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Fall 2026
C
atching a big bass is what all bass fishermen aim
to do. Whether that means catching the big bass
of the tournament, having a big bass as part of your limit, or just going after big bass while fun fishing,
you may have the mindset of targeting big bass all day.
Regardless of which scenario you fall into, using a big bait is
a great way to accomplish the goal of catching a big bass.
Throwing big baits and catching big bass on them is a skill that top-level tour anglers have spent countless hours perfecting, so why not speed up your learning process as we catch up with two big-bait specialists?
WHEN JOCUMSEN PICKS UP THE GLIDAH
Bassmaster Elite Series pro Carl Jocumsen is known for keeping a “Glidah” (glide bait) in his rotation of lures. Some of Carl’s best finishes on the Elite Series can be directly linked to his ability to know when to fish a big bait.
Carl, who calls Lake Chickamauga home, can hone his big-bait fishing skills on a body of water loaded with big bass. When fun fishing, this is easy to do, as there is no worry or stress about catching a limit or getting Angler of the Year points.
But when it comes to fishing big baits in a tournament scenario, Carl explained that throwing a big bait, like a glide bait, is very situational.
“All the right things need to line up, the right place, and the right conditions all need to be right for me to pick up a glide bait when I’m in a tournament,” said Carl.
THE RIGHT CONDITIONS FOR A BIG BAIT
Carl detailed that the ideal conditions include some wind (more than just a ripple), and the water clarity must be just right (some stain).
“All of this matters so the bass can’t make out the glide bait’s profile completely, but they can still get their eyes on it,” said Carl. “The glide works when you are on the right fishery, meaning you need to have the chance at catching a big one, and the bass need to be eating big food, like bluegills, or gizzard shad.”
A big bait like a glide bait or a big paddle-tail swimbait (Megabass 8-inch Magdraft) is always rigged and on the front deck of Carl’s boat, and often, this is what he’ll turn to
Photo: Carl Jocumsen
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