Enabling Swimbait Mode with BFS Gear - Zappu Bredy Weedless Underspin

Introduction: My recent journey with Yamamoto's Kickin' Zako bait had me on the search for different ways to present some of the even smaller paddletail baits available on the market today. I'm talking the three inch sized baits like Megabass's Spark Shad and Hazedog swimbaits as well as the two inch size of Optimum's Opti Shad. The easy take would be to fish them as drop shot baits or the schooling options on an umbrella rig, but I've been looking for a way to fish them on their own on a BFS combo to change things up. I mean what could be more fun than swimbait fishing on bfs gear?

When it comes to micro-sized paddletails, weighted hook options are few and far between (3/0 Gamakatsu Weighted Superline Spring Lock Hook w/ 2" Optimum Opti Shad)

Trouble is, the smallest available swimbait hook I could find during my search to rig the Kickin' Zacko were 3/0 options from a couple of manufacturers. While the size designation on hooks generally refers to the gap between the hook point and shank, there is usually a corresponding length that accompanies and 3/0 is just way too long for these even smaller baits I'm talking about.

Owner's Flashy Swimmer is available in 1/0 sizes, but the weight size and location is not ideal for these pint sized swimmers

Even if the length were right, the gauge on the wire for hooks of that size together with the weight in which they are available are just all wrong. There are smaller hook options with a centering pin offered by some manufacturers, but there needs to be a weight on the hook to help keel the bait otherwise these micro-swimbaits won't swim right. They'll just spin as you try to swim them back and who needs that?

In these situations, Zappu's Bredy Weedless Underspin is a good option

Zappu Bredy Weedless Underspin: Enter an intriguing little product I found during a virtual browsing trip on TackleWarehouse. Zappu is a JDM terminal tackle company with innovative takes on terminal tackle. If you like to tune and tweak your bait offerings, or just keep up with some of the more interesting and inventive rigging trends from Japan, diving into the product offered by this manufacturer is a great place to start.

It is available with a either a willow leaf...

... or Colorado blade.

Their Bredy Weedless Underspin is a BFS sized take on the popular weighted and bladed swimbait hook designed to be used with standard soft plastic baits. There are two blade configurations, willow and Colorado, with four weight options each from one thirty second to three sixteenths of an ounce (1/32 - 3/16oz). There are just two hook size options, a #2 and #3 - far smaller than those of the standard hooks in this configuration. Question is, are they too small?

It's available in four different weights.

The Bredy Weedless Underspin #3 rigged with a 2" Optimum Opti Shad.

What's more, the location of the weight on these hooks, towards the bend instead of at the line tie, makes for ideal weighting on these smaller swimbait bodies. With this design, the Bredy works as a perfect keel to these small baits allowing them to swim in a more natural position in the water at slower speeds. Then there's the added benefit of the flash and vibration from the blade helping to call attention to the bite sized morsel.

Zappu Blading Pile Driver: In fact, placement of the weight is so ideal on the Bredy, it left me wanting for a larger hook option for my more conventional paddletail baits. Enter Zappu's Blading Pile Driver Weedless Underspin. This terminal tackle item is only available with a willow leaf blade, but that blade is available in both gold and silver. The only question with this hook is there does not seem to be any specification as to the size of that weight. Ordering details on TackleWarehouse only list the three hook size options of 4/0, 5/0, and 6/0, and your choice in the afore mentioned blade.

Like the weight placement and underspin feature, but need a larger hook? Zappu's Blading Pile Driver Weedless Underspin is an option.

This one is available in only one blade configuration, willow, but in two colors - gold or silver.

There's no discussion of the weight on these hooks nor could I find a designation for the weight anywhere online, so I shot a note over to Optimum Bait Company, distributor of Zappu product in North America with the question. I was told the lead weight at the base of the Blading Pile Driver's hook is rated at three sixteenths of an ounce (3/16oz). They sent me some samples and I was able to verify the entire assembly for each hook size at 6 grams (0.21oz). However, turns out there is also a 3/0 size for this hook with that one weighing 5 grams.

The 3/0 Bladed Pile Driver rigged with a 4" Spark Shad.

The 4/0 Bladed Pile Driver rigged with a 5" Spark Shad.

Conclusion: Finding that perfect piece of terminal tackle - especially the hook, is vital. The journey can be frustrating and costly, but when the search is complete, anticipation of actually fishing your tuned rig is an excellent method of nurturing that enthusiast spirit. For me, it's been an extended search for just the right weighted hook setup with which to fish these micro-sized swimbaits so I can have more interesting options when fishing my BFS gear. With Zappu's Bredy Weedless Underspin, I think that search is over. What's more, the Bladed Pile Driver Weedless Underspin is the swimbait hook I never knew I needed. I'm genuinely excited to get both of these out on the water.

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