(Editor's note: The following is the latest installment in a series of fishing tips presented by The Bass University. Check back each Friday for a new tip.)
Compared to some other big baits, glide baits are a relatively new phenomenon, but as seen at this year’s Elite Series event on Lake Fork, they’re giant killers. Oliver Ngy is one of the leading experts on this increasingly popular style of lure, which typically consists of a single-jointed hard body with a distinct tail that swims in a slalom-style “S” motion when you reel it steadily.
“The cool thing about this genre of fishing is that it’s highly visual, depending on what you’re fishing,” he said. “There are few things more exciting than seeing your big glide bait coming through the water and then a shadow – or shadows – are on it.”
Of course, in order to properly work the lures, attract fish and land them, you have to have the right gear. The first lesson Ngy stresses is that you need to have equipment that allows the fish to engulf these big baits and grab the hanging treble hooks. He doesn’t set the hook. “At the most, turning with my body and allowing a softer action or moderate rod to get those sharp treble hooks in the mouth.” If you try to cross their eyes, you’ll miss out on opportunities. “Fight the urge to swing on a hard bait bite.” He uses a 7’11” moderate action, which he described as similar to an oversized crankbait or jerkbait rod. It acts as a shock absorber.
He pairs it up with a low-profile, swimbait-specific reel with at least 15 to 20 pounds of drag. Two favorites are the Daiwa Lexa HD and the Tatula 300. He prefers the 300 size for ease of use, but he’ll go larger when he’s using 40-pound line. He increasingly likes braid-to-fluorocarbon combinations, but sometimes heavy monofilament is the key.
Some of his favorite glides are the I Slide 262, Gan Craft Jointed Claw, Phoney Frog, Hinkle, and the DRT Tiny Klash. He’ll work them in a manner that correlates with seasonal patterns and fish behavior. In the prespawn, that typically means slow with a lot of pauses. In the post-spawn, when bass start feeding heavily again, he’ll increase his pace. Don’t put them away during the hottest months: “They will continue to eat this through the summer,” and then the bite gets red hot again in the fall. If he tries a particular retrieve or cadence in an area where he’s confident that fish reside for five or ten casts and does not attract a follower or a bite, he’ll mix it up until he gets the desired result.
One other piece of advice he offered is that while most glide baits can be effective on a straight retrieve, the swing will get tighter as they get to the boat. If the fish are mesmerized by a wide glide, you may need to manipulate the lure carefully to continue that pattern.
If you want to learn some of the other aspects of the Big Bass Dreams founder’s glide bait system, including why he uses a SPRO power swivel and a decoy egg snap to attach his lures, check out his full on-the-water video, available only by subscribing to The Bass University TV.
