Swimbait Republic Glideway 176

Swimbait Republic is a specialist brand focused entirely on crafting high-quality swimbaits.

Natural Action, Versatile Retrieve

The Swimbait Republic Glideway 176 is a two-piece swimbait that also crosses into glidebait territory, depending on how you work it. On a straight retrieve it produces the classic S-shaped swimming action, snaking through the water with convincing life. Start twitching or jerking it, however, and the gliding characteristics really come into their own. You can vary the retrieve enormously: fast or slow, hard jerks or gentle twitches, with or without pauses - and any combination of these. Swimbait Republic have paid close attention to ensuring it is precisely balanced, so it not only moves with a natural action on the move but also sits convincingly during rest phases. The Swimbait Republic Glideway 176 was designed to tempt even the largest and most cautious predators, with pike and largemouth bass as the primary targets.

Variability Wins

Out of the box, the Swimbait Republic Glideway 176 is a slow floating model - it rises slowly when you pause the retrieve. There are plenty of situations, though, where suspending or even slow sinking is more effective: when fish are holding deep, for instance, or when you're fishing from an elevated position and the lure ends up tracking near the surface. To cover these scenarios, 2 lead stickers are included, which can be fitted at the two marked positions on the belly. One sticker converts the slow floater into a suspender; with 2 stickers it becomes a slow sinker. This lets you reach depths of up to 4 m to get in front of fish holding down deep. Being able to adapt to conditions catches more fish - variability wins. Worth remembering, too: water density increases in winter, which can cause a suspender to start floating. The lead stickers let you compensate for this as well. Replacement stickers are available to buy separately, so losing one is no problem.

Interchangeable Tail

The tail of the Swimbait Republic Glideway 176 is made from silicone, while the body is constructed from ABS plastic. The standout feature of the tail is that it is interchangeable. Spare tails are available to buy in various colours, giving you the option to mix and match colour combinations and find out what works best for you. Swimbait Republic specifically recommend removing the tail for storage. Although it is made from very robust, deformation-resistant silicone, taking it off reduces the risk of deformation even further. You should also avoid storing the lure alongside oily soft plastics, as the oil can lift the printed design on the back of the body.

Please note: the lure is supplied complete with hooks and a spare tail. Photos are for illustrative purposes only.

Note: EO Carp and EO Trout are special colour patterns created by well-known fish illustrator Eric Otten.

Key Facts:

• Swimbait / glidebait
• available in various colours
• Length: 17.6 cm
• Weight: 80.5 g
• Sink rate: variable; slow floating without added weight
• includes lead stickers to adjust sink rate
• body made from ABS plastic
• silicone tail, interchangeable