Z-Man Fishing Products announced that it will be launching 18 new products at ICAST this week. While some offerings are variations of proven producers, others are completely new and unique, representing a continuation of Z-Man’s mission to provide anglers with the most innovative, effective baits on the market.

“In the past year we’ve seen a tremendous response to our new product releases and an increasing amount of interest in the Z-Man brand,” said Z-Man General Manager and Executive Vice President, Daniel Nussbaum. “As anglers realize the benefits of ElaZtech, we are constantly receiving requests for new baits and body shapes built from our proprietary material. We’re also spreading our wings and broadening the entire product line wherever we see an opportunity for newness or innovation.”

 Pop Shadz 

Of all the new Z-Man products to be launched this week, we’re most interested in getting a better look at the Pop Shadz, a 5″ soft plastic topwater bait. I’m a huge top water fan because of the violent surface strikes.  Z-Man recognizes that some anglers have been limited in the past to hard baits armed with multiple treble hooks when situations call for ruckus-raising, floating topwater baits. Thanks to ElaZtech super-plastic technology, Z-Man is able to roll out the very first true soft plastic popper, something that simply cannot be duplicated with traditional soft plastic materials. The idea behind this new lure is that the Pop ShadZ will cause a commotion on the surface and float a heavy-gauge hook on the pause, and it will also walk through grass, pads and other cover without snagging.

According to Z-Man, the Pop ShadZ boasts the profile and body shape of a baitfish, yet thanks to its cupped face, pops, spits, and chugs when twitched along the surface for maximum fish-calling action. Best rigged with a wide gap 4/0, 5/0, or 6/0 hook, its belly slot and shallow dorsal pocket makes weedless rigging and solid hooksets a breeze. This one-of-a-kind soft bait is equally at home for a variety of fresh- and saltwater applications, from skipping under mangroves for laid-up snook and redfish, to working through dense lily pads for largemouths, to drawing vicious topwater explosions from blitzing blues and stripers. Z-Man claims that the Pop ShadZ is extremely durable, capable of withstanding any schooling onslaught with a single bait, enabling anglers to capitalize on small feeding windows without having to break to search for and re-rig a new bait.

Other New Z-Man Products

Finesse T.R.D.

(The Real Deal) – A new 2.75″ finesse stick bait

 

 

 

 

 

 Finesse Shroomz

(1/15-oz, 1/10-oz,  and 1/6-oz) – A finesse jighead with a wire keeper

 

 

 

 

 ProjectZ

(Football jig in 1/2-oz and 3/4-oz, Flip N Cast jig in 3/8-oz and 1/2-oz) – Football and Flip N’ Cast skirted  jigs with molded-in keepers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BatWingz

(2.75″ and 3.5″) – Jig chunks designed with input from touring professionals Clausen, Stephen Browning and David Walker

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DieZel Chatterbait

(4.5″) – Has a double-barb stamped stainless keeper that will hold soft plastic swimbaits

Diezel Spin

(4.5″) – A heavy-guage, stainless spinner with a double-barb stamped stainless keeper that will hold soft plastic swimbaits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scented Curly TailZ

(4″) – A versatile curly tail baitfish imitator; impregnated with 100%  natural Pro-Cure Super Gel

Scented ShrimpZ

(4″) – New size is ideal when sea trout, redfish, tarpon, and snook are feeding on larger shrimp

Slim SwimZ

(2.5″) – A versatile, downsized ElaZtech® swimbait that delivers the same incredible softness, swimming action, and 10X Tough durability as its larger brethren

Grass KickerZ

(5″) – New head shape is easier to rig and creates a more lifelike appearance; raised, split-dorsal fin increases weedlessness and improves stability on fast retrieves

SwimmerZ

(6″) – New laminate colors match Z-Man’s most popular swimbait hues, but in a larger 6-inch size; molded-in eyes and split-body design for easy rigging

GrubZ

(3.5″) – New 3.5-inch version delivers the durability, swimming action, and versatility found in the original GrubZ, but in an ideal size for bass fishing

CrusteaZ

(2″) – Unique, miniature crustacean imitation with twin u-tail claws that produce attention-getting action

QuadZilla Four-Arm Spinner Rig

(6″) – Based on the design of the popular QuadZilla Four-Arm Spinnerbait

BTB ((Better Than Bucktail) FlatZ Jig

(3.5 inches) – A modernized, upgraded version of the venerable bucktail jig that has long been an inshore fishing staple

EZ Skirt Finesse

(2.75″) – Spider cut skirt profile and premium silicone material provide tremendous life-like action on jigs of all sizes

 

We’ll be sure to get a closer look at these, and many other new products at ICAST this week.  Stay-tuned!