ICAST 2008:
Sébile Defines World-Class Hard Baits by his own Principles

By Russ Bassdozer

Sébile USA, Ltd.

Have you heard of lure concept designer, Patrick Sébile and his innovative hard baits?

Read on and you will learn a little of the man and his lures here.

In the near future, you will hear much more, as the legend of the man and his lures grows rapidly.

He has fished in almost every corner of the world, and in 57 different countries over the past 25 years.

He has held over 300 French, European and world fishing tackle records.

For 15 years a full-time fishing guide, Sébile worked out of clubs and lodges on the exotic shores of Morocco, the Ivory Coast and Guinea Bissau.

Sébile has been involved with a number of different fishing tackle and lure companies during his career. He has designed a number of fishing lures for them, and had his hand in designing some of the industry’s most popular rods, hooks and terminal tackle.

He has written six books and hundreds of articles for many different magazines, covering every facet of lure angling.

And recently, the International Game Fish Association named him the number-one salt water angler in the world.

Only two years later, the company has sold its millionth lure and sales are taking off faster than a spool-stripping trophy bass headed for cover.

Patrick Sébile is proud of the fact that his line of products – which now include over 200 different models – all have five important characteristics.

“My lures must feature: 1) innovative designs, 2) realistic movements, 3) extreme sound, 4) sparkles of life, and 5) exceptional strength.”

Tournament Wins with Sébile Baits. The number of fresh and saltwater tournaments for all species won by Patrick Sébile is said to be countless. But Sébile is most proud that some of his new baits have helped others win major tournaments. Stephen Johnston won the FLW Stren Series Texas Championship and $80,000 last year, throwing the Sébile Flatt Shad. This spring, Andrew Bostick and Mark Sepe made a Redfish Cup win in Florida on the Stick Shadd.

In the bass fishing world, it has been all about the Sébile Magic Swimmer. The double-jointed hard swimbait has played a big role in two BASS Elite Series wins this year, including Todd Faircloth's win at Lake Amistad, Texas and Kenyon Hill’s triumph at Clarks Hill, Georgia.

"Upon winning the EFFTEX award, my counterparts at the big companies (who were also my competition) were happy for me. They told me they have never seen any company show so much innovation, so much success in such a short time. So much has happened for me in the last eight months. It has been more than I dreamed was ever possible," exclaims Patrick.

That award was won in June, 2008 at EFFTEX in Rome, Italy.

The next month, July, Sébile appeared at ICAST in Vegas.

From atop his ample, cast-long demo tank, Patrick cast his lures and a mesmerizing spell across the entire ICAST audience.

Colors of Sébile

There are three colr series

1. Possessed Colors. Clear fluid and glitter-filled lures have transparent sides and bellies so fish can see the internal fluid filled and glitter scales. The sloshing fluid helps the erratic motion of the bait.
    
   When the lure is moving, the entire lure body is in motion, and the internal fluid and scales slosh back and forth, adding additional visual movement within the lure body. It's a 'visual movement' within the lure that no other hard baits possess.
    
   "The Possessed series is not just about the color effect of the swirling glitter and visual movement of the fluid - but also about sound in the water," Patrick tells us.
    
   "Just like rattles moving inside a bait make noise, the sound of the Possessed fluid movement makes noise too -an ultra low sound. Glass, steel, brass, lead, tungsten rattles are all going to make higher sounds whereas the vibration created by the Possessed fluid is ultra low - and more natural."
    
   "Especially when fish are pressured and have seen too many noisy lures, they get shy and do not want to bite rattling lures. Also when there are lots of baitfish, when fish are full, they can be more selective as to lures and may show disinterest in noisy ones. These are good situations for the Possessed series because they make a soft, ultra-low sound attraction fish have not heard in a lure before," reveals Sébile.
    
2. Blood Red Colors. Sébile's newest red fluid-filled lures. The Blood Red series was the EFFTEX winner. Has both see-through fluid and blood red fluid inside. The two different fluids do not blend. They break up and recombine in large globules - but always stay separate. In other words, it is not just a solid mass of red fluid inside. The visual attraction is enhanced since discrete beads or globs of the red are constantly shifting, changing shape and size, rolling on and through the second see-through fluid.
    
   Blood Red fluid sloshes back and forth as the lure moves, and even when the lure comes to rest, the Blood Red fluid continues to move inside. This helps keep the lure moving a little - even when the retrieve is paused.
    
   "Red inside the bait is more realistic than having red trebles," says Patrick. "Even when stopped, the Blood Red fluid still moves and swirls. All fish want an easy meal. And the Blood Red fluid movement, even when the lure is paused, it sends a clue it is injured, hence the perfect time to strike it now!"
    
3. Evidence Colors. Have no fluid inside. "The Evidence series has high level of sound due to rattles (no liquid)," Patrick mentions.

Sébile Lure Models for Bass Fishing

Some of the lure models that Patrick emphasizes for bass are:

1. Magic Swimmer 165 SK (Sinking). The 'SK' means 'slow-sinking' version. Weighs approx. 1-1/2 oz and measures 6 inches long. This three-piece lipless jointed swimbait casts farther than other jointed lures. One can make very long casts with it, and it swims naturally. The 165 SK was one of the most popular baits on the BASS Elite Series in 2008, helping account for two first places and other top ten finishes. The 165 SK can be waked on the surface or swam down to four feet, and retrieved steadily - or with rod pops and pauses.
    
   It's well worth noting there are larger and smaller, fast-sinking and slow-sinking Magic Swimmers. Nine models in all from 3-1/2" to 9".
    
   
   Magic Swimmer comes in 4 models above, with 5 new models slated for 2009.
    
   
   One-piece Acast Minnow and double-jointed Magic Swimmer share flat-sided, humpbacked body profiles.
    
2. Stick Shadd. Patrick Sébile's personal favorite model of all. The Stick Shad 114 and 90  models come in FT (topwater/wake) SU (subsurface suspending) and SK (sinking) versions. Weights vary by version.
    
   "I use the FT, SU and SK Stick Shadd not as three versions of the same lure, but three different lures. That is the best mindset for using them," says Patrick of his favorite bait.
    
   "If I must choose one, I can do everything with the sinking (SK) Stick Shadd from the top (of the water) down," says Patrick emphatically.
    
    "The Stick Shadd has a thin keel that runs the length of the lure," says Sébile, "and the power of that keel creates small turbulences that activate the lure action. If you watch a shark in the water or on film, you'll see the tail just move a just a little to propel the shark. The shark moves so effortlessly because the shark has almost no friction as it moves through water. The rough skin has small turbulences all around, but the friction is fluid, water against water due to the irregular skin surface. It is the same idea on the Stick Shadd and the power keel creates fluid water-against-water friction, allowing the bait itself to move more freely with less friction," states Patrick.
    
   As Sébile spoke, it reminded me of how a boat hull runs faster and more friction-free in a short chop than across a flat surface. Also, how a boat hull with a little film of dirt adhering to it runs faster and more friction-free than a perfectly smooth, clean boat hull. So Patrick's 'power keel' principle makes a lot of sense.
    
   
   Stick Shadd comes in 3 sizes above of most interest to bass anglers, and in floating, suspending and sinking versions.
    
3. Flatt Shad. "This model is the 2nd or 3rd best seller in the product line," claims Sébile. It has a bigger body than other lipless crankbaits, and puts out a superior vibration that extends the strike zone and neutralizes adverse conditions such as chop or current.
    
   "The most popular size is the 66. It is just under 3" long. The sinking 66 SK weighs 1/2 oz. The X-Heavy Sinking 66 XH-SK is heavier, weighing 3/4 oz. for the same body size.
    
   One of Sébile's best tactics is letting it hit bottom and then jigging it a few inches off the bottom. Same as vertical jigging a spoon in deep water. With braided line, Sébile routinely jigs the Flatt Shad up to 50 feet deep.
    
   "The suspending 77 SU model is 3", weighs 1/2 oz and suspends 12-18" below the surface, making it a slow-sinking subsurface twitch bait. It can still have action in super shallow water at slow speeds," says Patrick.
    
   "Indeed, all Flatt Shads will have action even when you go slow. The design concept includes a belly that is wider than the back. This causes big water turbulence on the sides and belly, That turbulence creates instability, which creates action. So you can go slow and can have action," reveals Sébile.
    
   Another Flatt Shad model - for bass anglers with heavy tackle - is the larger Flatt Shad 96 SK (sinking). It is 4" long and weighs 1-3/8 oz. It works 5 to 10 feet deep. "The 96 has action all the time, even on the sink," says Patrick.
    
   
   Flatt Shad comes in 3 sizes shown above of most interest to bass anglers, with several new version are slated for 2009.
    
4. Crankster. "Most crankbaits are not aerodynamic. Many will often spin in the air," says Patrick Sébile.
    
   Yet the Crankster, the first time you try it. you will see it casts lie a rocket. The reason is it contains tungsten bead and oil together inside. When you cast it, 60% of the weight moves to the tail, for long distance and accurate casts," says Patrick
    
   Another thing you will notice is there is only a small edge or juncture between the lip and body. In fact, you may almost say the lip is extended out away from the body - remindful of how a jackplate extends an outboard away from a boat hull.
    
   "Through lab testing, I discovered that in front of a lure, water turbulence causes a lure to lose about one-third of the lip's effect. So by remodeling the lip the way it is on the Crankster, it works in harmony with the turbulence being created up front, which then creates the body action as the lure is cranked forward into that turbulence.'
    
   The photo shows the Blood Red series Crankster. In Sébile's test tank, Patrick swam the Evidence series Crankster for everyone. If you ever want to hear a rattling crankbait make lifelike noise unlike any other rattling lure on the market, listen to the Crankster. It so sounds like something alive swimming - maybe a whole school of them. I've never heard another rattling lure that sounded as good. The one I listened to was the Crankster MR 65 FT Evidence series model weighing 5/8 oz and 2.6" long.
    
   
   Crankster 65 is current model, with three new sizes/versions slated for 2009.
    
5. Splasher. "The Splasher's 'Power Keel' helps you walk the dog expertly with a popper. If the Power Keel was cut off, the Splasher would go almost straight, not walk at all. The head is raised so only 30% of it's mouth is in water. The other 70% of the flared cup is put there to spit," says Patrick Sébile. "It has the possibility to make a big splash - if you want to make sure bass know you are there. The 3-1/2" Splasher 90 (5/8 oz) in the Blood Red series is popular for bass," recommends Patrick.

   
   Splasher comes in three models of interest to bass anglers.

"Patrick Sébile has introduced the fishing world to a whole new concept in our Possessed series of hard baits that contain a unique glitter-filled fluid that resembles scales coming off a wounded baitfish," says company CEO Dave Maynard.

"The fluid movements inside also create ultra-low frequency sound waves, and the movement of the fluid gives the illusion of muscle movement, a baitfish on the run. The unctuous oil and glitter within moves and flows almost constantly; it is never still," says Dave.

"But it's not only that. Some, no, many of the bait shapes are totally unprecedented."

"The three-piece Magic Swimmer has caught almost every fish that swims for me, in countries far and wide," says Dave Maynard. The Bonga jerk is also one of Dave's favorites.

"Three-piece Magic Swimmer (top) is one of the Evidence series. Glitter and fluid-filled Bonga Jerk (bottom) is in the Possessed series. Sharp 'power keel' causes Bonga Jerk to slice into the water, and causes a huge swirl when jerked," says Dave.

Bonga Minnow 72 is a short, fat topwater of interest to bass anglers.

Glitter and fluid-filled Splasher (top), Koolie Minnow (center) and Sébile's favorite, Stick Shadd (bottom).

Koolie Minnow comes in three lengths of interest to bass anglers, and SL, ML, LL lip versions.

Magic Swimmer (first two). Slim Stick (bottom two). "With a very exaggerated but tight walking action, the Slim Stick pivots so easily it can even be made to walk backward," claims Dave Maynard.

Slim Stick comes in two floating topwater sizes of most interest to bass anglers.

Up until a couple years ago, few would have considered a spoon like this to be a bass lure.

Top bass pros have only recently discovered that big, bulky spoons like the Sébile Onduspoon work well on big bass.