What in your opinion is the optimal length/weight hardbody jointed swimbait/glide bait for river smallmouth?

[Ohioguy25]

Small rivers, that is. 75 ft wide, 4/6 ft deep.  Quite a few larger fish in it for a river its size, a lot of 18/19”. 
 

Looking to add glides into my arsenal, they seem to catch big fish. What do you think is the ideal length/weight?

[looking45]

I would start with a 5” glide bait. 

[Deleted account]

No optimal. I'd bring a couple 5"-7" and let the fish decide. The width of the body makes a significant difference on the profile a swimbait presents, and of course the action is also a factor.

[WRB]

Rapala BX Extreme Swimmer, 4 3/4”, 3/4 oz.

Tom

[Drew03cmc]

21 hours ago, WRB said:

Rapala BX Extreme Swimmer, 4 3/4”, 3/4 oz.

Tom

That's a lipped bait, not a glide. For a true glide, Golden Belt Customs has a 5.5" 1oz bait called the Swather that looks like what you want and it can be thrown on your spinnerbait rod.

[WRB]

1 hour ago, Drew03cmc said:

That's a lipped bait, not a glide. For a true glide, Golden Belt Customs has a 5.5" 1oz bait called the Swather that looks like what you want and it can be thrown on your spinnerbait rod.

True, it’s a hinged balsa swimmer that appeals more to River Smallmouth bass imo. 6th Sense, R2Sea, Deps all make 4 1/2’ to 5” glides.

Tom

[Bluebasser86]

I've had really good success for smallmouth with the River2Sea Gear Glide in the 5.25" model in the Chartreuse Flash color. They have a few new colors that I'd check out also like Chartreuse/White, Ghost Bone, and Ghost Gizzard. I burn it really fast and they react very violently to it. 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Savage_Gear_Glide_Swimmer/descpage-SGGS.html

[Bass Rutten]

Every body of water is different. I throw the swaver 120 & 168 (4.75/6.75”) on a local river and only the 120 gets bit there.

[Firstoutfisher]

Gancraft Jointed Claw 70 or jointed claw 128

[Ohioguy25]

17 hours ago, Bass Rutten said:

Every body of water is different. I throw the swaver 120 & 168 (4.75/6.75”) on a local river and only the 120 gets bit there.

What size river/fish?

23 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

I've had really good success for smallmouth with the River2Sea Gear Glide in the 5.25" model in the Chartreuse Flash color. They have a few new colors that I'd check out also like Chartreuse/White, Ghost Bone, and Ghost Gizzard. I burn it really fast and they react very violently to it. 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Savage_Gear_Glide_Swimmer/descpage-SGGS.html

Is that River2Sea? Says Savage Gear. You find the 5.25” gets more bites than 6.5”?

[Bluebasser86]

50 minutes ago, Ohioguy25 said:

Is that River2Sea? Says Savage Gear. You find the 5.25” gets more bites than 6.5”?

Yeah my bad, it's Savage Gear. With that bait, I get more bites on the 5.25" version. It's the only smaller glide I've ever really liked. 

[Bass Rutten]

5 hours ago, Ohioguy25 said:

What size river/fish?

Medium size river. My biggest smallie last year, 4 1/4lb, came on the 120 in the abalone shad color, had a musky roll on it a couple weeks back, was on for 2 seconds then just came off.

[Ohioguy25]

On 10/28/2022 at 3:19 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

Yeah my bad, it's Savage Gear. With that bait, I get more bites on the 5.25" version. It's the only smaller glide I've ever really liked. 

So for all other brands you prefer 6”+?

[Bluebasser86]

1 hour ago, Ohioguy25 said:

So for all other brands you prefer 6”+?

All other glides really, even other Savage Gear baits.

[Aaron_H]

On 10/27/2022 at 3:11 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

I've had really good success for smallmouth with the River2Sea Gear Glide in the 5.25" model in the Chartreuse Flash color. They have a few new colors that I'd check out also like Chartreuse/White, Ghost Bone, and Ghost Gizzard. I burn it really fast and they react very violently to it. 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Savage_Gear_Glide_Swimmer/descpage-SGGS.html

 

Dang, and only 8 bucks for some of the colors....I see a purchase being made very shortly. I'm not a big swimbait/glidebait guy, but I think that 5" model would do very well in my waters.

[waymont]

That 5” Savage Gear glide is great. I catch lots of bass and pike on it.