ABOUT US

The Story Behind the Glider Snare

I grew up in South Korea and immigrated to the United States when I was 30 years old. I lived in Dallas, Texas, for nine years before moving to the Pacific Northwest, where I have lived for about 20 years.

After working for the U.S. Postal Service for 19 years, I decided to take early retirement.

Fishing has always been one of my greatest passions. During my years in Texas, I often drove six hours on weekends to fish in the Gulf of Mexico. What started as a way to enjoy my free time eventually became an important part of my life.

One day, while my son was on vacation, he invited me to go fishing in Westport, Washington. While fishing there, we unexpectedly caught several crabs on our fishing hooks. That experience opened my eyes to how exciting crabbing could be.

My father was an inventor who always looked at things differently. He constantly searched for ways to improve existing products and create something new. Inspired by his curiosity and creativity, I began looking for a better way to catch crabs.

I started watching YouTube videos and learning about crab snares. I quickly realized that crab snaring was both practical and enjoyable, but I also saw opportunities for improvement. I wanted to develop something more effective, easier to use, and accessible to people of all ages.

That decision marked the beginning of a three-year journey filled with experimentation, challenges, and countless design improvements.

It took nearly a year to complete my first working prototype. Along the way, I encountered numerous technical challenges, particularly with material strength, structural stability, and durability. Stainless steel rods bent or broke, welds failed, and nearly every component required repeated adjustments. Maintaining stability during casting and preventing the snare from flipping were especially difficult challenges.

My original invention was very different from the Glider Snare you see today. I even obtained a patent for that earlier design. It featured a unique mechanism that allowed the loops to open automatically during casting and tighten when pulled.

Although the concept worked, the design was complicated to manufacture and too expensive to produce commercially. After years of development and experimentation, I eventually decided to put that design aside and pursue a simpler, more practical solution.

That decision led to the creation of the Glider Snare.

Drawing on everything I had learned, I focused on developing a crab snare that would be easier to operate, more reliable, and more effective.

I believed that an open bait system could offer advantages over traditional enclosed bait cages. I also wanted to create a design that would cast smoothly, maintain its balance, and land upright underwater.

Inspired by aerodynamic principles, I designed four wings positioned at the corners of the snare. These wings help the Glider travel smoothly through the air, descend in a controlled manner, and maintain an upright position as it reaches the bottom.

I continued refining the structure, materials, and hardware to improve durability, stability, and performance under real fishing conditions.

After years of trial and error, the Glider Snare finally became the product I had envisioned.

For me, this journey has never been just about creating a fishing product. It has also been about enjoying the outdoors, meeting new people, and sharing my passion for fishing and crabbing.

One of the most rewarding experiences has been introducing the Glider Snare to fellow outdoor enthusiasts and connecting with people who share the same love of fishing, crabbing, and adventure.

Jong Lee
Inventor & Founder of Glider Snare