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Z-man Report
Finesse-sized 3.5-inch Scented Jerk ShadZ
A cool half mill’ and a bookcase crowded with shiny bass trophies ain’t a bad haul for a single unassuming softbait.
“Over the last six or seven years, the 4-inch Scented Jerk ShadZ has produced some great tournament wins,” notes Z-Man pro Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson, who boated every one of his 2023 Bassmaster Classic winning bass on the same softbait.
But overshadowed by dock-talk surrounding standard versions of Gussy’s “best bait of all time,” whispers of a little secret have gradually leaked out. “During the 2023 Classic, when the bite got tough, I quietly switched to a slightly shortened bait to show bass a smaller, sub-4-inch profile,” he divulged. “This modified Jerk ShadZ tricked several critical smallmouths and certainly helped secure the win. Actually, whenever conditions get tough, we’ve been downsizing our moping baits for years.”