Glide baits: Neat, on the rocks or with a splash of water?

Sometimes it’s not about the capture; it’s about the chase. 

Take bourbon. 

A decade or so ago, holding a glass of whiskey was like holding a sign that said “I’m old and boring” — a description I actually took pride in despite not being that old (though my friends might agree the boring part was fitting). 

Now? Bourbon has made a resurgence, with distilleries popping up all around the country, doing all sorts of unique things (blending, aging in different barrels, exotic mash bills, etc.) to create flavors that suit a wider range of people. As a whiskey enthusiast, this has been both a blessing and a curse. 

Now, there are so many solid whiskeys out there I can go to most any place and find one worth drinking. Problem is, I have my favorites, and not only have those become FAR more expensive, they’ve become harder to find. I used to be able to find a bottle of Blanton’s almost anywhere. Now, it’s “rare,” and you have to know someone who keeps it hidden in the back or sell an organ to afford buying one online. 

Can I drink other whiskeys that still taste quite delicious? Yes. But I like my favorites, and the hunt to try and stock my shelves with rare whiskeys is part of the fun. 

Glide bait enthusiasts have found themselves in a similar situation. 

The glide bait boom is real

A decade ago, tossing a big glide bait around meant you were either from California, a delusional person or both. But with the rise of forward-facing sonar, glide baits are suddenly must-haves. Like the whiskey industry, seemingly every bait manufacturer has responded by creating new, quality options. 

The River2Sea S-Waver may be the first “mainstream” glide bait, as it has long been one of the top mass-produced glides on the market, with the Storm Arashi Glide being another. Otherwise, up until recently, you had to try and get your hands on ones from Japanese companies like Roman Made, Gan Craft and Deps. 

Now, the SPRO KGB Chad Shad, Scottsboro Tackle Sogeki, G-Ratt Sneaky Pete, Clutch Swimbait Co. OG Glide Baits and many others have all popped up and are widely available. And the thing is, they’re all really good. 

Yet, like bourbon, we all have our favorites that we hunt — and when it comes to bass fishing, there can be a tangible advantage to throwing a bait no one else has. There are still under-the-radar basement glides about which the secret has yet to be let out (nor will I spill it), but in terms of better-known baits, the original resin KGB Chad Shad is like finding a Pappy Van Winkle for you bourbon guys. 

Again, 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. 

It’s all in the details

There’s a reason people go nuts for a bottle of Pappy or an original Chad Shad, and it’s in the details. 

Glide baits are all about balance. The head has to have enough mass to create momentum, 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.: 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. 

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. 

You might be the type who is fine sipping Knob Creek, Angel’s Envy or Four Roses. They’re all very solid options that are easy to get and reasonably priced. Or, you might want to take it up a notch and seek out an Eagle Rare or W. L. Weller. Or, you might covet an Elmer T Lee, Stagg or Pappy Van Winkle and spare no expense to own one. 

The beautiful thing about the bourbon and glide bait booms is there are now options for everyone.