azfisher Posted April 3, 2020 Report Share Posted April 3, 2020 (edited) I decided to re-do a gill glide I had previously made, it didn't look like much but it got bit and I had a blast fishing it. That's the bait in the bottom pic. It didn't glide far, as it had a very open joint and a soft plastic tail, it more twerked. It worked really well in shallow cover, submerged tree tops and along tullie edges. I caught about 20 fish between 3 and just under 6 lbs last year, couldn't break 6 tho. So this time I carved a new one a little smaller, turned out to be 6 inches long and a little chunky at 4.6 oz's, so it should move some water. I went for a lot more detail in this one as well as a different joint style. Also went with a Lexan tail vs a softer tail. Got the molds made and cast a few, they looked real nice, I was stoked! Put them together and did some ballast testing and I was pretty close to slow sinking with the first three. I pour with the weights inside the mold so I don't have to drill and fill for ballast, so being close on weight was awesome. The first few were a little light and I had to add Suspend dots and strips for final tuning, but I was working with 50* water in January for swim testing. Really stoked to get bit the first time out. But between pouring the first 3 and getting bit things went a little sideways. While I was close on ballast weight, I started adjusting my ballast weight amount and placement vs my recipe/microballoon ratio and got off track. I had to much weight up high in the bait, they slow sank, but they wanted to roll some. So went back and added more ballast and jammed a whole bunch more microballoons in it and got it dialed in. It swims much more stable with new ratio but unfortunately with the higher MB ratio I'm getting a lot of small bubbles in the surface area in the top of the bait. While I can easily fill the spru area and the smooth top of the bait with body filler, all the face and gill and shoulder area detail was another story. The smaller detail was getting filled in with the body filler so I had to find a happy medium. Some day I'll work a new recipe with a slower setting resin and vacuum cast them for a cleaner bait. For now I'm happy with the swim and glide so I'll suffer the bubble issues for the time being. While swim testing for the joint spacing, I figured out this bait did not like a tight joint. When I had the joint tighter, trying to achieve a wider glide, it made the bait want to rock and buck some when I quit reeling. When I opened the joint a little more, it cost a little in the side to side gliding distance but really stabilized the glide and balance. I've always used a 5/4:1 reel for my other gill glide because it had such a short glide. I switched to a 6/4:1 while testing. Between opening the joint and the reel change, the bait came to life. I was happy when I came home that day and ready to go fish it. Have to say thanks to Azsouth for his help bouncing ideas, advice and testing the shizz out of my baits for me. I'd change something on a bait and leave it in the mailbox at nite and he'd swing by on the way to the lake in the am and grab it and swim the crap out of it for me. and then give me a report. That's him him doing the 360's with the bait, I didn't even know the bait would do that, I fish them slow and methodical and he fishes harder and faster. The value of a different perspective and style, thanks. I've be using Abu Garcia NaCl 50, 6/4:1 for the reel and recently got a couple 806's that throw the bait well. I strictly use 20 Abrazx for line fish it with a #3 Decoy snap. And leave the snap on the bait, it ballasted with the snap. The bait comes with Owner St-36 hooks and 2x Stainless hardware. Wicked and Createx paints and 2K high solids auto clear. I managed two fish this winter on the first two trips out with the bait. First being a 3.88 and the second was a real nice 5.59 that didn't make it on video. I hope to catch an 8 this year with it myself, that's my goal. We'll see what the future holds... Thanks for checking it out... Edited April 3, 2020 by azfisher juice54, BOZ, brushhawg1 and 5 others 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthefisherman Posted April 3, 2020 Report Share Posted April 3, 2020 Bait looks great, brother! azfisher 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOZ Posted April 3, 2020 Report Share Posted April 3, 2020 Looks good man azfisher 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
porkmeatballs Posted April 4, 2020 Report Share Posted April 4, 2020 Awesome! One trick that you could use in an attempt to neutralize bubbles on the surface of the bait is to brush a thin layer of baby powder on the inside of the mold before pouring. This helps to draw bubbles/moisture away from the sides of the bait. azfisher 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millerst12 Posted April 4, 2020 Report Share Posted April 4, 2020 Very cool - awesome video - that catch had to be a great feeling! azfisher 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rogervang Posted April 4, 2020 Report Share Posted April 4, 2020 Bait looking good brother. That's a stud your got there on the bait. azfisher 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrierBob Posted April 4, 2020 Report Share Posted April 4, 2020 Awesome video, awesome bait. azfisher 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azfisher Posted April 4, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2020 Thanks for the kind words everyone, I appreciate it. One thing I forgot to mention is this bait would be best fished from a boat or a kayak so you can retrieve it. It hangs on everything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azsouth Posted April 6, 2020 Report Share Posted April 6, 2020 Great work! I know the work that you have put into the design and creation of this bAit! My hat is off to you Sir! azfisher 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wykyd B8 Posted April 6, 2020 Report Share Posted April 6, 2020 WOW! the detail on this and the stability when you rip is amazing! I love everything about this bait great job bruddah! azfisher 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El_Weruso Posted April 6, 2020 Report Share Posted April 6, 2020 Very nice will! azfisher 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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