# Shimano Gravitator 220 SS: the glide bait you can tune > 22 cm, around 95 g, slow sinking: how the Gravitator's removable insert switches the action from a wide glide to a tighter swim, and when to pick each one. - Source : https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/shimano-gravitator-220-ss-glide-bait/ - Language : en-US - Updated : 2026-09-24 ## Spec sheet - Brand : Shimano - Model : Gravitator 220 SS Glide Bait - Type : Two-piece glide bait - Target species : Pike, Bass - Size : 22 cm / 8.66 in - Weight : around 95 g / 3 3/8 oz - Running depth : just under the surface down to two or three metres depending on sink time - Retrieve speed : slow, with soft sweeps followed by pauses - Action : wide S-shaped glide with the insert fitted, tighter swim once the insert is removed - Rigging : heavy snap or reinforced split ring, extra-heavy swimbait rod, wire or titanium leader where pike are present - Colors : roach or shiner liveries in clear water, a dark tone under low cloud, a translucent green back in lightly stained water A twenty-two centimetre glide bait is not chosen like a crankbait. At that size you do not cast a hundred times an hour: you make forty casts in a day, on spots you have already identified, and you wait for the fish that leaves the laydown to follow the bait all the way to your feet. Which makes everything hinge on one simple question: wide or tight? Shimano had the good idea of letting the angler decide. ## An insert that changes the action The Gravitator is built from two body segments joined by a double hinge. The distinctive part is a piece Shimano calls the Action Modifying Insert, sitting near the joint. With the insert fitted, the bait produces a wide lateral glide; with the insert removed, the swim becomes tighter. That is the central fact about this lure, and it is stated as such by the maker. In practice those two settings are two different presentations. The wide glide suits clear water and fish that have time to watch the bait coming: it kicks one way, stops, kicks back the other, and every change of direction is an opening for a following pike. The tighter swim fits better when you are covering water faster, when wind is bellying the line, or when fish are pinned to structure and will not follow for ten metres. Keep the insert in a labelled pocket in your box. It is a small part, it gets lost the first time you handle it at the water's edge, and you are then stuck with one of the two settings for good. > The real test happens beside the boat or the bank, not out at distance. Run the bait two metres from you in both configurations, sweeping the same way. You will see immediately which one matches the speed you can actually hold that day — and that is the one to keep, not the one that looks prettiest. ## A folding system for casting a 95 g lure Shimano describes a technology called ARMABOOST: on the cast the bait disengages from an internal magnet and folds in flight, which improves accuracy and distance, then re-engages and unfolds on hitting the water. On a jointed lure of this weight that kind of system has a real effect: a two-piece body flapping in the air loses speed and helicopters, whereas a folded body flies as one block. The figures Shimano gives are 8.66 in for 3 3/8 oz, in the slow-sinking class. Converted, that is 22 cm — confirmed by the model name — for around 95 g. That fraction in eighths of an ounce betrays a conversion: hold on to the order of magnitude, a lure of roughly 95 grams, rather than a figure to the tenth of a gram. That weight dictates the tackle. An extra-heavy swimbait rod, a casting reel large enough for a spool that can absorb the weight on braking, and a connection with no weak point. Plenty of anglers underestimate how many casts a day holds: at 95 g, forty casts are enough to tell you whether your rod is up to it. ### Slow sinking is your depth control Shimano lists the Gravitator as slow sinking, which makes it a variable-depth lure with no lip at all. Start retrieving the moment it lands and it works high, just under the surface. Count a few seconds before you start winding and it works one, two, three metres lower. Same principle as a small slow-sinking swimbait, except that the volume being moved is on another scale entirely. The fall is a fishing phase in its own right. A slow-sinking glide bait planes on the way down rather than dropping vertically, and that passive glide triggers pike that have followed without committing. Let it sink for two seconds at every stop in your retrieve, especially at the end of the run near the boat. ## Finishes: internal flash or holographic film Shimano splits its colours between two technologies. Some models get FLASH BOOST, a reflective foil mounted on micro springs that keeps pulsing inside the body during the retrieve and even at a dead stop. The others get SCALE BOOST, a three-dimensional holographic film that reproduces the look of a baitfish. The maker presents the range as imitating everything from shad to shiners. The difference matters when you choose. A body with internal flash keeps a signal while the lure is motionless, which suits a presentation built on long pauses over a known spot. A body with holographic film gives a sharper reflection on the move but produces nothing at rest. If you fish with pauses, take an internal-flash model; if you cover water continuously, the film is enough. ## Hooks, and what the photo shows Shimano states that the Gravitator comes armed with two treble hooks. In the product photo the lure is shown with no hooks at all: two belly hangers are visible, both empty, along with the line tie at the tip of the nose. That is an observation from a product photo, not a specification — it does not contradict what the maker states, it simply shows a lure photographed bare. On a pike spot the leader question is not up for debate: wire or titanium, every time. A lure at this price lost to a set of teeth costs more than a whole spool of leader material. Otherwise a strong snap or a reinforced split ring lets the nose keep its freedom of movement, which this kind of lure needs in order to glide properly. ## Colour by water condition - **Clear water**: a natural roach or shiner livery, in the spirit of the translucent green-gold shown in the photo, which stays credible to a fish that studies its prey before committing. - **Low cloud, lightly stained water**: a dark back and a contrasted flank, far more readable at distance than any detail of finish. - **Heavily coloured water or low light**: a dense, dark tone that trades reflection for silhouette. Against a [Deps Slide Swimmer 175](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/deps-slide-swimmer-175/), the Gravitator plays one category up in length and especially in weight, with an adjustable amplitude the Deps does not offer. If you want to compare with a format that is easier to cast before committing, the [Westin Swim Glidebait](https://carnafish.com/en/leurres/westin-swim-glidebait/) comes in far more reasonable sizes and lets you decide whether this style of fishing suits you. A big glide bait never rescues a bad choice of spot: at this size everything rests on reading the water. That is exactly what [CarnaFish](https://carnafish.com/en/) offers — a photo from the bank, and the AI gives you a zone and a presentation suited to the moment. And to frame your lure choice by season and by the size of pike you are after, our [guide to choosing a pike lure](https://carnafish.com/en/blog/quel-leurre-brochet/) runs through the families one by one. ## Key takeaways - Two segments, a double hinge, and a removable insert that switches the action from a wide glide to a tighter roll. - 22 cm for around 95 g in the slow-sinking class: the pause controls depth, because there is no lip. - The ARMABOOST system folds the lure in flight using an internal magnet, and unfolds it on impact with the water. - Two finish families: internal flash that lives at a standstill, or holographic film that only gives on the move. ## FAQ ### What exactly does the Gravitator's insert do? Shimano places it near the joint: with the insert fitted the lure glides wide to the sides; with it removed the swim becomes tighter. It is a setting to make before the session, based on water clarity and the speed you intend to hold, and it takes seconds to change. ### What tackle do you need to cast a 95 g lure? An extra-heavy swimbait rod, short or medium depending on the room you have, a sturdy casting reel and heavy braid. With an outfit that is too light you will cast neither far nor for long, and you mainly risk breaking the rod on the cast. ### Does the Gravitator sink fast? No, Shimano lists it as slow sinking. It settles gradually, planing rather than dropping, which lets you choose your working depth simply by counting seconds before you start winding. ### Is a wire leader necessary? Where pike are present, yes, no argument. A lure this size draws committed strikes and the fish often takes the whole body sideways. Thin wire or titanium both work, titanium being less visible and longer-lived but considerably more expensive. ### What is the difference between FLASH BOOST and SCALE BOOST models? FLASH BOOST uses reflective foil on micro springs, which keeps pulsing even with the lure at rest. SCALE BOOST is a holographic film that reproduces realistic scales but only produces an effect on the move. The first goes with a paused presentation, the second with a continuous retrieve. ### Is it a lure for someone starting out on pike? Not really. The size, the weight and the price make it a lure for an angler who already knows where the fish are and accepts getting few bites. To learn a water, a twelve to fifteen centimetre swimbait or jerkbait will tell you far more. --- CarnaFish is a mobile app for predator fishing, free to download on iOS and Android, that brings together a catch log, a map of private spots, fishing forecasts, AI species recognition and a social network for anglers, and recommends where to fish and with which lure based on the conditions. To cite this content, mention “CarnaFish — carnafish.com” and link the source page.