NEXT LEVEL BASSING: Let it Glide

Definition: glide/verb – Move with a smooth, quiet, continuous motion.

WORDS: Duncan Murfin IMAGES: Supplied

Glide baits were developed in Japan; current World Record Holder, Manabu Kurita used a 12”, 10.5oz Roman Made glide bait on Lake Biwa to catch his 18.7lb (8,480kg) monster bass. The news of these big bass baits quickly spread to the US West Coast where local bait builders developed trout imitations to target trophy bass in California’s clear waters. Here in South Africa local versions have become available as well.  

Reserved for die-hard big bait anglers and the bassing elite, glide baits are highly addictive, exhilarating, incredibly frustrating and downright terrible for your credit card, but once you get that first bite its hard to put it down again!

If the price of these works of art don’t scare you away (the Roman Made ‘Mother’ retailed for $439!) and you can source a few well-priced versions it is one of the most fun ways you can ever catch a bass. Unlike a multi-jointed swimbait, a glide bait tracks with a wider “S”-action and you can incorporate ‘triggers’ into the retrieve to get a big bass to react.     

A glide bait is a large baitfish profile that represents a range of baitfish with one joint in the center of it. What makes a good is having perfect balance, after letting it glide from left to right it doesn’t roll over and fall on its side when the glide is stopped. When its completely balanced it falls belly down and back facing up.

According to bass pros the best retrieve cadence is just a nice glide from left to right with a turn of the reel.  

The bigger the bait the wider it will glide from side to side; up to 8” (168mm) size baits have quite a tight action, whereas any glide over 8” will move nearly 30cm on the swim.           

TACKLE

For mid-sized glide baits a 7’– 7’3” medium heavy or heavy moderate fast casting rod, paired with a 6.4:1 retrieve ratio reel is quite suitable. For baits heavier than 2oz and longer than 8”, a stronger rod that can handle baits in the 2oz to 10oz range and an over-sized compact or round casting reel to hold more line is needed.  

Considering the size of the bass that are targeted, two options are recommended: a mainline of 15-20lb fluorocarbon, or 30lb braid with a fluorocarbon leader. The advantage of fluorocarbon is its low stretch properties and it also gets the bait down a few extra feet. Monofilament and copolymer lines aren’t recommended at all as they stretch out after the abuse of casting a big heavy bait, while hooksets on a long cast also become an issue.  

To get the best action out of a glide bait do not tie it directly to the line tie, rather add a split ring or better still use a high quality snap to attach the bait. The snap will not only retain the bait’s enticing action, but will also prevent the line from snagging on the trebles when you pause the retrieve, essentially wasting a cast.

Polarised sunglasses

It’s a highly visual style of fishing especially under bright conditions, so it is essential to wear a pair of good quality polarised sunglasses to spot fish following the bait from far away and making the necessary adjustments to trigger a strike.

Rate Of Stall

The primary reason glide baits are successful is their incredible Rate of Stall – their ability to stay in the strike zone for as long as possible. A glide bait’s rate of stall is measured by how wide it moves laterally in the zone with very little forward motion, enabling you to draw fish from a long distance.

Top Tips

Fish one bait at a time.

If you’re employing a big bait strategy with a boat partner resist the urge to throw two big baits in the same area.  The pulling power of a glide bait will reposition the fish from quite far away, so having two baits in the same zone will confuse the fish and cause them to only follow without striking.

Don’t recast at followers.

When a fish tracks a glide bait but backs off half way through the retrieve, resist the urge to cast back at the same fish – either the angle you’re presenting the bait from isn’t right, or it is just uncatchable. Note its position and move on; returning later in the day from a different direction could be the key to triggering a bite.

GLIDE BAIT RETRIEVE TACTICS

When fishing a glide bait envision that a bass is following at all times; adding reaction points as the bait glides off to the side is a killer triggering mechanism. Here are four different retrieves to experiment with:

The Slow Crawl:

Cast the bait out and start retrieving it as slowly as possible so that it moves with the characteristic “S” motion. This is a great retrieve the bass are sluggish, or after a front moves through and the fish shut down. 

The Reel and Sweep:

Cast the bait out, reel for six revolutions of the reel and then sweep the rod to the left or right. The bait will veer off ; then pick up the slack and repeat the steps. It will swim and then move quickly and then veer off. If a fish is following the bait and it suddenly speeds up they have to react!

The Twitch:

Keep the bait going on a slow crawl for 4 revolutions and then incorporate 2 quick turns of the handle – the bait then speeds up and veers off and you keep the bait going. 

Wake It:

Keep you rod tip up and wake it on the surface anywhere you would throw a walking topwater, except with a bigger profile.

WHERE TO FISH IT

Fish main lake points, secondary points, entrances to spawning flats and 45-degree sloping banks.   

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