glidebait retrieves for spring bass fishing

Glide Bait Tips for Largemouth Bass

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By John Liechty ®

Spring 2023

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page 30

O

n any given day on the lake, we will make

hundreds, if not thousands of casts. And,

as the cast and placement of the lure are important, what happens after that is what really defines

our success rate. Yes, that is the retrieve.

Now not all retrieves are created equally, and no two

retrieves are ever exactly the same. And this is by design.

Each retrieve, from

start to finish, should

be setup up with

purpose. The speed,

depth, and action

should be experimental

until we find a recipe

that produces results.

We must think like a

composer, including

perfectly timed tempo

changes and intricate

components to our

composition to hook

the listeners. Or, in this

case, the bass. A glide

bait is a perfectly tuned

instrument, and as

anglers, we must learn

to play it.

So, how do you learn to use a glide bait and utilize all its functions? Well, you take it for a swim test and play with it. See how it performs at various speeds, how it twitches, pauses, and glides. Each lure is different and will need some practice using them. But, once you have mastered its action, you will be ready to try and tempt those big-bait eaters.

When fishing a

glide bait, I prefer to use

a three-part system.

I have found there

are usually three high

percentage times in

each retrieve that a

bass is most likely to

take. Anytime your lure

is in the water, it could

get bit. However, these

three moments are

times for a higher level

of focus and execution.

PART ONE

After making the cast, we put a slight emphasis on the size of the initial splash.