How to Fish a Glide Bait

There are many categories of swimbaits but a glide bait is majorly important. It is for those clear water days when fish are high in the water column and aggressive. The bait may not be the most realistic but the bass hammer it because of the fast twitches that make them lash out. There are certain things to know before choosing, tying on, and fishing a glide bait.

Color

Color varies across the type of forage your bass are after. If they are feeding on trout then go for a more natural trout color. If the fish feed on perch or shad then go for more of a baitfish profile. If fish are actively feeding on bluegill then opt for more of a bluegill colored bait.

Where to use it

Spotted Bass– For spotted bass try to draw them up out of deep water. Main lake points are great. Target a shelf where it goes from 5 to 15 feet of water, then has another deeper shelf.

Smallmouth Bass– While I am not the best smallmouth fisherman the common place to find smallmouth is on ambush points. They might be on a grass line where they can jump out and grab it. This also helps with hookups because they hit the bait so hard.

Largemouth Bass– Largies are one of the easier fish to catch on a glide bait. They are easy to entice and hit hard. Good places are boat docks, laydowns, seawalls, and in spring secondary points and flats. If there is a place that looks pressured but has a lot of fish then throw a glide bait. Somebody has probably thrown a shakyhead or a jig but they have probably not thrown a glide bait.

How to use it

There are multiple retrieves for glide bait fishing and varying your retrieve can increase the chance of getting bit.

1. Slow Crawl- All you need to do is just reel. The bait will work for you and it is very easy to do.
2. Twitch and Glide- All that is needed here is a few turns of the reel and a hard twitch. The fish will lash out and take the bait when twitched. Sometimes twitch it more than once.
3. Walk- All you need to do is twitch the bait to where it looks like you are walking the dog with a topwater lure. It draws out aggressive fish in shallow water.

When to use it

The season to use a glide bait is mainly in Fall and Spring. After the first summer solstice the bass go straight into summer. Considering water clarity, the best time is when the water is very clear.

Gear

Rod- A swimbait rod is very useful in swinging big baits but the rod should have enough give to keep a big fish from popping or bending the hooks. The rod you choose should have great balance, a moderate action, and backbone.

Reel- Picking a reel depends on preference. Round reels work good and so do low-profile reels. The only thing you need in a reel is a larger size for the line required for fishing.

Line- Braided line with a fluorocarbon leader is best for fishing glide baits due to clear water. In water with a 5-10 foot visibility use a 30 pound mono leader. For more extreme situations use 17 pound fluorocarbon. The braid should be 50-80 pound braid depending on the size of fish being targeted.

Apply these tips to your glide bait fishing and your chances of getting a big bite have greatly increased. Spring and fall are great times to catch big fish and possibly your PB.