Large glides in the north east

[JoeLo7]

How many of my fellow swimbait guys are throwing 250s and other 10” baits in the northeast. How successful would u say you are with them?

this time of year i throw my 250 a bit, never even had a follow on it, but i feel like it can get a giant if conditions are right.

just curious to hear some stories of success or failure from other fisherman in an area where we dont have any dd bass.

thanks 

tight lines!

[Mossypumpkin]

PA is so far from the northeast lol. I’m in Maine and here’s my two cents…..

Glides are dang near obsolete for me. I haven’t broke 5lbs I don’t think on a glide in two years, and not because I haven’t caught many 5s. Here, there’s a good 2-3 week window for glides. And maybe 2 weeks in fall. If you’re fishing a glide here in summer you’re catching about a tenth of the fish you could be on wakes and cranks. Glides def have their time and place, but it’s limited. That being said, I’ve caught some good ones over the years for sure, but mostly big shad glides it seems. 

[bassbass]

I got a couple of 6 plus bass on the 250 when I was in RI. But as Jesse said more 5 pound fish on other baits.

Now in FL I very little throw baits over 8 inches. 

You need to figure out what your fish will hit consistently and go from there.

[Fried Lemons]

I fish in Maryland which isn’t really northeast but is in your neck of the woods. Up until this year I felt the same way as you and would throw the 250 here and there with sporadic success. This year I dedicated a lot of time from March-June to mostly throwing the 250 and a few other big baits, and things finally started to click. It resulted in more exciting moments and more heartbreak than any of my previous years of fishing. I landed a couple fish in the 5lb range, dumped a mid 6, dumped a giant tiger muskie, and had many opportunities at 5-7lb fish.

One of the main factors was focusing on waters with either trout or gizzard shad as major forage. I have had very little success with getting bites or even follows on lakes lacking one of these two forage items.

The second major factor was wind-every bite I had was in moderate to heavy wind. Sunny or overcast/rainy didn’t seem to matter. The areas were no secret-laydowns, rock piles, long points, all with immediate deep water access. It was a matter of hitting these spots at the right time and from the right angle in relation to the wind and so the fish can pin the bait.

Third and final factor was commitment. On my best trip when conditions were ideal and fish were fired up, I got 5 bites, but most trips were a grind for one good opportunity type of deal. The important thing was not to downsize, and almost without fail, the opportunity would come.

[5-20]

The Deps 250 has been more of a spring to early summer bait for me in lakes that have really good water clarity. 

If stuff ain't working for you, throw something different. There are baits that just don't work on some lakes even though they catch lots on other lakes. 

[urbanhick]

Ice water for the big glides works for me. I fish them like a big jerkbait looking for a reaction bite.  These were caught in March out of low 40's water temp. Taxi Trout and Hinkle Shad. I also do pretty good using a RM Negotiator fished the same way. Of all the casts I have made with various deps 250's I don't have much to show for it.

[Jim137a]

I agree with @Mossypumpkin the glide season in our area is early spring and late fall and it’s short lived but when it’s happening it’s loads of fun and quality fish can be had. 

[bigpoppabass]

The depps 250* is the most overrated glide of all time imo. Proven glides out here have been the megabass Islide 185 fished like a jerkbait (toying with em to suspend is tricky) and the ds customs on a slow retrieve. Both of these baits can be thrown on light swimbait gear not needing a special rig like the 250. 

*I have two depps glides and a modified slide swimmer. They swim like Cadillacs but don't even get follows when they fish are hitting everything else. 

[BensBaits]

Here in mass it seems really hit or miss for me. I have some 5 plus pounders to show for it using my hinkle, long glides then a quick dart in the other direction seems to get them to commit. I get so many follower, But mostly my good days have been in the spring and fall. That being said, the biggest bass I have ever seen followed my glide to my kayak in the summer. Legit thought it was a beaver and was a real jump scare (I handled it very professionally and did not yelp in any way…) 

[acwatkins]

I’m in Maryland, so kinda northeast kinda not. I personally just don’t have the confidence in bigger glides like the 250. I’ll throw them for a while but without any followers or bites I have a hard time sticking with them. I know the fish will eat it. I’ve seen dead floaters with gigantic gizzards lodged in their mouths. I just have a hard time sticking with big baits when I can throw a smaller glide or crankdown and (hopefully) get multiple bites or at least followers. I actually just traded my 250 for a 10” dockrat shad. I’m hoping that will boost my confidence with a big bait. I didn’t get to fish the summer this much and really plan on hammering the fall bite, hopefully with a few big glide eats

[Andercommander]

Connecticut here. 250 is my confidence bait and holds my smallie PB. Lots of trout waters but they work everywhere. 

[Andercommander]

On 10/22/2023 at 5:11 AM, bigpoppabass said:

The depps 250* is the most overrated glide of all time imo. Proven glides out here have been the megabass Islide 185 fished like a jerkbait (toying with em to suspend is tricky) and the ds customs on a slow retrieve. Both of these baits can be thrown on light swimbait gear not needing a special rig like the 250. 

*I have two depps glides and a modified slide swimmer. They swim like Cadillacs but don't even get follows when they fish are hitting everything else. 

It’s water dependent but they’re 100% not overrated. Commit to them and you’ll find out. One of the best swimbaits ever made.