The HatchMatch Atom tail will be available later this year, and like the Paddle Tail it will be sold separately. This is one of the coolest things about the latest Baitsanity baits is that they are a platform for customization as the current, and future, BaitConnect system tails effectively change the profile of the swimbait and can even unlock new actions. It is important to note that the HatchMatch tails used on the Explorer Glide Gill are the 3.0 version and are not compatible with the HatchMatch 2.0 tails that are used on the larger Explorer Gen 2 glidebaits.

After extensive use hook rash can be seen on the baits but performance is unaffected

In terms of durability the Explorer Gill Glides held up well and I didn’t have a single joint break or tail rip off over the last four months. Like many other glidebaits the Gill Glide does take abuse from its own hooks and will form round hook rash marks on the sides of the bait the more that it is fished. The hand painted tails will also rough up over time as a result from strikes but neither really seemed to have any effect on the performance of the bait. It is funny how sometimes the rashed up baits become the “lucky” lures that we build confidence on and seem to outfish the fresh out of box baits. The Baitsanity Glide Gills are no different and even held up better than the company’s larger Explorer Glides as the textured body resists deep hookpoints and scratches, and there are no soft ventral fins to potentially come off.

The Alpha is a good trashfish pattern that mimics a lot of forage

Price & Applications: The Baitsanity Explorer Glide Gills retail for $62.99 each which is reasonably priced for a higher-end swimbait, and certainly much lower in cost when compared to custom built swimbaits. Though these baits do exhibit a mass-production look they are built with excellent attention to detail and are very consistent. This is one of the pluses of buying a mass-produced bait like the Baitsanity Gill Glide, Megabass Vatalion, or Jackall Ganterel. These baits swim well right out of the box and the quality of construction and finish hold up well over time.

The Explorer Gill is easy to throw at 2.5 ounces and can be fished with lighter swimbait setups

The Baitsanity Explorer Gill is more expensive than these other offerings, but I think that the price of admission is justifiable when you consider the additional features like the silicon pads, tungsten tuning weights, and BaitConnect tail system. The Baitsanity offering does a great job straddling the line between mass produced and custom-built swimbaits, and though it may not have the collectability of a garage-built bait it can be just as deadly when it comes to delivering strikes and big fish.

The Raw pattern is great for stained water and targeting stripers. Don't sleep on this pattern, it gets bit!

Though there are only four current patterns the portfolio does a good job addressing most gill types, and I was happy to see a Raw (matte white) pattern available at the time of launch. All the Gills have a nice matte, or metallic, finish and I think the only pattern that is really missing is a yellowish, or bread pattern, to match those near-glowing pre-spawn gills. My favorite patterns is the Jungle Perch which does a good job mimicking everything from a bluegill to a juvenile crappie. Early season I like the Bluegill or Alpha pattern, and the Raw is my go-to bait in stained water or when out hunting for striped bass.

A pretty epic day with the the Explorer Gill Glides

Conclusion: When I first reviewed the original Baitsanity Explorer it was simply because I was looking for a more cost-effective alternative to the Deps Slide Swimmer. The original bait impressed me with the build and overall value. For some Baitsanity lures represent the start of their big bait game, a gateway glide that leads into JDM and custom-built swimbaits. The second-generation Explorer upped the ante significantly with new more detailed patterns, and the addition of the BaitConnect system and a wide range of HatchMatch tails. It is during this period that the company really started to set itself apart from a design and innovation standpoint.

The Baitsanity Explorer Gill Glide is not just another great value, it is a great bait!

The Explorer Glide Gill is technically the Baitsanity’s forth glide offering, and simply put, it is their best swimbait yet. The Explorer Gill takes everything that the company has learned from their previous lures and makes improvements to the design from a feature, finish, and customization standpoint. The Gill Glide’s float and sink models are a deadly combination to target fish at different depths, and during different times of the year, and switching out HatchMatch tails is a fun way to vary your retrieves, making this bait incredibly versatile. The Atom tail is just a sampling of what is to come, and the team is already hard at work on additional options. Baitsanity’s existing Explorer and Antidote swimbaits have both proven to be great values, but the Explorer Glide is simply an all-around great bait and is the first Baitsanity swimbait to earn our Editor’s Choice Award. Is the Baitsanity Gill glide ready? Let’s just say I would recommend grabbing one for your arsenal for the coming Spring before they all sell out.

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