twitch causes the bait to dart sideways, leaving the bait
and the bass “looking” at each other. The bass’ cover is
now blown, and the next twitch is its only chance to
strike before letting the “baitfish” flee. If the bass
chooses not to strike, it will almost always vanish back
to the depths. Still, this is the single best way to end
the follower frustration.
2. Open-Water Glides
Open-water glides are the baits you might have been
expecting to see in this article. Nearly all 8- to 12-inch
baits that cost more than a boat payment will fall into
this category, but there are some great budget options
as well. The Roman Made Mother, Baitsanity Explorer,
Gan Craft 230, S-Waver 200, and Deps Slide Swimmer
250 are all great examples of open-water glide baits.
These baits will require a dedicated swimbait rod (I
prefer the G. Loomis IMX-PRO 966C SWBR paired with a
Shimano Tranx 300HG, 80-pound-test braided line and
8 feet of 30-pound-test mono leader) to fish them
Open-water glides are
all about attracting bass
from a large area then
making them react with
well-timed action.
effectively. Lighter equipment can be made to work, but
these baits are heavy, and proper equipment will
relieve the strain on your body and gear.
This category is marked by a very wide, lazy glide.
The baits can often move 3 to 5 feet in either direction
at very slow speeds, and a properly timed twitch can
send them farther still. This action creates an enor-
mous drawing power that will pull huge fish up from
virtually any depth. The key to success with this
method, however, is visibility, and open-water glides
achieve their maximum effectiveness in clear, open
water.
The wide glide of these larger offerings makes them
inherently more difficult to twitch effectively. They do
not have the tight darting action of the smaller cover
glides and instead will create long, slow glides when
pulled or twitched. They’re more difficult to master
than their smaller cousins, but once you’ve dialed in the
cadence, you can cause the bait to slowly glide off to
the side on cue.
Triggering a feeding response with an open-water
glide is all about timing. Wear polarized sunglasses at
all times, and focus on constantly studying the water 5
to 20 feet behind your bait. Most bass will simply
appear as a faint shadow in the water until right before
they ambush. Spotting them during the ambush is too
late; you must study the water for faint approaching
shadows. Most “biters” will approach with speed rather
than lagging behind at a set distance. If you can spot
biters before they reach the bait, you have an excellent
chance of catching them.
The key in open water is to let the fish get close to
the bait before twitching the rod. Without a piece of
cover to help corner the lure, the bass is much more
hesitant to strike without a perfect angle. Twitch too
soon and the bass will have to reset and approach from
a different direction. Wait too long and the bass will see
the boat. Ideally, wait until the bass is 2 to 4 feet
behind the bait and give the bait a single slow twitch.
This will cause the bait to drift off to the side and pres-
ent a perfect target. If the bass comes closer but
doesn’t strike, give it one more slow twitch and cross
your fingers. This back-and-forth is not for the faint of
heart, as we could be talking about you dancing with
the largest bass you’ve ever encountered. If she strikes,
you’re in for a wild ride, and if she turns away, you
know exactly where to try on your next outing.
If fish aren’t following or can’t be seen because of
the conditions, wind the bait with eight to 10 cranks of
the reel, and then give it a couple twitches. The extra
cranks gives bass time to track it from across a flat or a
bigger structure.
Glides should be broken into two very separate categories:
“cover glides” and “open-water glides.” Understanding which style
fits your fishing is going to save you a lot of time and money.
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