
Fishing Jigz with the Z Man
BatwingZ Trailers

Date: |
1/11/17 |
Tackle type: |
Lure |
Manufacturer: |
Z-Man |
Reviewer: |
Wolbugger |
Total Score: 7.36 -
GOOD
Introduction:
I will always
remember my first jig fish. I was fishing a small tournament as a non-boater on
the California Delta in 1998 and had NEVER caught a jig fish before. Why? Well,
I really hardly ever used them! That day I caught several fish on a football
jig—nothing big—but enough to give me some new confidence. From then on I
started using them more and more and have since caught TONS of bass on them.
Fast forward to today and jigs are one of my absolute favorite baits to throw.
I've paired my jigs up with several types of trailers over the years, but they
don't always last very long or stay on the hook very well. From a durability
standpoint, the Z Man BatwingZ trailers look like they should have no problems
withstanding a lot of abuse. I grabbed some new jigs and a bag of these trailers
and hit the water to find out for myself!
Z Man BatwingZ Trailer
Specifications |
Type |
Jig Trailer |
Material |
Soft Plastic Elaztech |
Colors |
8 |
Sizes |
2.75 inches (tested) or 3.5 inches |
Scent |
None |
# Per Package |
6 baits (2.75 inches) / 5 baits (3.5 inches)
|
Resealable Bag |
Yes |
MSRP |
$3.99 (TackleWarehouse.com) |

I opted for the smaller 2.75-inch size to pair up with my small 1/4-ounce jigs.
Quality/Construction:
Featuring the general profile and look of a crawfish, these trailers feature
simple designs and color schemes. My green pumpkin/red test baits had good
coloration with some built-in sparkle without being overdone. The claws feature
some texturing on the top side and some little ridges and points along the outer
fringes, while the head section sports some minor detailing. All of my baits
boasted the same quality and consistency with no dents or other defects noted.
Quality Ratings for Z Man BatwingZ Trailer |
Bait to Bait Consistency (1-5) |
Finish/
Detailing
(1-5) |
Color
(1-5) |
Packaging
(1-5) |
Craftsmanship
(1-3) |
Total |
Possible |
Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10) |
3 |
|
|
|
2 |
12 |
15 |
|

The green
pumpkin/red color is
a nice choice for
clearer waters.
Performance:
These baits were easy to rig onto my 1/4-ounce Bass Patrol football jigs—just
hook one on and start fishing! The plastic is thin and very soft which gives
each bait some nice yet subtle action underwater. As an added bonus, the
material is buoyant so the claws readily float up off the bottom. This gives the
whole offering a bit of extra action since the slightest movement will make the
claws undulate or quiver as they stick up. It also makes the whole offering more
visible since the trailer will be up off the bottom where it can be seen easily
amongst bottom debris.

The
claws must be separated as they come attached to one another.
These trailers
work well and will last through many fish which are very good things. Two
negatives to note here are that they can be a bit harder to get off the hook.
When removing the trailer, the barb often has a tendency to catch onto the
Elaztech material. Also, this material will stick with other plastic baits or to
regular plastic storage boxes. Z-Man recommends keeping these in the original
package or in Z-Man branded boxes. A courteous and handy reminder is shown on
the back of my bag of baits.

Removing a bait from the hook wasn't quite as fluid as usual.
Performance Ratings for
Z Man BatwingZ Trailer |
Ease of rigging
(1-5) |
Ease of Actuation(1-5) |
Quality of Movement (1-5) |
Position at Rest (1-5) |
Durability (1-5) |
Total |
Possible |
Rating (= Tot/Pos * 10) |
2 |
|
|
|
3 |
13 |
15 |
|

The underside of the
BatwingZ.
Next Section: Stretch it out! |