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Lure Review


 

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
2
3

2

12
15
8


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
2
3
3
13
15
8.6


The underside of the BatwingZ.

Next Section: Stretch it out!

 

   

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