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Z Man Endorsement

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  • Z Man Endorsement

    I don't know how long these baits have been on the market, but I tried some Z Man Paddlerz for the first time last night and was quite impressed with them. They're labeled as 10x tough elaztech and are the Stretch Armstrong for soft plastic lures.

    I was out at the Rt. 50 bridge last night looking for stripers - didn't find any. I was tossing a 1/2 jig head with some bubblegum Zoom flukes along the light shadows and the blues started hammering it. But everybody knows soft plastics and blues don't mix well, so I was flying through my supply rather quickly. Zoom flukes shredded from a hook up here, bit off tail from missing a hook up there... you know the story. To save my wallet from having to restock my soft plastic supply, I tossed on a Hopkins Shorty and told the blues to bite through this! Unfortunately, the blues never had a chance to find it as the shad were blasting it so quickly. The place was filthy with shad yesterday evening/night. I wasn't interested in shad and I really didn't want to blow through soft plastics again, but that was all the blues were hitting for me. So I went back into the tackle crate and forgot I had some Z Man's in there. I've had them since this past winter and haven't tried them yet, so I figured I'd see how the 10x elaztech would hold up to some teeth.

    Man oh man, it was night and day between the Z Man's and the regular soft plastics. I went through an entire package of Zoom flukes on blues last night. When I switched to the Z Man's, I never had to change out the first one I put on. Never had a tail bit off and bait wasn't shredded up when I did hook up - barely any teeth marks put in the bait, in fact. I caught enough 18" - 22" blues on it to tell that the 10X elaztech was for real. I may be behind the curve on these ones, but they just went straight to the top of my list for when the blues are biting!

    ...and no, I don't have stock in Z Mans
    Brian

  • #2
    Thanks for the report. I have heard good reports of Z Man durability too.

    I take a different approach to schooling blues when I find them while fishing from my center console. Most of us have colors or styles of soft plastics that don't work very well for our target species. I accumulate these oddballs in a separate Plano tray and keep them onboard. When I get into hungry bluefish, I slip on plastics from the oddball tray and let the blues have their way with them. I still catch a few bluefish and get some use out of otherwise worthless plastics.

    Congratulations on catching so many fish.
    John Veil
    Annapolis
    Native Watercraft Manta Ray 11, Falcon 11

    Author - "Fishing in the Comfort Zone" , "Fishing Road Trip - 2019", "My Fishing Life: Two Years to Remember", and "The Way I Like to Fish -- A Kayak Angler's Guide to Shallow Water, Light Tackle Fishing"

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    • #3
      Good idea slobber Bob!

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      • #4
        I have a pack of chartreuse 4" Zman paddletails I use for trailers trolling larger roadrunners. They seem to be very durable and each one will last a few outings...they do seem to have a slimy texture to them, must be something added to them during the packaging process.
        2015 OLIVE HOBIE OUTBACK
        2013 OLIVE HOBIE OUTBACK
        2013 OCEAN KAYAK TRIDENT 13


        JEREMY D

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        • #5
          I <3 zmans!! I went through a double pack of pink bkds at jbay this year looking for weakfish and only two pink zmans! I caught a lot of blues on them and they held up great!
          Hobie Local Fishing Team - Backyard Boats
          Locations in Annapolis, MD and Woodbridge, VA
          https://www.backyardboats.com/

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          • #6
            I didn't think any soft plastic would hold up to blues. I might have to give those a try. Where did you find them?
            Mike

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            • #7
              Try breaking one by pulling it apart, cant be done! They are made of some tough stuff!

              Sent from the water.
              Ryan
              Blue 2016 Hobie Outback
              Chesapeake Bay Kayak Anglers, Inc

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              • #8
                Hey Mike, I purchased my pack from west marine.
                2015 OLIVE HOBIE OUTBACK
                2013 OLIVE HOBIE OUTBACK
                2013 OCEAN KAYAK TRIDENT 13


                JEREMY D

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by J.A. Veil View Post
                  Thanks for the report. I have heard good reports of Z Man durability too.

                  I take a different approach to schooling blues when I find them while fishing from my center console. Most of us have colors or styles of soft plastics that don't work very well for our target species. I accumulate these oddballs in a separate Plano tray and keep them onboard. When I get into hungry bluefish, I slip on plastics from the oddball tray and let the blues have their way with them. I still catch a few bluefish and get some use out of otherwise worthless plastics.

                  Congratulations on catching so many fish.
                  I meant to say that Johns idea was a good one about the oddball plastics.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by sparky1423 View Post
                    Hey Mike, I purchased my pack from west marine.
                    Thanks.
                    Mike

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