Nail'em with the ZOOM Z-Nail

It's Hot, I don't care who you are, this summer is hot, and it's dry and it is making my style of fishing very very complicated. I do what I do, and this season I have had issues finding success, even more so if tournament settings. I believe part of it has to do with the water temps as they are way higher then average and the water levels are lower then average, these combined are driving the fish from the areas Im use to finding them (and fishing them).. but as always when  faced with changing conditions I have to look on the bright side.. and then change with them. The more the conditions change the more Im forced out of my comfort zone and forced to try new baits and techniques.. last night was no exception

After work I headed off to a favourite haunt of mine for a few hours of shoreline relief. This lovely fishing hole is usually great for top water frogs, flipping pads and skipping a wacky worm under the bridge (and into the shade). Last night I threw it all at them, and no one was home. My frogs went ignored, my flipping bait sat dormant and my wacky rig bounced off both walls of the bridge and everywhere in between but no takers came calling.

frustrated I rummaged through my tackle bag looking something different to try and I came across a pack of Zoom Z-Nail plastics that I picked up at a flea market style tackle show. I really loved the way they looked so I grabbed a couple packs at $2 each, but have yet to try them out.

As I mentioned above it was hot yesterday (very hot) and in turn I was lazy (very lazy) so instead of re-rigging some rods I decided to grab my wacky rig rod and use my gammakatsu wacky hook rigged  through the head of the Z-nail. This really offers up a loose presentation and lets it move more freely in the water (see pic below). Once rigged I skipped it up under the bridge and BAAMM, it had barley hit the water and was slammed by a small largemouth bass. After releasing fish one I sent the Z-nail right back under the bridge and, bang, fish #2 was on!.. remember I had just spent the last 20 minutes thoroughly fishing this bridge with a wacky worm, and not two minutes later I was 2 fish in and soon to be a 3rd and 4th fish all caught from an area I had all but given up on.

(wacky but not?)

Eventually the fishing had slowed and it was time for change. I was happy with the action I was getting from the Z-nail worm and thought, why not try flipping it! So I dropped my wacky rod (a Dobyns SF703c) and grabbed the rod I had rigged up for small flipping baits. I slid off the berkley Power-worm and applied the same Z-nail worm I had been using under the bridge, two short flips later and I hooked into my 5th fish of the day, all on a bait I had never fished before in an area I had just spend 45 minutes combing over.. I don't know what to say, but I can tell you that I fell in love with the Zoom Z-nail on this hot August Day.

This little storey is here to server three purposes, first off, don't get discouraged when the weather or water changes in your favourite fishing hole, just take it as an opportunity to try out some new baits and or techniques, who knows you may just learn something ( I know I did).

Secondly, don't be afraid to switch up your bait style or colour choice, just because you work an area over and don't get a sniff does not mean the fish aren't there. bait size, profile, colour and presentation all play a part in the amount of fish you boat on any given day.. today the slender profile and tapered tail of the Z-nail hammered them, but that does not mean this will be the case next week.

And lastly go out and buy yourself a pack of Z-Nail worms by Zoom, this bulky finesse worm works incredibly well and is perfectly suited for any situation in which you would traditional throw a Senko, or even smaller flipping baits. The tail gives off great action in the water and I think you will be very impressed.