Grow Design Works G-Flag 150 G-Flag150 GFlag150 Soft Glide Bait Product Review #growdesign #growdesignflag #growdesigngflag

Swimbait Review

The Versatile G-Flag 150 by Grow Design Works

Date:	6/1/24
Tackle Type:	Lure
Manufacturer:	Grow Design Works
Reviewer:	Cal

Total Score: 7.83 - GOOD

Introduction: Keeping up with the latest tackle trends can be exhausting. While most of the big manufacturers make their new product announcements at annual shows like ICAST, the Bassmaster Classic, and the Japan Tackle Shows, smaller companies do not necessarily adhere to these schedules and have their own regional events. This is especially true in the world of big baits. I totally missed the boat when the manufacturer of today's product released their first bait, the Flag 170 and 255, but then, by sheer luck I managed to monitor and eventually nab a bait on their release of the second. Here's a look at Grow Design Work's G-Flag 150.

Grow Design Works G-Flag 150 Soft Glide Bait Specifications
Type	Glide
Length	~6"
No. Pieces	2
Weight	1.5oz
Depth	Floating/Super Slow Sink
Material	Soft Plastic
Variants	Also available in shad profile
Hooks	#2 Teflon coated
MSRP	$52

Introducing Grow Design Works's G-Flag 150

Impressions: Grow Design's G-Flag 150 is a six inch (6") , soft plastic bait in the shape of a sunfish or gill. Similar to its predecessors, the afore mentioned Flag 170 and 255, there is a joint in the center of the bait that enables the bait's swimming motion. Its appearances is that of a soft plastic glide bait. It comes pre-rigged with a #2 size, Teflon coated hook attached to the bottom of the bait via a split ring and swivel. There's also a second rigging loop to enable a top hook configuration.

The bait comes pre-rigged with a hook

Real World Tests: For whatever reason, soft plastic big baits are not usually my jam, but I was intrigued by the prospect of a soft plastic glide bait and was lucky enough to procure one just before the start of our 2024 review season.

An enthusiast bait deserves an enthusiast combo

Rod Choice: For the G-Flag 150's tests, rod choice was less about what would be ideal to throw it on versus what I needed to fish at the onset of our review season. This is a soft plastic bait, but it's rigged with a treble hook, so ideally, I'd seek a stick with a slightly slower taper to help keep any would be catches buttoned during battle.

Even an enthusiast fishing line

The rod I chose to throw the G-Flag 150 with just happened to have such a taper, but it was way more stout than I'd typically choose for such a light bait. Testing honors went to Evergreen International's Giant Dire Wolf. This is a stick with a maximum lure rating of eight ounces!

Photo op before the first cast

Reel Choice: What I had paired the Giant Dire Wolf with is a reel that suits the G-Flag 150 well. It was Shimano Japan's 2023 Antares DC MD. This reel has a modified braking system tuned specifically to aid in the casting of large baits. While the G-Flag 150 is only one and a half ounces soaking wet, it is still heavier than most conventional bait setups.

A peek at the hook slot where you place one point of the treble to hold the hook close to the bait's belly

Line Choice: Spooled on the Antares DC MD was Varivas's Monster PE Si-X in PE #4. While fishing this bait, I topped that braid with a leader of seventeen pound Seaguar Tatsu FC. Ideally, I'd probably choose a slightly thinner diameter leader with this bait. Perhaps twelve or fifteen pound Tatsu, but seventeen is all I had on hand while setting up to fish the G-Flag 150.

Stabilizing fins at the back of the bait

Castability: The great thing about soft plastic swimbaits is the majority are easy to cast. They're just big lumps of soft plastic so you don't usually get any of the weird trajectories often experienced when casting baits that are hollow or awkwardly weighted. Frankly, I didn't expect to be able and cast the G-Flag 150 very well with the combo I was using because that Giant Dire Wolf is very stout. A stick with a tip that loads a little more generously would have been good, but despite that challenge, the G-Flag 150 sailed through the air with each sling very easily.

Stabilizing fins at the front

Ease of Actuation: This is where the G-Flag 150 is special. It is a highly configurable bait not just with hook placement but there are designated spots on the bait to insert nail weights and there are accessories you can purchase to further refine and tune swimming action.

There are bubbles like this at the top and bottom of the bait as suggested holds for hooks or other rigging devices

Stock: Out of the box, the G-Flag 150 is a floating bait that snakes along the surface giving off a very subtle wake. Stop your retrieve or make it erratic, and the bait will swim off to one side or the other like a glide bait, but I couldn't get it to swim side to side like a typical glide. It only did this for me on the pause after a swim.

Nail weights are easily added to the bottom of the bait

Next Section: Fishing the G-Flag weighted