Dead Bait 3D Printed Swimbaits – Meet the Dead Rat and Dead Walker

Introduction: The rise of 3D printing has quietly reshaped how products are designed, prototyped, and even produced, and the fishing world hasn’t been immune to its pull. While the roots of 3D printing stretch back decades, it wasn’t until consumer - grade printers became affordable and accessible in the early 2010s that we began to see a true explosion in creative output. From garage tinkerers to full-blown boutique brands, creators across industries have embraced the technology to bring their visions to life, and even in the world of custom swimbaits. Enter Dead Bait, a new brand born from the minds behind Illude, Lunker Fighters, and Bass Espionage. These are names that carry serious weight in the swimbait community, especially among rat bait aficionados.

A 3D Printed Swimbait from the rat experts at Illude Baits a Lunker Fighters

3D Printed Swimbaits: 3D printing, at least in concept, has been around since the 1940s. Metal fabrication advancements emerged in the 1970s, followed by the development and patenting of photo-hardened polymer techniques in the 1980s. But it wasn’t until consumer 3D printers became accessible around 2010 that the technology truly took off with mainstream users.

For those unfamiliar, 3D printing is a method of creating physical objects from digital designs, layer by layer, using various materials and techniques. Most prints begin in CAD (computer-aided design) software, which generates a model that is sliced into thin horizontal layers for printing.

Bass Espionage brings the 3D printing expertise and is the entity behind the Reel Knot aftermarket knobs for DRT Varial handles

Today, artists and makers are using 3D printing not just for prototyping, but to produce actual retail products. It’s an efficient, cost-effective way to develop and manufacture small-batch items or cater to niche markets. Just browse Etsy and you’ll find thousands of 3D printed creations, from home organizers and car parts to custom figurines and full-scale art pieces.

Dead Bait will be offering a giant walking popper bait called the "Dead Walker." With the Illude and Lunker style paint it is hard to tell that this isn't a resin bait

Many of these products require multiple printed parts, sometimes using different filament colors, and often involve significant post-processing - like removing supports, sanding, gluing, painting, or polishing, to achieve a finished look.

The Dead Rat is 3D printed in multiple pieces, assembled, and finished with a lip and stainless steel hardware

Printing a lure prototype is one thing. Printing a production-ready swimbait that can survive violent strikes from predatory fish? That’s a serious test of both design and material. Normally, I’d be skeptical of how well a 3D printed swimbait would swim - let alone hold up over time, but once I learned more about the team behind this project, that skepticism quickly turned into excitement.

Both Dead Baits are made from thermoplastic monomer filament derived from renewable organic sources

Meet Dead Bait - a new entity and brand from the creators of Illude, Lunker Fighters, and Bass Espionage. If you’re a swimbait angler, especially a rat bait enthusiast, those names need no introduction. Lendl Ha, founder of Illude, is the mind behind the Illude Rad Rat, one of the finest handmade wooden rats available, and still my personal favorite rat swimbait.

I knew the Dead Baits would be interesting when I learned Lendl, the Luresmith responsible for creating the legendary wooden Rad Rat was involved. Here Aki from Bad News Bass shows us some of the newest Rad Rats at last week's BNB event in Sunnyvale, CA

In an effort to make his designs more accessible, Lendl launched Lunker Fighters nearly a decade ago, offering resin versions of his rat baits - appropriately dubbed “Zombies.” The line has since expanded to include resin glides, wakes, and even oversized offerings like the 9.5-ounce Grenade Wake Zombie XL Rat.

Illude is still building handmade wooden Rad Rats including the biggest baddest wood based rat - the Rad Triple Double Double XL. The Zombie version (resin) is even bigger!

Bass Espionage is the latest brand to join the family, making its debut with 3D printed “Reel Knots” - custom handle knobs designed for DRT Varial handles. These knobs look radical, feel great in hand, and are a perfect example of what’s possible with CAD and low-volume 3D printing. I didn’t know it then, but these knobs were just the appetizer for what was to come: the launch of the first Dead Baits.

A look at a Rad Rat Double with carbon lip next to the Trip Dub XL. Both are in BNB Teal blood splatter, a limited pattern

Dead Baits Come to Life: Once I learned that Lendl Ha and the Illude team were behind Dead Baits, I knew the lures would be well-built and carry the same refinement found in all their creations. Lendl sent me two early prototypes to evaluate - both in the water and against the wear and tear of real-world fishing.

The paint on the Dead Walker is of the same quality as Illude and Lunker Fighters and the bait features a familiar Illude plastic tail

The first two models launching under the Dead Bait banner are the Dead Walker and Dead Rat. The Dead Walker is a hefty, single-piece plug weighing 3.5 oz and measuring 3.5 inches. It’s finished with an Illude soft plastic tail - the same one found on Lunker Fighters lures like the Southpaw and Switchblade. The bait features an oversized mouth designed to spit and chug on a steady retrieve or when walked.

Both Dead Baits feature clever rotating hook hangers

After spending time fishing the Walker, I found it to be a unique swimbait with an injured, erratic action as it settles after each burst of movement. It produces a solid plop sound and walking takes a bit of practice due to the bait’s stout form-factor. Most anglers are more familiar with slimmer walkers, but I appreciate how the team leaned into a bolder, distinct profile. I suspect we’ll see more variations of the Walker, and I suspect a thinner version is already in the works.

Visually, the Dead Walker looks incredible. The paintwork is top-tier, on par with what we’ve come to expect from Illude and Lunker Fighters.

The Dead Rat is a very compact cute looking rat. Look closley and you can see the printed layers and multiple pieces all glued together