Couldn't agree more, Shurmash. I've been using some sort of Elaztech lure non-stop since making this video six years ago. Needless to say, Z-man makes some of the most fish catching lures on the market. Merry Christmas, Don

Johnny, I saw your nice comments this morning and didn't remember seeing you on my feed recently so checked your channel and saw I wasn't subscribed. I also watched your frog vid on L. Eufala and you really catch some nice bass down there. I'll send you a PM in a minute but have subbed and glad to see you are doing well. - Don

LJ, I knew you'd enjoy seeing what those lures look like in action. I hope HafBLilM gets to see this, too, as he caught fish on the ShadZ but had the best success on the TRD. Next time we use Ned Rigs in the C-flotilla we'll need to sling some Bat WingZ. Oh btw, I stumbled across some 3.5" Bat WingZ in Bass Pro; they look really good too. Stay level! xxoo Don

Thank you so much. A lot of channels use aquariums but I don't have one. Nonetheless, the clear jar (it is almost a square jar) sure showed me a lot. All the best, Don

Gary, it is salt. I'm still impressed with the amazing softness and lifelike feeling of a Zinkerz after it is 'soaked' really well from fishing. Oh, going to a power plant lake isn't cheating! Just recently I went to the warm water outlet of our local lake because everything else was frozen over. It is a popular spot for bank anglers. Although I don't normally fish it, I caught quite a few active fish (nothing of much size). I'll be posting a vid of a somewhat unconventional Shadz rig to show how I fished it in the swirling current of the outflow. - Don

Thanks, John. Anglers like you probably got a lot out of these demos. I actually made this video for several of my relatives (including sister Lorraine) who are big believers in the finesse lures I gave them to use. We've always wondered what they were actually doing underwater to attract so many fish. Oh, I.....almost.....had a dandy Bat WingZ vid in the bag (footage on my camera) but a mambajamba bass took my lure 'to the house'. So..... I'll wait until another trip when I've got something other than several shorts and some 15-17 inch bass to show off these exciting little rascals. And speaking of Bat WingZ, there's yet another, larger 3.5" size! I show them in the next tank test vid. More to come; hi to Lulu! :) D&B.

Thanks, Jim, and glad you found this show to your liking. I was pleasantly surprised, if not impressed, with what I saw those baits doing in the tank. Although it will take some time, I think I'm going to tank test every soft plastic I have! (No videos, just for my own information). Of course folks are catching bass all over the place with different lures and techniques from finesse to A-Rigs. But as you are well aware, we (or should I say I) had a pretty lousy summer fishing season and the bright spots kept coming on little plastics. So I decided to think like a fish and see what some of these rascals were doing in the water. In the next tank test vid I'll share some new product's action as well as the synergy of Turbo CrawZ with a couple of types of bass jigs. All the best, Don

Winkiedoodles I was Impressed as well and will definitely be picking some up. I was talking to a buddy of mine the other day and we were both saying how lousy the year has been, only had a few hot summer days and summer time is my favorite time to fish. Hoping for an extra hot and long summer next year. I didn't record as much as I wanted to but I did put up a video the other day of a bunch of pictures of bass I caught throughout the year, check it out if you haven't already, one of my better edits. Looking forward to the next tank test. Talk to you soon buddy!

Thanks for commenting, Kyle. When Elaztech was first introduced to the angling community it was, and remains, a game changer in many respects. Best wishes.

John, I've used the 'older' ShroomZ (no weed guard) in various sizes with some success but they did tend to hang up a lot so I've been primarily using Ozark Finesse style heads with a wire guard. The new double-wire guard ShroomZ work OK and caught some bass on a recent trip but the lake and weather conditions were really bad so testing continues. Agree that the wire lure keeper is a bonus as it eliminates all the gluing. My Ned rig outfits are 6'6" to 7' medium/fast tip. I've gone away from 6 lb fluoro/mono/anything because of too many break offs when fighting larger fish. I've had good luck with 8 lb mono since the water I'm fishing is usually stained and haven't had a line break since switching to 8 lb. By the time I finish producing a video on the new ShroomZ you should also have some experiences and we can share info then. Don

+David R Bellairs I hear you, David. A buddy told me about the change in buoyancy of the ZinkerZ and I decided to test a variety of Z-Man lures to see what floated, what didn't, and what changed with use. Since making this video I've obtained some more new for 2015 and 2016 Z-Man products like the EZ TubeZ, LeechZ, MinnowZ and CrusteaZ (to name a few) and the ones that are naturally buoyant have all been excellent. I'm totally convinced that the 'stand up' properties of lures like ZinkerZ, TRDs, Slim SwimZ, EZ Tubes and many others are why the fish love them. Nice thing about most Z-Man lures is that they aren't expensive and last a long time with that ElaZtech plastic. ZinkerZ are especially a good bargain because they aren't expensive and each ZinkerZ makes two lures. Don

+Winkiedoodles Thanks for your excellent reply, Don. I hope you don't mind me taking this opportunity to pick up a few tips. I'm based in the UK where the only predators are Pike and Perch (I think you would call them Northern Pike and Yellow Perch. We also get the occasional European Chub take a lure, but that is the exception rather than the rule.) If you were fishing for Perch would you do anything radically different from your LMB rigs? I have some 5" Zoom Power Worms which I am testing for their flotation properties as I write! I'm was hoping to form a kind of mini Ned rig by cutting one in half. They seem to only just float straight out of the pack. We can get ZMan lures in the UK, but they are obviously more expensive over here - about £5 a pack. I was hoping to get away with what I already have. Most of the British and Japanese soft lures that I have tested seem to sink. Sorry to take up so much of your time, but I would really appreciate your advice. Thanks in advance. Wish we had Bass over here!

+David R Bellairs David, we share a similar situation in that you don't have largemouth bass in the U.K. (I didn't know that by the way) and here in SW Missouri we don't have either Pike or Yellow Perch although a cousin of the pike called the Muskie or Muskellunge roams in some waters nearby. From what I've seen and heard about Yellow Perch, they are prized table fare in the states that have them and can be caught on live bait as well as finesse lures. Therefore, a Ned Rig should be very effective for catching them. Based on the depth of the water you plan to fish, generally speaking the lighter the jig head the better. I rarely use anything lighter than 1/16 ounce, but many finesse anglers like using 1/32d oz jig heads. Yes, your Zoom worms would probably work really good, especially if you shortened them to 3.5-4" length. I'm going to post a video this evening called "too many bass" and about mid-way in the video I fish with a shortened Z-Man finesse worm so feel free to take a look if interested. Unless I'm using the Z-Man finesse shroomz jighead with the wire barb that keeps the elaZtech plastic on the hook, I always glue the lure to the head with Locktite super glue. At 5 pounds (about $7.50 USD), your Z-man plastics are almost 2x more expensive than here. Having said that, I have to suggest the ZinkerZ because you cut them in two and make two 2.5" finesse Ned Rigs and they come in an astonishing 25 color choices. I've made a lot of videos featuring Z-Man products in the last 2 years (I see 10 of my videos on the 'related videos' list on the right side of my monitor!). Feel free to let me know how your excursion into the realm of ElaZtech goes! Sincerely, Don

+Winkiedoodles Don Thanks for taking the time to reply...I really appreciate it. The finesse worm you are fishing in the new video looks very similar to the Zoom worms that I already have, so i will try shortening those and giving them a try. I mainly fish the canals we have over here, which are only 4-5 feet deep and about 20 yards wide, so the light jigs heads should be ideal. Are pike and perch further north than where you are situated? I'm guessing that's why you call them Northern Pike! We don't have muskies in the UK either - there was a trial stocking of them here in the 1970s (I think) but they didn't survive for some reason. I really enjoy your videos and I've learnt a lot already - American style lure fishing has really caught on over here, especially dropshotting, although I personally prefer to use ultralight jigs, so I'm hoping that the skills will transfer to the Ned rig! I'll let you know how I get on. Thanks again David

Thanks, Bruce. Having used a wide variety of Z-man lures for several years now, their research and design team keeps making excellent lure types and choices, whether finesse or larger. Rip rap, grass, trees and brush are challenges no matter what brand of lure. For 2018, Z-man introduced the new Finesse Bulletz jig heads and the TT Snakelockz jig heads that are game changers for more snagless rigging. Many of their lures can be Texas rigged or used with a Parasite weight for more snagless and weedless fishing. Best wishes, Don

George Layton Thanks for watching the show, George. Agree 100%, Z-Man makes some excellent lures.

For TRDs, stretching them before use for a minute will cause a lot of the salt to fall out and they will float. It doesn't matter how old the TRD is. Also "soaking" in water during use will make the TRD float and feel very life like. Enjoy; they are great!

Thanks, Tom. My inspiration to examine Z-Man lures in more detail was twofold. First, fishing throughout the Midwest has been generally poor this year and second, the one bright spot has been these little guys. I got "exposed" to ZinkerZ in April and have become a fan of finesse since then. Right now I'm fishing two of their newest: BatwingZ and Scented LeechZ. They also look pretty good! - Don.

Frank, you are most welcome and thank you for the kind comments. The idea for doing flotation tests resulted from my observing the change in buoyancy of a TRD while I was fishing it. ElaZtech is some pretty awesome stuff. To answer your question, I'm using the size 2 hook on the mushroom jig heads. All the best, Don

Unedited Gamer thanks for the comments, best wishes.

M, thanks for watching and asking great questions. I actually produced a video showing my fave gear (line, jig heads, etc) but didn't post it because it sounded too much like self-aggrandizement and I'm just a rookie with this Midwest Finesse business. Glad to hear you caught some at Stockton. If you don't mind, you can be my Stockton Spy; feel free to keep me posted on what's cookin' up there. Thoughts: Jig weight. It takes a while to get used to the weightless feel of Ned rigs. Don't panic, it is normal. I don't use anything heavier than a 1/8 oz jig head and, as a general rule of thumb, go as light as I can. 1/16 is a "go-to" weight but I'll use 1/32d sometimes in real shallow water. I've never fished a Ned Rig deeper than around 15 ft and that was on Table Rock. Line. For clearer water like Table Rock (and probably Stockton) 6 lb fluorocarbon (I use Segaur AbrazX) seems to work the best. In water with a little stain I really like 6 lb NanoFil braid in lo-vis green. It is super sensitive and you don't have to worry as much about being taken to the house by Mr. Big. Keep slinging those little rascals; supposedly they work good year round. Stay in touch - Don

Sorry for the delay, fished Stockton Lake last week on the flats around Mutton Creek. We caught about 40 whites early morning before the wind came up at 11:00am. Mostly caught on chrome roostertails and white roadrunners. So cold today I tried Spfld Lake. Couldn't buy a bite on anything util I switched to a 1/2 peanut butter and jelly, z-man, 6" worm with a dark red 1/8oz jig head. Then quickly caught 9 with 3 caught in 3 casts. Late morning so I called it quits. I'm still liking the z-man stuff but I admit I like to have some supper glue handy. I can't wait to get back back on the lake. Thanks for all the tips....

A story for line- I found myself winter fishing from the bank multiple times next to a fisherman we nicknamed shad man. It seemed he was always snagging shad. But curiously, he always caught more fish even when I used the same lure (shad rap) at the same speed with the same line weight. The difference, he used yellow line. I switched to yellow line and started snagging shad but also, I caught more fish. Seems that maybe (with crankbaits) the shad chase the line and bring in the bass. Iv'e even seen the shad hit the line at the surface. Funny how we make the lures crazy colors and sounds to attract attention but try to hide the line.

***** Thanks for all the info and glad you found some fish biting. I'm sure you'll have more to share later on if you decide to switch to yellow like (like the Mr. Crappie line). Oh, I'm weaning myself from using Super Glue by using Z-Man ShroomZ jig heads and Gopher jig heads. They both hold Elaztech plastics really well. - Don

Thank you for watching and glad you enjoyed the show. All the best, Don

Pete, sometimes I will stretch a TRD or a ZinkerZ to allow the salt to dissolve quicker and thus cause them to become buoyant faster. I've heard of folks soaking their lures ahead of time but I never bothered with it as they get 'seasoned' pretty quickly when fishing. The lifelike feeling is amazing yet they still retain the toughness of ElaZtech. I think it accounts for their ability to catch fish like crazy and It's one of the reasons I became a big fan of these finesse lures. Don

BBK, Yes, definitely. After witnessing a friend catching smallies on a regular round 1/4 oz jig head with the full size ZinkerZ (on the deeper flats at Table Rock last Spring) I decided to rig up a Mega Strike e2 jig head. Agree that they seem to perform magnificently in a jar with that fulcrum action. I'm hoping to put them to the test on sloping gravel bars and main lake points later this year. Here's the link: megastrike.wix.com/catalog I also tank-test the Mega Strike Evolution Jig with a Z-Man Turbo CrawZ in an upcoming float test vid.....wow, it looks great! Don

Okay great, thanks for the help! Ill have to grab some this fall to test out!

+Jose Angel Ares Hola, Jose. Creo que los señuelos va a funcionar bien en esos peces porque se alimentan de pequeños insectos. Please tell me if you have success! Don

Thanks for the comment, Yu. The finesse shroomz jig heads with the hook keeper works pretty good, but I think the reason your lure gets off-center is because of the aggressive way the fish hit the Z-Man ElaZtech lures. About the only thing I've been able to do when the lure is out of line is take the lure off the jig head, rotate it, and re-attach to the jig head. If that doesn't work, jut put on another. Best wishes, Don.

+yu Kane - The first time I rig my ned rig I put some gel superglue at the base of the mushroom head and the top of the TRD. It holds it in place perfectly.

Just pull the trd straight to fix

That's what I'm talking about, Jimmy. I consider this type of research every bit as important as exploring the big bang, predicting solar flares and figuring out what on earth the God particle is....... :) Actually, it just so happens that my wife likes to make fermented stuff like Kim Chi so I stole one of her fermentation jars and set out to see what makes these little finesse lures tick. For me, its a bit like going to the range to see how my deer rifles perform, with less noise and no soreness of the shoulder.. If you are in the FNN, you've heard a lot of hooplaw lately about the Scented LeechZ.....I ordered some and will show these little rascals (and other cool stuff) in the next tank test video. From what I see in the Kim Chi jar, those LeechZ are the bomb. Oh, before I forget, here's the link to the Mega Strike 2014 catalogue. Those jig heads are really something and I like how they come in so many sizes. BPS and other retailers carry a lot of Mega Strike products as well. megastrike.wix.com/catalog

ZinkerZ vs SinkerZ...I completely understand. My first experience with the 2.5" ZinkerZ was in the spring of 2014 and the guy who introduced these kind of Ned rigs to me showed me the whole stretching and gluing thing that makes them soften up and float. Same phenomenon occurs with TRDs. Z-Man makes so many excellent finesse lures it is almost impossible to miss just by fishing any one of them. Best wishes, Don

Yeah... I currently have a pack of finesse TRDs, Big TRDs, some hard leg frogs, and Turbo Crawz... they are fairly buoyant, but I haven't really used them much due to the weather. Plus I need the proper jigs... all I can find in stores (so far) are some small shaky heads, but not like the ones you showed, these are essentially a ball with a flat spot. They don't work very well for ned rigging. Luckily, my local Cabela's is receiving more inventory since Bass Pro Shop bought them out, and among the items they are expecting are Shroomz finesse heads and a lot more of the finesse TRDs, etc. They have the shelf space ready with labels, just a matter of when they get them. I expect them to be stocked this week, so I'm going to make a visit on Monday and hopefully they're in. With luck, I can test them this weekend.

Tex, the jig heads I was using are Ozark Finesse Jig Heads and are made and sold by a gentleman (Dave Reeves) who introduced me to the whole Ned rig phenomenon on Table Rock Lake. Send him an email at dtrs5kprs@yahoo.com and he'll fix you up. I'm sure you'll find that with the amazing variety of Z-Man finesse lures, frogs and creature baits, you will always have something that will work. In 2018 I'll be 're-visiting' some Z-Man lures I haven't used in a while so hope you'll stay tuned. Don

not sure what ur emogys mean or if this is a question

matt aytayan lol he rigged them totally fine and were great for showing of the baits

I agree lol with you matt lol