Glide bait fishing is more popular than ever. The technique leans into a simple idea: big bait equals big fish, and it has migrated from the West Coast across the country. Traditionally, the big-bait game has been an expensive way to target bass, with some glide baits costing hundreds of dollars. But the technique’s growing popularity has prompted manufacturers to produce more affordable options, enabling more anglers to fish giant baits.
To be clear, “affordable” glide baits are still expensive. But increased demand for lower-priced options means there are now several excellent models for under $100. And since many anglers (myself included) find it hard to justify a $250 bait, I started researching more reasonably priced options. First, I reached out to several manufacturers and asked them to send their best glide baits under $100. Then I ordered a few more that I thought could catch fish. Finally, I took them on the water to see if these cheaper options could entice giant bucketmouths just as well as premium baits.
The short answer: they can. Here are nine of the best glide baits you can buy for under $100.
How We Tested the Best Glide Baits Under $100
After collecting a lineup of big baits priced under $100, I hit the water. I fished with these glide baits for months on different lakes and ponds, in various conditions and at different times of year. Below are the criteria I based my results on:
- How easy is the bait to work?
- What type of action does the bait produce?
- Is the lure versatile?
- Does the bait catch fish?
For the final leg of the test, I took all the baits to a stocked pond, where I felt confident I could get several bites and accurately assess how each bait performed against the others. Across the board, I found several great options. Here are the best.
Specs
- Length: 6, 8, and 10 inches
- Weight: 2.2 ounces (8 inch)
- Colors: 14 options
- Price: $24.99
Pros
- Easy to work
- Skips well
- Fluid gliding action
- Replaceable hook harness
- Stalls and sinks slowly
Cons
- Needs to be stored correctly to maintain shape
The Berkley Chop Block is the best glide bait you can buy for under $100. I’ll take it one step further to say that this bait is better than most glide baits priced well above $100. The Chop Block only costs $16, $25, or $30, depending on the size you buy. That means you don’t have to be terrified of breaking off a $90 bait every time you make a cast. But the bait’s action and build are what really set it apart.
The first thing you’ll notice when you pick up a Chop Block is the soft body. While most glide baits are hard-bodied, the soft design allows this bait to skip well and reach places traditional glide baits can’t get. The soft body also changes how it moves, stalls, and suspends in the water. You can twitch and pause this bait, and it will all but suspend as the action slowly dissipates. And the fleshy material that the Chop Block is made of gives the bait a natural fluidity in the water, as opposed to the harder, choppy action of two big slabs of hard plastic hinged in the middle. Think of an S action from above as opposed to a Z action. This is a more natural presentation.
The hook harness is also great. There’s a treble hook stowed in the belly of the forward half of the bait, and then a rope tied to a double hook that attaches to a magnet to cover the rear of the bait. This adds a line-through swimbait feel, allowing the bait to detach from the hook during the fight and taking the leverage away from the fish. It is also lighter than most glide baits, so you don’t need technique-specific gear. My 8-inch test bait could be thrown on a normal 200-size reel and a rod in the 7-foot, 6-inch range, as long as it’s rated for a bait weighing 2.2 ounces (which is what the 8-inch Chop Block weighs).
Specs
- Length: 7 inches
- Weight: 2.4 ounces
- Colors: 6 options
- Price: $59.49
Pros
- Easy to work
- Great choppy action
- High quality
- Effective
Cons
- Not as good for wide, slow glides
I’ve been fishing with the SPRO KGB Chad Shad 180 for a little over two years now. It’s easy to fish, and for 60 bucks, there’s no better value in the glide bait market than the Chad Shad. Quality components like rotating hook hangers and a brush tail help make this a great bait, but the action and effectiveness of this lure are what really elevate it. You can generate a fantastic chopping action with a simple turn of the reel handle, where several of the other baits in this test required pumping of the rod tip to get a consistent action. This bait also proved itself to be a fish catcher. And effectiveness is often the primary factor when choosing a bait. Some glides have great actions, colors, and components, but, for whatever reason, they don’t get eaten. Not the Chad Shad. It has all the components and features you want out of a good glide bait, and it crushes fish.
Specs
- Length: 6.5 inches
- Weight: 1.75 ounces
- Colors: 8 options
- Price: $29.99
Pros
- Easy to work
- Great action, both fast and slow
Cons
- Fixed hook hangers, rigid tail
The Savage Gear Glide Swimmer is a great budget-friendly option if you’re considering getting into glide bait fishing. There are a few minor differences that demote the Glide Swimmer to a slightly lower class of bait, like fixed hook hangers and a rigid tail. But overall, this is a solid bait, especially for the money. At $30, you get a good entry-level bait that is easy to work. The Glide Swimmer is also versatile, in that you can work this bait slow (creating relatively wide glides) as well as fast (producing sharp chops back and forth). It’s rare to find a bait that can do both actions well, especially one that costs as much as a couple of packs of soft plastics.
Specs
- Length: 7 inches
- Weight: 2.5 ounces
- Colors: 7 options
- Price: $44.99
Pros
- Easy to work
- Versatile
- Great action
- Rotating hook hangers
Cons
- Some water entered the bait
Renowned swimbait maker Matt McBee (aka Tater Hog) teamed up with Strike King to bring an affordable, quality glide bait to the masses. With rotating hook hangers, big beefy trebles, seven colors, a spare tail, and packaging that can be used to store the bait safely, the Hog Father Jr is legit. The only drawback is that my test bait got some condensation inside after fishing. Other than that, this bait has a great action and is easy to work.
Specs
- Length: 7.8 inches
- Weight: 4 ounces
- Colors: 6 options
- Price: $99.99
Pros
- Great packaging
- Feathered and non-feathered hooks included
- Twin Skin construction
- Great slow, wide glides
Cons
- Top of the price range
- Not good for choppy action
The Savage Gear Scandal uses a rubberized outer layer over a hard ABS body. This helps create hyperrealistic color patterns and a gap between the layers that fills up with water. When you cast it, the bait floats until water enters the body channels through the mouth. This turns the bait into a slow-sinking glide that cuts through the water naturally, with wide, slow, lumbering glides. It comes with two feathered hooks and two non-feathered hooks, and a storage case. The Scandal retails for $100.
Specs
- Length: 8.66 inches
- Weight: 3 and 3/8 ounces
- Colors: 6 options
- Price: $49.99
Pros
- Great attention to detail
- Versatile
- Effective
Cons
- No bluegill or bream colors
Not only does the Gravitator have a solid slow- and fast-action retrieve, it also features two line ties. If you want to keep the bait on the surface like a wakebait, tie to the bottom eyelet. For a few feet of depth—or to get it down deeper—use the top eye. The transparent color patterns include built-in flash: a piece of reflective foil connected to a sensitive spring. With each twitch, the foil shivers and reflects light, and it continues to quiver even when the bait pauses between movements. I’ve caught some good fish on the Gravitator, including one standout day when it consistently produced quality bass.
Specs
- Length: 6.25 inches
- Weight: 1.75 ounces
- Colors: 6 options
- Price: $95.00
Pros
- Great choppy action
- Easy to work
- High quality
- Rotating hook hangers
- Stalls and restarts easily
Cons
- Not as effective at fishing slowly
- Expensive
There are a few key features that set the Eco Glide apart. For starters, this is an extremely easy bait to work. Developing a simple cadence of reel handle bursts is all you need to get this bait chopping back and forth smoothly and quickly. This was also one of the best baits for stalling or adding a pause to the cadence. When you pause the Eco Glide, it hovers for a second, then with the next turn of the handle, it’s right back on its way.
This is a great bait if you’re looking for a fast swimming, choppy-style glide. It’s not good for big, slow, wide glides. And that makes sense based on its size and shape. Generally, longer baits produce wider glides while shorter baits with more surface area are usually easier to chop. That rule of thumb holds true with the Eco Glide. Measuring 6 ¼ inches, the Eco Glide was one of the smaller baits in the test. This also makes it the best option for beginners new to big-bait fishing.
Specs
- Length: 9 inches
- Weight: 3.8 ounces
- Colors: 20 options
- Price: $49.99
Pros
- Great bait for slow, wide glides
- Rotating hook hangers
- Vast color selection
Cons
- Doesn’t perform well when retrieved quickly
I’ve been fishing with the 9-inch 6th Sense Draw for a little over a year. In that time, I’ve caught a number of fish with it, including some big bites. The best part about this bait is the type of eats it produces. The Draw has a mesmerizing, slow, wide glide. And you often get the opportunity to watch a fish fall under its spell, as it draws them in (hence the name). The only real downside is the lack of versatility. You can’t chop this bait as easily as you can with others on this list. Therefore, it’s more of a one-trick pony, but still a pony you should consider adding to the stable, because that one trick is a good one.
Specs
- Length: 8 inches
- Weight: 3.5 ounces
- Colors: 18
- Price: $45.99
Pros
- Slow, wide glides
- Great knocking sound
Cons
- Not good at working fast
- Rolls a little
The River2Sea S-Waver 200 is a fan favorite and a West Coast staple, but I wasn’t terribly impressed with it. I had a harder time working this bait; it tended to roll a little, and I wasn’t able to chop it. But it does a couple things well—and has one feature in particular that’s better than all the others: a loud, one-knocker sound. The loud knocking sound of the S Waver reminded me a lot of the big wood rats and other wakebaits that are known to draw giants in. So, I have no doubt that there are times when the knocking sound of the S Waver will make this the perfect glide for the job. If you like that combination of slow, wide glides and a thudding knock, you should buy this bait. If you’re in the market for a choppier bait, look to the Chad Shad or Eco Glide.
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