Pro bass angler Carl Jocumsen shares his go-to glide bait gear consisting of his rod, reels, top two favorite glide baits, and bait modifications in this video. Glide bait fishing is Carl’s favorite bass fishing technique and has accounted for some of his best tournament catches and personal best bass on Lake Chickamauga. In this video, he shares his rod, reel, line, bait, and modification setups to help you get out on the water and achieve bass fishing success with glide baits. Check out our Glide Bait Master Class to learn how to fish glide baits like a pro.
FEATURED GEAR (retail links)
REELS
- Shimano Tranx 300 & 400, 5.8:1 Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- Shimano Curado 300K, 4.7:1: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- Shimano Conquest: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- Sunline Shooter, 20-25 pound: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
ROD – Millerrods Dream Freak, 7’10”: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
GLIDE BAITS
- Storm Arashi Glide: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- Molix Glide Bait 178: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
According to Carl, the rod is the most important glide bait gear when fishing glide baits. The Miller Rod Dream Freak, which he helped design, is his go-to. It has a lot of power, a nice long handle for added leverage, and plenty of tip for accurate casting and soft landings. When it comes to reels, he prefers lower gear ratio reels as they provide better winching power after hooking up. He’s a Shimano reel junky with the Shimano Tranx 300, Tranx 400, Curado 300, and Conquest, all excellent options. These reels feature oversized handles and superior winching power for taking command of the fight, which is especially important around cover.
Carl fishes his glides on heavy fluorocarbon ranging from 20-pound line for clear water and finicky fish, a 22-pound line in dingier water or when extra strength is needed, and a 25-pound line when fishing glide baits around cover. Sunline Shooter has low stretch, which helps the bait work and chop efficiently.
Let’s discuss baits now that we’ve covered other glide bait gear. There are a ton of excellent glide baits on the market, but Carl’s two favorites are the Storm Arashi Glide and the Molix 178 Glide, which he helped design. The Molix 178 is excellent for when the fish is feeding on shad or in open water. At the same time, he prefers the Storm Arashi Glide when targeting territorial and aggressive bass relating to prominent structure and cover. Carl modifies his baits by removing the stock hooks and replacing them with quad hooks. Experience has taught him that four points improve hooking percentages, especially when bass slap at the bait. He determines hook size based on the depth he’s fishing and desired buoyancy of the lure.
Lastly, Carl connects his line to the bait using an inline swivel and snap. The swivel reduces line twist, while the snap clip provides the glide bait with more freedom of movement and better action overall. He recommends using a San Diego Jam knot for a strong and secure attachment.
This setup has helped Carl catch giant bass nationwide and will also help you.
QUAD HOOKS
- Ryugi Pierce Quad Swivel Eye Hook (not affiliated with Carl) Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- Decoy Quattro X-S21 Hook (not affiliated with Carl) Buy at Tackle Warehouse
OTHER
- QUAD HOOK 1 – Ryugi Pierce Quad Swivel Eye Hook (not affiliated with Carl): Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- QUAD HOOK 2 – Decoy Quattro X-S21 Hook (not affiliated with Carl): Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- SPLIT RING – Owner Hyperwire Split Rings: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- SWIVEL – Owner Hyper Ball Bearing Barrel Swivel: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
- SNAP – Mustad Fastach Clip: Buy at Tackle Warehouse
