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Illude Lunker Fighters Zombie
Gerbil – A Deadly Walker (continued)
 
Price and
Availability: Illude Narle Gerbils occasionally pop up on the secondhand
market, and they often sell for hundreds of dollars. At the peak, I've heard of
some very pristine examples selling for as much as $800. While the Narle Gerbil
is extremely rare, given the production challenges and small number of batches,
the Zombie Gerbil is considerably easier to obtain. This is great news for
anglers who are eager to rash up these baits.
The Zombie is available in all of
the company's popular colorways like the always tasty PB&J
Lendl continues
to produce Lunker Fighters Zombie Gerbils and makes them available in drops on
the brand's webstore. They retail for a very reasonable $125, considering their
build quality and paintwork. The Zombie can also be found secondhand in
communities like Swimbait Underground and Swimbait Universe on a regular basis.
The accessibility and value
of the Zombie Gerbil make it a great bait for swimbait anglers of all types. If
you have never fished an Illude or Lunker Fighters bait, the Zombie Gerbil is a
great way to explore these brands. It's not only a fish catcher but also a very
entertaining bait to fish.
Illude's newest rodent is the
Lunker Fighter's Acid Rat
Another bait
that is growing in popularity and is often compared with the current Zombie
Gerbil is the new Lunker Fighters Acid Rat. The Acid Rat features a new resin
formula and is designed to emit a loud knock for the bait's dimensions. Though
the Acid Rat is also resin, it is a very different bait from the Zombie Gerbil,
and it shines when fished just below the surface.
The Acid Rat is shorter than most
Illude baits but the Zombie Gerbil is still more compact and stout
"When you've
locked in that speed where it is riding just below the surface is when you get
the hard knock that the Acid Rat will have and hopefully draw in that bite,"
Lendl described. "The Gerbil is designed to fish totally differently, but not to
say it can't be fished in many other ways. Its wakes are much more aggressive
compared to the acid rat because it is moving water on the surface with a wider
profile. The knock on the Gerbil comes more from the walk, and when you are able
to wake the Gerbil, it doesn't have a strong pronounced knock."
Lip designs are very similar
I am still
learning how to get the most out of the Acid Rat, but I fully agree with Lendl
that they fish completely differently. I would recommend the Zombie Gerbil
primarily if you are looking for an easy-to-fish walking rat.
The reason the Acid Rat fishes and
knocks differently is because it has an angled v-cut joint and is so much
flatter
Lendl is always
working on new designs and tweaking old ones. This season, we are seeing more
wood baits come from Illude than in the last few years, as he has shifted
priorities to wood, with Lunker Fighters resin baits occasionally sneaking into
the production line. Illude fans will be excited to know that Lendl is going to
be making a lot more wood baits moving forward, and the recent introduction of
the wood Acid Rats at the Swimbait Universe Gathering event in Virginia is a
great example of that.
The first appearance of the new
Illude Wood Acid Rat was at the Swimbait Universe Gathering 5 in Virginia
Ratings:
(We've
re-calibrated our
ratings standard for
2008 and have
included a key at
the bottom of the
following matrix as
a guide):
|
Illude
:
Lunker
Fighters
Zombie
Gerbil
Ratings
(?/10)
|
|
Construction/Quality |
The
Zombie
Gerbil
is
reminiscent
of the
Zombie
Rat in
quality
and the
resin
and
components
hold up
much
better
than
wood
over
time.
Some of
the
baits
that I
have
fished
for
months
still
look
virtually
new |
9 |
|
Performance |
The
Zombie
Gerbil
is very
different
than the
Narle
Gerbil.
It
sounds
different
and
responds
differently
to input
due to
the
characteristics
of the
resin.
This
bait is
designed
to be a
walking
rat and
performs
best
when
fished
in this
way as
it
drives
the
loudest
clack
and will
draw
fish to
the
surface |
8.5 |
|
Price |
Retailing
for $125
dollars
the
Zombie
Gerbil is an
exceptional
value
for a
custom
resin
rat.
Illude
Narle
Gerbils
are no
longer
produced
and
existing
examples
sell for
much
more.
When
compared
with
many
other
custom
resin
swimbaits
the
Zombie
Gerbil
is a
very
competitive
offering |
9 |
|
Features |
The
Zombie
Gerbil
is a
true
walking
rat that
clacks
hard
when the
proper
rod
twitches
and
cranks
are
applied.
It comes
with
quality
hardware
that
will
hold up
well
over
time and
the
paintwork
is just
as great
as other
Illude
and
Lunker
Fighters
baits
that
have
come
before
it |
8.5 |
|
Design
(Ergonomics) |
Weighing
3.5oz.
the
Zombie
Gerbil
is
relatively
easy to
cast
with any
dedicated
XH
swimbait
stick. I
like
fishing
it with
braid to
impart
the most
walking
action
and
immediate
sets |
9 |
|
Application |
The
Zombie
Gerbil
is a
purpose
built
walking
bait but
that
doesn't
mean it
won't
catch
fish
when
retrieved
straight
or
cranked
aggressively,
it just
seems to
draw the
most
strikes
when you
maximize
the
walking
action
and
generate
the
loudest
clacks.
It isn't
as
versatile
as baits
like the
Rad Rat
but it
catches
fish and
hold up
great
over
time |
8 |
|
Total
Score
|
8.66 |
Ratings
Key:
1 =
terrible
: 2 =
poor : 3
=
lacking
: 4 =
sub par
: 5 =
mediocre
: 6 =
fair : 7
= good :
8 =
great :
9 =
excellent
: 10 =
unbelievable!
For More
Details
of the
updated
rating
system
visit
our
explanation
here |
Pluses and Minuses:
Plus |
Minus |
|
+
Takes a
proven
design and
makes it
much more
consistent |
-
Not as
responsive
(bouncy)
as wood |
|
+
Designed as
a walking
bait and
will clack
loudly when
fished in
this manner |
-
Knock pitch
is different
than the
deep sound
of wood.
More like a
clack (think
pool balls)
but unique
in it's own
way |
|
+
Much more
affordable
and
accessible
than the
original
Narle Gerbil |
-
Wood based
Narle Gerbil
is more
collectible,
but also
much more
rare and
costly in
the
secondhand
market |
|
+
Extremely
durable,
stands up to
strikes and
the resin
and paint
hold up well
over time |
|
|
+
Paint
finishes are
still
excellent.
Lendl is an
artist and
his
paintwork is
on full
display in
many
patterns.
Whiskey is
still one of
my favorite
and
Halloween
blood
splatter
colorways
are awesome |
|
|
+
Can be
fished
multiple
ways, and
when walked
aggressively
draws
violent
strikes.
Like so many
other
Illudes and
Lunker
Fighters
this bait
catches em |
|
Conclusion: Every time I talk to Lendl, I learn
something new about his baits and the unique design process behind them. Will
most anglers still place a premium on the Illude wood baits? Yes, but resin
baits like the Zombie Gerbil are not only great fish catchers but also desirable
and collectible in their own right. While the wood-based Illude Narle Gerbil may
be less consistent, it does possess a unique set of benefits as well.
Like many of Lendl's other lures
the Zombie Gerbil feels special and is a great showcase for the benefits of
resin in custom walking style rat swimbaits
Lendl explains,
"If you can look past the consistency issues of the wood Gerbil, it would still
be a prized walking and clacking bait that has caused some truly explosive
bites. The wood is definitely more bouncy with quicker response in rod
snaps/pulls or quick handle turns, and that clack compared to the resin is like
stepping into a pool hall and hearing all the billiard balls bang into one
another. The resin also walks well but definitely lacks many of the desired
characteristics of the wood Gerbil."
As similar as these two baits
may look, the material they consist of gives them very distinct attributes.
While it's easy to place a premium on wood baits, it's also important to
recognize the unique attributes and even some benefits that resin baits offer to
anglers. In the Zombie Gerbil, those benefits include a distinct sound,
consistency, durability, and accessibility.
Though it is easy to assume that
wood baits are better than resin in every way the resin bases Zombie Gerbil is
more consistent, durable, and perhaps most importantly, much more accessible to
big bait fans
As far as Illude
and Lunker Fighters swimbaits go, the Zombie Gerbil is a great value and an
absolute must-have in your arsenal if you are a fan of rat fishing, especially
if you are looking for a durable walking-style rodent. Lendl is always working
on perfecting his craft, and those lucky enough to get their hands on a wood
Acid Rat are already having success. Lendl even believes that the Wood Acid Rat
has a higher potential than any other bait the company has designed so far,
which is significant when you consider legendary baits like the Rad Rat and Rad
Triple Double. Whether it is wood or resin, Lendl knows how to build rats that
catch giants, and the affordably priced and very deadly Zombie Gerbil is no
different.
Looking for Illude baits?
Check the Illude Shop
for drops.
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