Winter 2026
swimbaits and a larger glide bait. All feature exceptional detail, the result of the craftsmanship of Gardner, a world-class woodcarver and artist. Beyond their stunning appearance, these new baits swim incredibly well and are poised to become favorites among bass anglers.
THE ORIGINS OF SYNCH
Gardner has been making his own baits for decades— glide baits for nearly twenty years—and has long been involved in bait design and custom colors. He began working
dealing with it yourself; many people were involved from the company and factory, so it took a lot of back and forth and testing prototypes.”
The result is three unique baits presented in premium packaging, each including a certificate of authenticity. “We wanted the box and designs to make the customer feel like it’s an experience getting one of these baits,” Gardner shared. “We also put the certificate of authenticity in each one to show that these baits are special and something I’ve been working on for a long time. I’ve been carving baits for 40 years, and this is a culmination of all of that.”
MEET THE BAITS
Beyond the stunning looks and unique packaging, the true purpose of these baits is simple: to catch fish. All three swim exceptionally well and were designed with performance first.
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with American Baitworks several years ago, and the idea for a hard-bait line was always part of the plan. It has now come to life under a new brand: Synch Fishing.
“They hired me based on my experience making custom baits and painting, and we had the idea of doing hard baits when I started with them almost seven years ago,” Gardner said. “It took a little longer than expected as we were redoing a lot of their other brands like Scum Frog and Snag Proof, but this was always part of the plan. I started carving and testing prototypes for Synch Fishing almost three years ago to get them just how I wanted them.”
What makes these baits unique is their look—part realism, part artwork—and this was intentional. “Any computer can create a copy of a realistic fish, but we didn’t want to do that and wanted a different style,” he said. “I wanted the deep features just like a wood-carved piece, but in a plastic body. That was a challenge since you’re not just
The first bait developed was the Artisan Glide, a 7-inch, 3-ounce glide bait. “The Artisan Glide 180 was the first one, and it’s a two-piece conventional-style glide,” Gardner said. “It’s not so much a chop glide and has more of an ‘S’ swimming motion. You can chop it, but it’s more of a slow- swimming glide.”
The bait includes deep grooves that add visual appeal and hold scent—such as BaitFuel—more effectively. “We wanted those in the actual design for that reason, and we also added glass eyes to give the bait more depth, and behind the eye is a UV spray with a subtle glow,” Gardner explained. “The bait is ABS plastic but has soft PVC fins, so it bends when a fish bites it. The other thing is it has conventional bearings for a knocking sound, but we have plans for a future model with fixed weights that will be more of a chopping-style glide bait.”
The two gill-shaped swimbaits, sized at 90mm (7/8 ounce) and 130mm (2.5 ounces), are more traditional swimmers and feature the same plastic bodies with soft PVC fins. “They swim just like a live fish, and there’s really no wrong way to retrieve them,” he said. “They also have a moderate sink rate, not a slow sink, so they are great for guys using them with forward-facing sonar. You can cast them along bluegill beds, docks, and right on the bank. The anglers using them have been killing it with them since they were released.”
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