What is "Back Sliding" & How Can It Help You Catch More Bass?

Featuring the O.S.P. DoLive Shot Spotlight

If you are a Smallie Chaser there is little doubt that you have fished a Tube at some point. Tube Fishing remain one of the best and easiest techniques to catch quality Smallmouth throughout our region but there are some options that expand on traditional tube fishing that may help you increase your catch rates for Smallies.

“Back Sliding” is certainly one of them but far too many Smallie Chasers are unfamiliar with this technique.

The Japanese bass fishing technique known as "Back Sliding" is a finesse-style fishing method used to target bass, particularly when they are positioned in cover or around structure. The technique is unique because the bait is rigged in a way that causes it to glide backward (away from the angler) on the fall, unlike traditional lures that move toward the angler when cast. This is a very different directional fall that most Smallmouth are likely not used to seeing presented to them.

Back Sliding allows you to create a presentation that truly reflects a craw or a shrimp running away and the action has a wider span on the twitch or pop than a traditional tube rigged. When back sliding, you basically rig your your bait in reverse by entering the tail or back end of the bait with the hook over the tip of the bait.

Not only does this rigging change the action but also the fall rate of the bait in the water column. The hula or legs of the imitator will flutter creating enticing action as you pull or twitch the bait out of cover. Rigged weightless the body action can roll and free drift with the fluttering creating disturbance in the water as it is reeled or twitched. Bouncing this off the bottom in and around cover and grass is very effective.

The kicking and fluttering of the end can also mimic tails of baitfish as well if the bait is rigged the traditional way weightless or with a jig end or the usual way of fishing a tube bait for Smallmouth.

The O.S.P DoLive Shot is probably the most effective of the soft plastics to Back Slide but you certainly can do others. The technique seems to favor those baits with not only a wide girth but also those with a hook slot like the Shot so the rig can be balanced.

One of the second most effective measures you can take with the O.S.P DoLive Shot or any other soft plastic tube for example is to nail sinker the the front of the bait. Using different size nail weights will adjust your rate of fall in the water column to meet the conditions of the river and the rate preferred based on the Smallmouth behavior or pattern.

Back Sliding Technique Overview:

• Bait Choice: Soft plastics, such as creature baits or stick-style worms, are typically used in the back-sliding technique. These are often rigged weightless or with minimal weight to emphasize the backward gliding action.

• Rigging: The key to achieving the back-sliding action is rigging the soft plastic in a way that shifts the center of gravity toward the rear of the bait. This is often done by inserting a hook farther back or by modifying the bait to achieve a backward fall.

• Action: When cast, the bait will glide away from the angler, penetrating into difficult-to-reach spots like under docks, beneath overhangs, or into thick cover where bass tend to hide.

• When to Use: Back sliding is especially effective in clear, pressured waters where bass are skittish and are positioned deep in cover, requiring a stealthy approach. It’s a slow, methodical technique that tempts bass into striking a lure that appears to retreat away from them.

How Back Sliding Relates to Tube Fishing for Smallmouth Bass in River Systems:

Tube fishing is certainly a highly effective technique for targeting Smallmouth Bass in our river systems. Tube fishing involves using a hollow soft plastic tube bait that mimics crawfish or baitfish, which are key prey items for smallmouth bass.

• Similarities:

  • Finesse Presentation: Both back sliding and tube fishing rely on a natural, slow, and subtle presentation. Smallmouth, especially in pressured or clear water conditions, are often attracted to these finesse approaches.

  • Targeting Bass in Cover: Both techniques excel when targeting bass that are holding near cover or structure. Whether it's back sliding a bait under a dock or fishing a tube around rocks, ledges, or boulders in a river, the slow and enticing fall of these baits draws in bass from cover.

  • Versatility: Both can be used in tough fishing conditions, such as high-pressure areas or when the bass are less aggressive, because they are designed to trigger reaction strikes from bass that might not chase a fast-moving lure.

• Differences:

  • Tube Fishing in Currents: In river systems, tube fishing shines when current is present. Tubes are rigged with a jig head that allows them to bounce along the bottom or swim naturally with the flow, mimicking prey in the current. Back sliding, on the other hand, is more of a slack-water technique, as it requires calm conditions to glide backward into cover.

  • Presentation Style: The back-sliding method is best used in still water or slack-water environments, such as lakes or eddies in a river, where the slow gliding action can be performed without interruption. Tube fishing is better suited to river systems with current, where the tube’s darting action mimics a crawfish or baitfish being swept along by the flow.

Back Sliding for River Smallmouth:

While back sliding is more traditionally associated with still water scenarios, it can still be applied in calm areas of rivers, such as eddies or behind current breaks where smallmouth bass often wait to ambush prey. However, in the faster-moving sections of a river system, a tube fishing presentation is typically more effective due to its ability to mimic natural prey in moving water.

Key Takeaways:

• Back Sliding works best in areas where precision is required to place the bait deep into cover.

• Tube Fishing excels in river systems where Smallies are feeding along the bottom or near structure in current, offering a more natural presentation in moving water.

• Both techniques are highly effective for catching bass, but their ideal conditions differ slightly, with back sliding being better for still or slack-water areas and tube fishing for current-dominated environments.

Some of the O.S.P. DoLive Shot colorations preferred are the Green Pumpkin /Chartuese and the Neon Wakasagi

There are quite a few colors in the 4 inch and 4.5 inch available to match your hatch in your river system.

DoLive by O.S.P. will be featured as one of the baits in the Demo Bait Box COMING SOON!!

FREE Subscription Level direct to your INBOX!! Premium Level Subscription Includes Bait Delivery Each Month Direct to your DOOR specific for Smallmouth Fishing for you!!

Resources:

Facebook Groups:

Smallmouth Army:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1322144201945490

Smallie Chaser River Bassin:

You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheSmallieChaserChannel

https://www.facebook.com/groups/885248796934955many challenges for Smallmouth anglers especially those fishing from a kayak or wade fishing.