’s Arashi are all reasonably priced and able to placing up your personal-best bass if, that’s, you realize when to solid them.
Fish Glide Baits in Spring and Fall
One other grasp up Thomas has seen with people simply stepping into throwing glide baits is that they need to use all of them season lengthy. Their productiveness all through the season will, after all, differ by area, however as a rule, glide baits are most efficient through the spring and late winter pre-spawn months for a number of causes.
Most notably, pre-spawn instances for largemouth are likely to coincide with actions or an abundance of huge forage. For instance, within the Northeast the place Thomas fishes, gizzard shad are schooled up in spring and the heaviest bass craving massive, protein-packed meals, are tuned into them. Basically, cooler water temperatures make massive bass extra apt to focus on and chase down bigger meals, making glide baits shine early and late within the 12 months. Much like shad actions, many West Coast lakes are stocked with contemporary trout in spring, and glide baits match them completely. Nevertheless, Thomas hears from folks on the lookout for recommendation on utilizing his lures in summer season, and his reply isn’t at all times what they need to hear.
“If I’m going to throw a glide bait within the warmth of summer season, I’m solely doing it throughout a particular window,” he says. “Within the spring I do know that bait can produce at any time of day, however in summer season, I’m on the lookout for motion in and above the water … It takes some expertise to acknowledge, however throughout these home windows I would get a bass to maneuver on a glider.”
Thomas additionally identified that contemplating these lures have two massive treble hooks hanging off of them, they’re not precisely weedless. As milfoil and lilies develop, and as algae and duckweed bloom within the warmth, glide baits can develop into tough to work.
However when glide baits are capable of run clear early within the spring or within the fall, they’ll rating you the most important largemouth of your life whereas most bass anglers are sofa tripping.
Gide Bait for Bass: Dos and Don’ts
Do: Correctly Match Your Rod And Reel To Your Lure
Although glide baits can be found in a spread of sizes, lots of them are massive. They’ll weigh upwards of three ounces, which is way heavier than many of the lures you’re used to casting in freshwater. Their dimension creates air resistance and, frankly, they are often somewhat cumbersome to solid. With that in thoughts, you’ll be able to’t merely tie one onto the medium-action spinning rod you’ve been utilizing. Nicely, you may, however it gained’t be very efficient. The reply, nonetheless, will not be leaning into an extra-heavy rod both.
Lately there’s no scarcity of swimbait-specific rods designed to each ship these lures successfully and permit you to really feel bites. One instance can be Okuma’s Information Choose A-Sequence Swimbait Rod, which measures 7 ft, 11 inches. Most devoted swimbait and glide bait rods are longer than regular bass rods to help with casting these heavy choices, however they taper to attain a robust spine and preserve a delicate tip. A reel with braking system that enables minute changes, as properly a excessive gear ratio to crank hooked fish in quick, is a plus. Abu Garcia’s Revo5 X is a good reasonably priced selection.
Don’t: Neglect the Sharpness of Your Glide Bait’s Hooks
By and enormous, anglers don’t pay as a lot consideration to hook sharpness as they need to. This can be a widespread drawback no matter fishing model, however sustaining razor-sharp hooks is important when fishing massive glide baits. We are likely to suppose that a big lure is simply going to draw massive fish, and once they hit it, it’s going to be an explosive wallop. That couldn’t be farther from the reality.
Speak to any glide bait fan and so they’ll let you know even large fish typically come up and barely mouth the bait, simply giving it somewhat nip. Between delicate hits and the truth that it will probably take further oomph to set the hook with a bait that’s so massive, you want each benefit to make sure that a type of factors sticks. Hardcore swimbait anglers test and re-file their hook factors consistently to make sure that if a bass a lot as kisses that lure, it’s getting pinned.
Don’t: Attempt to Play a Glide Bait Fish Too Lengthy
Given that folks affiliate massive lures with massive fish, it’s pure to imagine a whopper that slams a glide bait goes to take you for a experience. The drag will scream, and it’ll be off to the races.
There’s little doubt these lures idiot highly effective fish, however if you wish to enhance the percentages of placing them within the web, you need to decrease the struggle time. Many glide bait anglers I’ve fished with preserve their drags locked down fairly tight, and when a fish bites, they typically preserve a low rod angle through the battle. Utilizing reels with excessive retrieve ratios to their benefit, they’ll simply steadily crank the fish in as quick as attainable. Although this methodology could not sound as enjoyable as letting a giant fish run across the lake, it’s essential contemplating the burden and dimension of many glide baits. If a fish is barely hooked, it’s very straightforward for it to make use of the lure’s weight and waterproof profile to achieve leverage and shake the bait free. Giant lures additionally hinder your skill to take care of strain as steadily as you’ll be able to when a fish eats a small lure.
The underside line is, it’s straightforward for fish to return unglued from a glide bait. A low rod angle minimizes the power of a fish to leap and thrash, and a gradual retrieve with little motion of the rod does the very best job of maintaining strain on as you hustle the fish to the web.
Do: Use a Lighter Chief Than You Suppose You Want
Glide baits might be costly, particularly once we’re speaking about these which are customized made. You additionally use them to focus on massive fish, so it is smart to need to use a heavy chief to ship them. It appears like each an insurance coverage coverage in opposition to shedding your funding and shedding a trophy catch. Nevertheless, most diehard glide bait lovers draw back from stiff, heavy chief because it tends to change the lure’s seductive shimmy.
The seasoned execs regularly lean on fluorocarbon chief as gentle as 15 or 20 kilos. You’re, in spite of everything, attempting to imitate a big reside baitfish that’s both swimming naturally or seems injured. These massive previous fish that glide baits are meant to idiot didn’t get massive by making numerous errors. Heavy chief cannot solely mute the motion of those lures, however it may also be seen by discerning fish extra simply than thinner chief. That is very true in clear water. Assuming you’ve used a robust knot just like the FG to attach your braided line and chief, 20-pounds of breaking energy is a lot to horse in a feisty goliath with out fear.
Closing Ideas on The way to Fish a Glide Bait
Glide baits might be intimidating for anglers who’re used to throwing lures smaller than a 1/2 ounce. Nevertheless, with the fitting rod, reel, and line mixture, glide bait fishing will not be solely an extremely enjoyable time, however it will probably show you how to land your private finest bass.
Whereas it may be an funding to get into glide bait fishing, I’d suggest beginning out with a couple of cheaper choices simply to get your toes moist. After a couple of days on the water and some bites, you’ll then have a greater grasp on what sort of customized glide could be up your alley.
Ultimately, it’s essential to do not forget that glide baits usually gained’t result in a ton of bites all through a day of fishing, however once you lastly trick one into consuming, it’ll probably be one value touchdown. Experiment with completely different retrieves, colours, and sizes to search out precisely what works properly for you and the bass you’re chasing and keep in mind to have enjoyable with it.
