Plenty of Options to Explore... The Baitsanity Gen 2
Glidebait with Hatch Match Tails
Date: |
3/21/21 |
Tackle type: |
Lure |
Manufacturer: |
Baitsanity |
Reviewer: |
Zander |
Total Score: 8.56 -
BEST VALUE AWARD
Introduction: It has been nearly three years since our review of the
original Baitsanity Explorer and over the last two seasons we have been fishing
the company's updated version, the Explorer Gen2, which features a clever
interchangeable tail design as well as multiple new patterns to better match the
hatch.
Baitsanity
Explorer
Gen 2
Glide
Bait
Specifications |
Type |
Swimbait
(Glide Bait) |
Length |
9.5 inches |
Weight |
5
ounces |
Material |
ABS Resin
Body, PVC
Plastic Tail
(Comes with
standard
tail but
other
options are
now
available in
the
HatchMatch
Series) |
Sections |
2 |
Sink Rate |
Slow Sink |
Patterns |
7 |
MSRP |
$69.99 |
The Baitsanity Gen 2
may bear the same
profile as the
original but now
comes with a wide
range of patterns
and a new
BaitConnect
interchangeable tail
system
Impressions:
When Baitsanity
first
debuted the Explorer
it was their first
foray into the big
bait scene. The
original glidebait
debuted with Carp
and Trout patterns
and bore a retail
price of $69.99,
making it a more
cost effective
option than many of
the more expensive,
and often hard to
procure, JDM
glidebaits.
The frowning face
design has become a
signature element on
all Baitsanity
swimbaits
Over the last few
years since I
originally purchased
those first two
Explorer glidebaits
from Tackle
Warehouse I've
gotten to know the
team at Baitsanity
and was surprised to
learn that the brand
is also based in the
Bay Area here in
Northern California.
Like many other
delta region
swimbait makers the
team at Baitsanity
is obsessed with
constantly improving
their baits and
providing anglers
with tools to pursue
trophy fish. One of
the goals of the
company has always
been to make these
products accessible
to anglers, and the
follow up to the
Antidote was
smaller, and much
more affordable,
Antidote Series
glidebaits.
The Antidote
Glidebaits measure
7.5 inches, weigh in
at 2.7 ounces, and
retail for only
$24.99.
One of the new
patterns ins the
Ghost, a white bait
with grey highlights
The Antidote is more
than just a smaller
Explorer and comes
with a textured body
and was also the
first time that the
company started to
showcase their wider
palette of finishes.
The brand wasn't
afraid to introduce
some very unique
finishes including a
beige pattern called
"Bread," and even a
full bodied red
"Craw" pattern.
While the Antidote
also represents an
excellent value for
anglers it is the
Explorer Series that
still carries the
torch for the brand
when it comes to
halo design and
features.
A look at the empty
BaitConnect channel
which features a
clever locking
design at the bottom
of the bait and "T"
shaped receiver on
top to properly
isolate the tail
A season and a half
ago the brand
introduced the
second generation of
their Explorer. The
original had already
accounted for many
trophy bass and
striper catches, and
had developed a
strong following
among glidebait
fans, especially
those just delving
into the big bait
game. Rather than
completely redesign
the lure Baitsanity
approached the
refresh with a
careful approach of
making sure to
preserve everything
that anglers liked
about the original,
with a focus on
adding features and
refinement to the
original design.
A look at all three
tail designs, the
standard which comes
with the bait
(left), the Hatch
Match which has a
paddle tail design
(top), and the new
Hatch Match GX 2.0
(center)
New additions to the
Gen 2 bait include a
tail attachment
redesign called the
BaitConnect system
which features a
quick locking
design. This spawned
the Hatch Match
Paddle tail which,
when equipped,
changes the overall
profile of the bait,
making it longer and
giving it a harder
kicking action of a
traditional boot
tail, while
preserving the
S-shaped gliding
action of the
original bait. The
new Explorer was
also introduced with
a much wider range
of patterns, all of
which showcased
improved detailing
and durability of
the original, and
with those patterns
the company also
made matching Hatch
Match tails
available for $15.99
each.
Fast forward to this
year and the team at
Baitsanity has now
introduced their
second Hatch Match tail
option, the
uniquely shaped GX
2.0, which is
designed to unlock
the widest glide of
the Explorer yet. It
was after fishing
this configuration
that I knew we had
to do put together
this updated review,
as the design alters not only
the action of the
bait, but the very
way in which anglers
can fish it.
The Explorer Gen 2
equipped with the
Hatch Match GX 2.0
tail. Notice how
long the bait now
becomes, and now
measures in close to
11 inches!
Real World Tests:
I was already
quite familiar with
the original
Baitsanity Explorer
and was interested
to see how the new
bait, with the
updated tail
configurations,
fished differently.
Over the course of
the last year I
fished the Gen 2
baits side by side
with the original,
changing out tail
configurations
depending on
applications,
pursuing both
largemouth bass and
stripers in the
Northern California
Delta and
surrounding lakes.
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