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Z-Man Report
Three years ago, the idea was conceived. Realizing most great anglers were throwing ChatterBait JackHammers at every derby and on every bass lake in America and beyond, pros Brett Hite and Japanese bass wizard Morizo Shimizu quietly returned to the lure lab.
From the jump, the goal was to create an even more refined bladed jig that chattered to bass on a slightly altered octave; to deliver a familiar sound and vibration, yet one with subtle revisions to its underwater frequency, action and profile.
Today, Z-Man and Evergreen celebrate their power-packed third bladed jig collaboration, codename Baby Jack™.
Cultivated to combat the toughest bass fisheries in America, Japan and beyond, the JackHammer Baby Jack wields numerous tournament-grade accoutrements, leading with a cultivated, downsized stainless steel ChatterBlade®.
Sharing the JackHammer’s acclaimed instant-start vibration, the Baby Jack leans on its direct blade-to-jighead connection to deflect cover, produce relentless blade/jighead collisions and generate vibrant ChatterBait music—albeit on a slightly higher vibrational frequency.
“Japanese fisheries are notoriously tough, and the Baby Jack has been tested in Japan with impressive results,” states Evergreen’s Morizo, perhaps the preeminent bladed jig practitioner across the Pacific. “That was the driving force behind the Baby: tough conditions and heavily pressured playing fields where just a few more big bites can make all the difference.”
Downsized Blade Schematics
For Hite and Morizo, tricking tough bass meant, foremost, building a bait with a wider range of retrieve speeds, from super slow roll to speed demon. To achieve perfection, both bladed jig artists vetted numerous blade sizes before punching out a thumbnail-sized hexagon, mere clicks smaller than original.
“On the ChatterBait performance spectrum, the Baby Jack moves with a tighter vibration and a more restrained flash than the original JackHammer, but still noticeably stronger than the StealthBlade™,” notes Morizo. “Similar to the original, the Baby Jack hunts freely, too, especially when you give the lure little pops with the rod.
Additionally, Morizo says the smaller blade and its reduced water resistance enable faster retrieves in the same water column. “When the water’s warmer or you just need to cover more territory or to trigger a quick reaction under tougher conditions, the Baby Jack is the ultimate adjustment that will entice extra bites.”
Hite adds: “Even with the smaller blade, the Baby Jack still has a good thump to it. You can really feel it and read what’s happening. You know right away if it’s fouled a blade of grass, and you can rip free. Or when a bass quietly inhales the lure and swims toward you . . . the blade goes dead and signals a rapid-fire hookset. Those are key details that made the JackHammer into an all-time great—and the Baby Jack is all that and a little more.
As Morizo also suggests, “The Baby’s reduced size means its more aerodynamic and casts like a bullet, even in wind. And for fishing across shallow grass or super skinny water, you can really burn this lure, while the blade stays down and doesn’t blow out.”
For these specific scenarios, Morizo wanted a new 1/4-ounce variant (in addition to 3/8- and 1/2-ounce sizes) for rocketing cleanly across the skinniest water and the gnarliest cover.
Weight-Balanced Jighead
To further ensure the Baby Jack stays down in the water column and swims with a balanced, natural horizontal posture, Hite and Morizo devised an astute alteration to the jighead. “We shrunk the size of the head itself, while shifting more weight—including an enlarged, restructured collar—further back down the spine,” says Hite.
“Besides moving more fluidly through the water, this reconfigured jighead also lets the lure skip super far and easy, and with minimal commotion.”
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Zoom Report
Zoom Bait Company’s Salty Super Fluke has been a go-to for bass anglers everywhere, thanks to its ideal baitfish shape, darting action, and salty formulation that works in various conditions.
Zoom is adding to its extensive line of baits with the new Winged Fluke, a fresh take on the classic lure for today’s bass fishing challenges.
The Winged Fluke, available in 4- and 5-inch and 6.5-inch sizes, features a small wing on each side of its head. This simple addition makes it an excellent choice for modern fishing techniques.
“It’s designed to be on a jig head or as a hover strolling bait,” said five-time Bassmaster winner Patrick Walters. “You can fish it in the middle of the water column, and with the flat sides it rocks back and forth when you shake it, but the wings keep it from rising.”
He’s an expert at a variety of techniques, one of the small cadre of anglers who’ve earned Century Belts with both largemouths and smallmouths, and the Winged Fluke has been one of the keys to his early season success. Indeed, it was a key tool in his summertime NPFL victory on Pickwick.
“It works really well with forward-facing sonar,” Walters added, noting that even anglers without advanced tech will find it useful alongside the original Super Fluke.
The Winged Fluke comes in six colors designed to mimic a variety of forage sources.
View all colors here:
https://zoombait.com/5-inch-winged-fluke/
https://zoombait.com/4-inch-winged-fluke/
For more information about Zoom Bait Company, go to https://zoombait.com.
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CrushCity Report
There’s no compact power fishing lure more versatile than a creature bait, but until now there’s been no creature baits that fulfilled all of tournament champion Jacob Wheeler’s needs and preferences. With the introduction of the CrushCity HedgeHog, there’s now a versatile tool that lives up to his exacting expectations.
The HedgeHog is 4-inches long, and comes in 16 pro-selected colors, but the key differences between its predecessors are both subtle and obvious. They start with the trailing appendages, which went through numerous prototypes until they provided the “perfect kick at slow speeds,” even with light weights.
Then there are the raised ribs, which allow for Texposing, marrying the perfect combination of weedlessness and hook setting ease. Finally there are the inverted legs on each side. “They’re bigger than the ones on the Bronco Bug,” Wheeler said. “They quiver really well.”
“This style of bait has been a big deal in bass fishing for years,” Wheeler said. “A lot of fish just hate that lizard profile. They can’t stand it.”
By building a better version, the CrushCity pro team created a tool that, like every lure in the lineup, has multiple uses for which it excels.
“There’s action all over this bait,” said Wheeler’s friend and fellow Bass Pro Tour champion Dustin Connell. “It falls with a ton of action, but it’s still kind of a small profile bait. I put it on a Carolina Rig. You can put it on a Texas rig. You can do just about anything you want with this bait, but I always throw it in there before I leave.”
From bed fishing to dragging the depths, the HedgeHog makes bass mad and convinces even lethargic fish to bite.
The HedgeHog comes in 16 pro-selected colors, including: Bama Bug, Black Blue Green Pumpkin, Bama Craw, Black Blue Flake, California Craw, Candy Bug, Green Pumpkin Blue, Green Pumpkin Blue Pearl, Green Pumpkin Magic, Green Pumpkin, Plum, Pearl White, Red Craw, Sprayed Grass, Tilapia Magic, and Watermelon Red.
The HedgeHog is sold six per pack and has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $6.99.
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Plano Report
Plano unveils the next evolution of its renowned StowAway utility box series.
The new Plano StowAway incorporates a host of new features that address the evolving needs of anglers at a price point that makes premium tackle storage more accessible than ever.
The new Plano StowAway incorporates the best features of its current StowAway series along with a variety of advancements to meet the evolving needs of anglers. To keep anglers more organized on the water, Plano has incorporated pre-cut, rigid dividers for easy box setup that prevents tackle migration between compartments, as well as extra divider slots to efficiently organize tackle. The new StowAway also includes a single-latch closure for one-handed access with a built-in labeling area to easily identify tackle. Plano has also incorporated its Rustrictor technology that flows throughout the box to help prevent rust and corrosion from damaging expensive tackle.
The new Plano StowAway is available in both Standard and Waterproof formats. In addition to Standard features, Plano Waterproof StowAway utility boxes feature a Dri-Loc seal to protect tackle in wet conditions, as well as an ultra-clear, rigid lid that enhances both visibility and durability. The new Plano StowAway is available in common 3700, 3600, and 3500 utility box sizes.
Plano StowAway Key Features:
- Rigid, Pre-Cut Dividers – Rigid dividers to prevent tackle migration
- Rustrictor Technology – Built-in corrosion resistance to protect tackle from rust and extend gear life
- Single-Latch Closure – Enables quick, one-handed access while ensuring secure, reliable box closure
- Latch Labeling Area – Makes box identification easy to keep tackle organized
- Enhanced Configurability – Additional divider slots provide more customization options to maximize the amount of tackle per box
Suggested retail prices are 3700 - $9.99 | 3600 - $8.99 | 3500 - $7.99
Plano Waterproof StowAway Key Features:
- Dri-Loc Seal – Provides a waterproof seal to keep tackle dry in wet conditions
- Ultra-Clear Polycarbonate Lid – Offers enhanced visibility and durability for demanding conditions
- Rigid, Pre-Cut Dividers – Rigid dividers to prevent tackle migration
- Rustrictor Technology – Built-in corrosion resistance to protect tackle from rust and extend gear life
- Single-Latch Closure – Enables quick, one-handed access while ensuring secure, reliable box closure
- Latch Labeling Area – Makes box identification easy to keep tackle organized
- Enhanced Configurability – Additional divider slots provide more customization options to maximize the amount of tackle per box
Suggested retail prices are 3700: $19.99 | 3600: $18.99 | 3500: $17.99
For more information on the refreshed Weekend Series and other Plano products, visit planooutdoors.com.