Need help with glide bait

[Fish_N_Fool]

This is my first ever attempt at making a wood lure. I'm looking for advise on what to do to this bait to get it to work better. It is suppose to be a suspending glide bait. It sinks a little to fast and it has no side to side action when reeled slow. I'm thinking moving the line tie lower on the bait will help. I also plan to remove a little lead from the front of the bait as it pauses head down and sinks a little to fast. The front of the bait currently has a flat front like a lipless crank, would rounding this over and taking the lip off help or hurt it. I used the basic shape of a Salmo slider for a pattern although I have never seen one just a picture of one. I found a drawing of what I think is a Salmo slider pattern, but mine does not have this profile looking at it from the top down. It is shaped more like this as I didn't find this pattern till after I had this made. You guys that have made glide baits before what can I do??? other then pitch it in the trash and start over.

Edited December 25, 2018 by Fish_N_Fool

[gliders]

hey fnf. have you tried jerking the lure ?

[Vodkaman]

Not an expert, but I agree with Gliders. These baits do nothing on a constant retrieve, particularly a slow retrieve.

From an engineering point, the twitch or jerk sets up a single vortex, which sets up the lure moving in a particular direction. The next jerk moves the lure in the opposite direction, and so on.

The subsequent glide quality depends on the profile. A chubby lure will have poor glide qualities, a slick, torpedo profile will have a longer glide. it all depends on what you are looking for, and of course the definition; twitch bait, jerk bait or glider. Your bait profile I would say falls into the category of twitch or jerk.

Weight distribution is also very important. A central weight will cause the bait to over rotate in the XY axis, and the forward energy lost, thus killing the glide length. The weight should be evenly distributed along it's length, or at least front and rear, balanced for a level sink.

As for a rescue, I would say move on. Prototype and test before finishing. You cannot cut a lure and expect it to work first time without the experience. Your lure has not been a waste of time, as long as you learn from the experience.

As for determining the ballast, read the 'Archimede's dunk test' post. This will help you get closer to the suspender or slow sinker that you desire.

Dave

[Fish_N_Fool]

1 hour ago, gliders said:

hey fnf. have you tried jerking the lure ?

Yes it has poor action when twitched,  good quality glide baits work even on a slow steady retrieve.

[gliders]

fnf, if you want it to go side to side on retrieve , try making the front profile more  rounded and bulbous. Most  gliders I've used and make will go side to side on straight retrieve depending on speed, though not designed primarily to do this....

[Big Epp]

This is a pretty old thread, but I just wanted to chime in and see what you've learned thus far.

I made some "jerk" baits that ended up having a really nice gliding action, a long S curve on a steady retrieve, as well as a good jerk when twitched.  The ones I made were balanced to sink level, with the weight distributed more or less evenly across the length of the lure.

What have you guys learned when it comes to shaping and balancing glide baits?