Glide Baits: How to Fish the S-Waver

The popularity of glide baits has exploded in the last 2 years! With their advent, jointed swimbaits went from a warm-water bait to a year-round bait almost overnight. Whether you choose to throw a Roman Made Negotiator, a Deps Slide Swimmer, or an S-Waver, the retrieves that consistently put fish in the boat are completely interchangeable.

After our S-Waver 200 video came out in the spring we received a lot of requests for a video explaining how to fish the bait. Unfortunately we were headed into summer and couldn't address the questions right away. With fall upon us, the glide bait season is in full swing and its time to teach you how to fish these incredibly deadly baits!

Matt and Tim have developed a unique style to fishing these baits that has allowed them to catch numerous giant limits on a variety of lakes and reservoirs. As is often the case with these two, there is great variance in the gear they choose to use. Both have fine tuned their equipment to their own style and both think the other does it wrong. Perhaps you can see through the mire and identify which style you more closely relate to.

Matt comes from a traditional swimbait background and prefers stouter equipment than Tim. Tim comes from a tournament background and prefers a more balanced, (play the fish instead of drag the fish) approach.  

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For the 8" and larger glide baits both anglers use the Dobyns 806H. While this may seem light to a swimbait angler it will be extremely heavy for a traditional tournament guy. We choose this rod because of its great balance, stout backbone, and moderate action. You can sling a giant bait but its not so stout that the fish will bend the hooks. Both anglers also agree on using 65-80 lb braided line with a 30 lb mono leader under most circumstances.

This is where the similarities stop. On occasion Tim will drop down as light as 17 lb fluorocarbon if he's fishing clear water reservoirs. Matt insists that big bass won't shy away from his 30 lb line as long as the leader is of substantial length. Reels are another point of contention between the two anglers. Matt prefers the fit and feel of a traditional round reel for big baits. He loads his rod with Shimano Calcutta in 300 and 400 sizes. Tim on the other hand prefers the relaxed fit and feel of the Abu Garcia Revo 50, insisting that the 60 is too large.

For the 6-8" Glide Baits including the S-Waver 168 the angler's unique styles show themselves again. Matt prefers a Dobyns 764C (traditionally known as a jig rod) for its stout backbone and ability to drive the hooks into the fish. He couples it with either a Lew's BB-1 Pro or Curado 200. Both reels are spooled with 50-65 lb Sufix 832 Braid affixed to a 15-20 lb mono leader.

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Tim on the other hand reaches for the Dobyns 764 CB (Soft cranking rod) for its gentle load and ability to play the fish. He couples it with the Lew's Team Gold Speed Spool filled with 30 lb braid and a 15-20 lb Sunline Flourocarbon Leader.

While the anglers can't agree on their equipment both have proven their technique is effective at landing big bass. Once you've dialed in your gear, the following retrieves will help you turn your followers into committed bites.

4 Retrieves for Glide Baits:

1. The Slow Crawl: As the name insinuates, this retrieve is as easy as it gets. Reel the baits slowly and steadily at the slowest possible speed you can before the bait loses action and starts dragging through the water.

2. The Pull and Glide: This retrieve involves a 6 slow handle turns to get the bait moving followed by a long sweep of the rod. The bait will go from a slow crawl to a fast escape attempt followed by a sweeping left or right turn and is deadly on big followers!

3. The Crawl and Twitch: using a combination of 4-12 slow handle rotations followed by two quick snaps of the rod/reel you can create the appearance of a bait that has been startled. Use this retrieve around cover or when a bass is closely stalking the bait

4. The Walk: Use a combination of the rod tip and reel handle to "walk the dog" with the bait. Fast or slow, the walk will pull incredibly vicious strikes from bass that are chasing bait, in shallow water, or are otherwise acting aggressively.

Use these 4 retrieves the next time you're on the water to turn your favorite glide bait into a fish catcher. Each retrieve has been proven to put big bass in the boat time and time again! As always, if you have questions, comments, or tips of your own, we'd love to hear them!

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Top 5 Baits for Spotted Bass

Okay, so we can't really count. Its more like 6 categories and 12 baits but its hard to narrow it down! There are a lot of great ways to catch spotted bass but we can narrow it down a little for you. With all the giant spotted bass being caught in California there are a lot of rumors flying about secret baits, modifications, etc.

The reality is, nothing can replace time on the water. I say again, if you want to catch a giant spotted bass you have to put in the time. In addition to time, you need to be sure that your gear is dialed in. Tim breaks down the various baits that we use day in and day out to put spotted bass in the boat.

Spotted bass fishing is great for new anglers as well as pros. Unlike giant largemouth, spots have a varied diet. They may have preferred foods but they're willing to eat just about anything that crawls or swims in front of them. If you have a preferred method that is on this list, stick to it and you'll see success! 

Our top 5 (6) baits that you should be throwing for spotted bass are:

The Tube: We've found a 3 1/2" finesse tube is best. See our Tube Video for all the details.

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The Senko: Whether you're fishing shallow or deep there is a way to rig the senko to get in front of the bass and fool them into biting.

Straight Tail Worm: Dropshot, Darthead, Shaky Head... they're going to eat it.

The Football Jig: We use the Dirty Jigs Finesse Football. You get the bulky presentation that big spots can't resist with a hook that let's you use lighter line for a finesse presentation.

The Spook: Spots can't resist a walking bait. Whether you're using a true spook or some other brand, it needs to be in your arsenal. As an extra tip: Think "chartreuse" and you won't go wrong.

The Swimbait: How can you beat a swimbait? The key is size. You have to find the right balance between drawing power and overpowering. Our two most reliable options are the 6" Osprey Tournament Talon and the S-Waver 168.

Give these baits a try the next time you're on the water. Spotted bass fishing is booming right now and you need to get involved! From one side of this nation to the other, there is a lake with monster spots just waiting to be caught!

Everything There is To Know About Treble Hooks!

Can you really film a whole video about treble hooks? On the surface it seems like such a mundane topic. Not only can it be done, it can be the longest video we've ever put out! So what's the deal? Why do we care so much about hooks? If you commit to the next 17 1/2 minutes and make it all the way through this video you will absolutely be a better angler on the other end!

We use hooks every time we hit the water but very few anglers really understand those hooks, how they really work, and how to make them work for you. With some basic knowledge you can learn to switch wire size, hook shape, color, or brand at the right times to drastically increase the number of fish you land!

While this topic seems mundane on the surface, I can't help but get excited about it. There is no other aspect of fishing that have more of an impact on your actual catch rates than your hooks, yet most anglers completely neglect them. When I ask a guy what his favorite hook is I'm invariably met with something like "Triple Grips", "Owner", or "Gami". Very few anglers even consider their options within a brand, let alone branching across various brands to match the different circumstances on the water.

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Again, I challenge you to make it through to the end of this video. I know its long but it will change the number of fish you catch in the coming months. This video is about trebles but much of the information applies to single hooks as well.

Hooks are expensive and having a large assortment on hand can get pretty pricey but if you learn how to use them to impact sink rates you can have a single lure do all sorts of different things, saving a lot of money in the long run. Get yourself some quality split ring pliers because you're probably going to start changing hooks a lot more!

My favorite hooks for the various categories are:

• Gamakatsu Round bend 1x Treble RED (hardbaits when bass are slapping)
• Gamakatsu 4x Treble (soft swimbaits)
• Gamakatsu EWG Treble Red and Bronze (hardbaits that get engulfed)
• Owner ST-36 1x Treble Black or Red (All hardbaits)
• Owner ST-56 3x Treble Black (hardbaits for large bass or faster sink rates)

Ben Parker Flutter Spoon Modifications and Tricks

The Ben Parker Magnum Flutter Spoon made a big splash in recent tournaments and has since been gaining momentum around the country. Amazingly, many fishermen that were previously afraid to throw big baits have latched on to the spoon without issue. Like all flutter-style spoons the Ben Parker spoon has a seductive fall that lures bass into biting. Where it differs from the pack is its amazing size, virtually identical to the profile of an 8" Huddleston Swimbait.

I couldn't be more excited to see a new genre of lure bridging the gap between big bait fishing and tournament fishing. These two categories of bass fishing have been at opposite ends of the spectrum for too long! The magnum spoon is a great way for anglers in different parts of the country to build confidence and begin branching in to bigger baits.

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Photo courtesy of Outdoor Pro Shop

The key to success with this (and all other) spoons is to make some simple modifications that will put the odds in your favor. 

First and foremost, never trust the stock hook on a spoon. Very few companies produce a spoon with a quality hook. The Ben Parker is a stout hook but if you intend to use it I recommend sharpening it before making the first cast.

Second, always add a second hook. While it may seem like a strange addition letting a treble slide up and down the line above your spoon it will make sense the first time you get a bite. Adding a stinger treble hook increases the ratio of bites to hook ups dramatically. It takes a little getting used to but after a few casts you'll be a pro at making sure the spoon and stinger treble are working together by the time the spoon reaches bottom. By using a sliding treble the bait will fall away from the fish during the fight, leaving you a direct connection to the bass without 3 ounces of metal flapping around, pulling the hook out of the fish's mouth.

The Ben Parker Spoon is big but its a great addition to any arsenal. If you've seen success with a flutter spoon in the past don't be afraid to branch out, go big, and find the bigger bass that have been lurking on your favorite ledge all along! Don't forget to modify that bait before you hit the water and you will see a huge increase in your success!