By Sean Ostruszka • Major League Lessons
(Editor Note: Story content edited)
So many of these glides are now quality baits, and it’s a matter of finding ones you like for the price you want to pay.
Today’s lure market offers glide bait options for everyone from the budget-conscious beginner to the big-bait fanatic—photo by Brandon Rowan.
It’s all in the details.
Glide baits are all about balance. The head has to have enough mass to create momentum, and the tail enough drag to allow that momentum to swing and turn the head side to side. Different balances can then create different actions. Some glide baits have more of a lazy S movement, while others are more “choppy” (i.e.: they can turn quickly and go more side-to-side).
The choppy ones tend to be more coveted, especially when used with forward-facing sonar, as anglers can impart a lot of side-to-side action without actually moving the lure forward much, making it perfect to tempt a bass you’re watching on your screen. That’s why you may have heard of anglers modifying glide baits with lead tape or solder wrapped around the hooks. This is done to add even more weight, which can create a wider glide and even more responsiveness.
However, everything with a glide bait is give and take. Adding more weight means more action, yes, but it also means it’s going to sink a lot faster. A faster sink rate requires you to work the bait faster to keep it at a certain depth, which makes it harder to sit it in front of a bass for as long as possible.
While not known as a multi-day tournament-winning technique, glides made a few appearances in top 10 bait galleries in 2024, including at the Abu Garcia College Fishing National Championship on Lake Toho-photo by Rob Matsuura
That’s where some of the better glide baits, such as the original Chad Shad or the Clutch models, separate themselves. The resin used to make those baits is more buoyant than others, allowing them to add even more weight to the head without sacrificing buoyancy.
On the outside, you can’t tell the difference between those and any other glide baits, just like you can’t tell the difference looking at two different bottles of whiskey. But inside, there’s a difference.
If you need to see it for yourself, Clutch has a cool YouTube video showing how they produced two versions of their glide bait — one with their resin and another with the resin most companies use — and the difference it made in buoyancy.
That key detail is going to make a difference in how the lure performs in the water compared to others. Now, is this difference worth $150 or more for one lure? That’s ultimately for you to decide.
Post Presented By Southern Fishing News and sponsors:
Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation (http://albassnation.com/)
Slider Lures (www.sliderfishing.com)
Neese Waterfront Real Estate (www.neesere.com)
Bass Assassin Lures (http://bassassassin.com)
EGO Fishing (https://egofishing.com)
Motley Fishing (https://motleyfishing.com)
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