RiverMan Posted April 21, 2004 Report Share Posted April 21, 2004 Does anyone here know what makes a gliding bait glide? I have made gliders in the traditional round nose style and others with a more natural semi-pointed nose. The rounded nosed baits seem to glide better altho both designs will "walk" back. Also, how much does wood thickness affect how the bait glides? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lure--Prof Posted April 21, 2004 Report Share Posted April 21, 2004 Hey Jed, you throw that out there so innocently. Actually, I spend a good deal of time considering the possibilities of hydrodynamic reactions when the medium is exposed to various wooden displacements which are tied to a small diameter line of variable diameter attatched to an angler utilizing modern fresh and brackish and salt water rod and reel with a smooth sweeping motion of the rod to exert forward pressure upon said and, we might add, variably shaped and weighted wooden "Glide Lure". As you already know, minute shaping features of the glider are obviously not nearly as important as how the darn thing sits in the water...an experienced glider fisherman seems to inuitively know how to work a new glider by tying it on and pitching it overboard, and I guess all of us with enough time on the water with every kind of lure have a certain expectation of how one will work before we buy it: in the case of gliders, I think we evaluate center of gravity, line tie location and general width versus general length, and the devil is in those details rather than fine details of lure shapes. A fun thing to do is take a glide lure and experiment with lead weight in various amounts and positions and note the differences in the action. Then do the same with various shapes of gliders. Do this soon Jed and let us all know. One rule of thumb is that moving the center of gravity rearwar causes more "hunting" of the front upon propulsion. I hope something here in some way addressed some facet of your question. Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverMan Posted April 22, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 Doctor Dean, Ok, so I have been making some glide baits and having a great time doing so. What I don't know, is how the things are supposed to act once they hit the water...this is not a good thing. What I would like is for someone to tell me what the baits should be doing. I could of course buy several gliders but it is much more fun and financially frugal to determine the lure action from those who have experienced it. That being said, can you tell me this: 1. Do gliders generally "walk" and "glide" in a wide path? I asked this because my Divani baits run in about a 20 inch wide path, my slammer style body runs much narrower, maybe only a foot each way. 2. Do most of the gliders sink while maintaining a horizontal posture? 3. What do gliders generally do if you simply cast and retreive them? 4. Finally, how are gliders generally fished? Are they fished like a spook with gentle taps of the rod tip while maintaining a tight line? So many questions, so little time. Thank you!! jed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pikestalker Posted April 22, 2004 Report Share Posted April 22, 2004 Riverman don?t know if it?s so importent how store bought gliders work,as long as the baits you make have a nice action why worry? My thoughts on your questions are. 1.That sounds like a good gliding pattern. 2.Yes most of them do but some float. 3.They swim from side to side. 4.Thats how i fish them.Also use long pauses thats when the hit usually happens. Hope these answers are to some help.If not ask again and please post some pictures of your baits would be fun to see them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lure--Prof Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 Jed, as long as they glide with a little side to side movement, be it twitch, wiggle, wobble with a little taildance at the end, a thirty-three inch swing, or a twelve on the left and a nine on the right: they're doing the right thing. and they'll eventually be the HOT bait sometime somewhere. Pikestalker's philosophy is right on the money; and there is no set way to work a glider anymore than there is any other lure. As with a crankbait, spinnerbait, or jig, different actions and retrieves work under different conditions. Go throw a Bobbie Bait, Eddie Bait, Suick, an old Bagley B-Flat 8, and a Reef Hawg different sizes and it'll become clear: they're generally long, medium-to-thin-diameter lures that simply dive a little and disturb the water with any variety of side-to-side movement, rolls, and side-flash. Generally speaking, gliders are worked with "pulls" or short to medium sweeping motions of the rod, but hey, don't be afraid to invent something unique: twitch-pull-twitch, you know, ...yeah I do indeed like brunettes! Dr. Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverMan Posted April 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 Hey thanks guys. I tested two new versions tonight and am very happy with the action on both of them, one glides very well, the other wobbles and walks. When pulled through the water both look very much like an injured fish. I am confident that either will work on musky, pike, or bass. I will say that like any lure the amount of weight and placement is critical, wood type varies the glide and action too. I have also found on one particular model that a semi nose up posture makes for the best action. Since you asked Pike, here is a pic of the last glider I made. Thanks again! Jed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musky1 Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 Jed, Pikestalker and Dean McClain hit the nail on the head with everything. One thing I do Know for sure is. You definately have more strikes when the bait rolls a little and has that side flash. That sudden color change from the belly to the side I feel triggers strikes. By the way awesome paint job. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lure--Prof Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 Nice, nice lure Jed. And I can like, uh you know man, get lost digging the paint. This is one of my favorite lure designs because like Musky 1 says, side flash! Short sharp twitches on a semi-slack line should really shimmer those sides giving it that last-gasp action that fairly shouts, "Unaware, easy meal! I mentioned the Bagley B-Fat 8, which as far as I'm aware is the most extreme flat-sided wooden lure, a design which I'm sure Jim Bagley copped from Florida wood-worker and lure maker Earl Gresch. I build alot of lures incorporating that twtch-sideflash action, and while I aim for a certain action, with big pieces of wood you can get surprised easily enough; however I consider this one of the pleasures of making this type of lure. You just never know what rod-tip rhythm is going to make the lure come alive until you cast it. Dean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverMan Posted April 23, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 This body design has a definite flutter from side to side showing its body. I have found a very natural bait-fish shape to do this also. If you build a sucker or shiner for example and leave the shape exactly as you would expect the fish to be, long, narrow, semi-pointed nose, you will find the flutter to be excellent, walk is good, but the glide to be nearly non-existent. I expect the bass will absolutely "glop" onto this type of bait...will let you know after this wknd! Son!! Jed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monty Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 Very nice bait Jed!!!!! how did you ever paint something that looked so wicked? hats off to ya monty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 Beautiful bait Jed,...will you let us in on the secret of that paint job?..Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coley Posted April 23, 2004 Report Share Posted April 23, 2004 Hey Riverman, if that's paint, it's beautiful!! If it's a stickon like your photo finish, it's still beautiful!! Coley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiverMan Posted April 24, 2004 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 I'm glad you guys like the finish, I do too. You know I use my wife as a sounding board so to speak for all of the finishes and she said "I don't like it". But....after putting on the first coat of Devcon the colors really came alive and I was glad I went forward with it. This is a photo-finish lure...the wild color part anyway. The back, head, and belly I painted with a rattle can, 99 cents each at Walmart, lol. I actually found this stream of colors in a magazine I was looking through so scanned it and then did some manipulation in Adobe to brighten it. Shhhhh, don't tell anyone. Jed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pikestalker Posted April 24, 2004 Report Share Posted April 24, 2004 Wow great looking bait.Do you print the colors on some type of film? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
