Z-Man SlingBladeZ

[Casslaw]

Well, like I said, lures catch US, thanks for the link for the Colorado/Willow combo...just ordered 7...have no idea when I’ll see them but it will be a surprise just in time for fall fishing I hope!

[eyra_kid]

That's all I use, except on the river where we have shad and up north where shiner and cisco populations are a bigger deal. It's bluegill first, second, and third for our bass, and a lot of the "bluegill" colors are way too colorful - green pumpkin with a chartreuse accent is my best bluegill imitator for most of our lakes. The main exception is on the lakes where the water is really stained, then those colorful bluegill imitators start to shine, and often a black and blue combo will still out-produce it. To be fair, the Z-man version of bluegill doesn't overdo it nearly as much as many others seem to do.

If I could get easily spinnerbait blades painted the same (green pumpkin with a chartreuse stripe around the trailing edge) I'd be all over that as well, but with chatterbaits doing so well around weeds I don't throw spinnerbaits enough to make it worth pursuing that level of custom. Instead, I've had Paul at ACT make me bluegill patterned baits with copper blades so that I have that colorful look when I want it, and just remove most of the bright strands for the less stained bodies of water. This has worked pretty damn well for me.

And because I know it starts sounding a little out there to use a spinnerbait for mimicking bluegill, it's been incredibly eye opening for me over the years just how often small bluegills will ball up just like shad around here. As the summer sets in, what I assume are year old bluegills (2ish inches) ball up tightly over the tops of the weeds or even out off the edge and scatter when a pike or bass busts them, or when a shadow goes overhead, or when an angler in a boat gets too close. Schools of hundreds if not thousands of them all the way through the fall. Get a nice wind going and the bass will really chow down on a spinnerbait.

Drew, thats some good info. Just goes to show the regional differences and adjustments one has to make. I'll pass your color input on. Really like the idea of the charteuse stripe on the blades. Wonder if a guy could do that easily with Dick Nite's Lure Coat in color of choice. I can't think of anything else that would stick to blades.

[eyra_kid]

Well, like I said, lures catch US, thanks for the link for the Colorado/Willow combo...just ordered 7...have no idea when I’ll see them but it will be a surprise just in time for fall fishing I hope!

Casslaw, thanks for sharing your thoughts. You make a good point on the Indiana blade. That used to be a favorite of mine as well, but I don't throw it as much anymore. Strike King Compact Silhouette was the model I used. Not sure if they still make them, but there was a variation with an Indiana blade and, I believe, a small Colorado. Hidden weight design with a contrasting color under the skirt. Really liked them.

I've never caught a bowfin, but I imagine those would test a spinnerbait! Around here, the wipers or an occasional channel cat will do a number on a spinnerbait.

[Casslaw]

Thanks, my real point I guess is that 90% of people buy these expensive lures and tie them on expecting miracles. They’re not, they’re tools just like the other couple hundred in our arsenal. When I was younger an Indiana, Colorado, Willowleaf blade had a cup to it and provided vibration. These days the blades are almost flat with beveled edges. Two willow leave will provide lots of flash but I like to feel the spinnerbait so I can tell what’s going on down there.

Still looking forward to trying these these whether I change the blades or not! And yes, a mudfish is an evil creature that whips and rolls until it tries to eat you!

[eyra_kid]

I get what you're saying Casslaw. There are cheap lures that work really well, and expensive lures that don't. And vice-versa. I'm frugal, but I will pay a little extra if I feel it gets me a better tool.
Thought you might be interested in what the Z-Man prez and Luke Clausen said about the SlingBladeZ wire and blades. I was initially surprised by the double willow's vibration. I'll report back when I try the colorado/willow. You may be pleasantly surprised at the vibration.

............
Rather than going the easy route with cookie-cutter blades and off-the-shelf wire, (Luke) Clausen and Z-Man approached the design process with a completely clean slate.“We worked with expert metallurgists who guided us toward 17-7 stainless steel wire,” says Z-Man president Daniel Nussbaum. “Initially, everyone told us to use ‘piano wire’ because of its purported vibration transmission. Turns out, piano wire is not stainless, so it’s fairly useless in water, and it’s also quite brittle.
“We discovered the 17-7 wire delivers superior reverberation. It’s a high grade stainless steel wire with excellent strength and resiliency, as well. (Clausen caught over 30 big smallmouths on a single bait last year before the wire finally succumbed.) Also, our wire is intentionally not electroplated, giving it a muted, neutral finish that blends in rather than standing out.”

The double willow or tandem willow-Colorado blades are each stamped from custom dies and electroplated with a jeweler-quality finish. “Z-Man cuts the blades and stamps them with a lower pitch than conventional blades,” says Clausen.
............

[Casslaw]

Thanks for that input, if they are using a SS wire that has higher stainless steel content then there is a price difference there! I’m NO expert but there a million mixes of stainless steel and a higher chromium content, zinc...whatever can make the price jump, not all SS is created equal.

Kinda wish I could tie one on now but like I said, I’ll forget I ordered them and they will show up in time when it gets “cool” here in Florida and the spinnerbait bite will be on and this will probably become my new favorite! Just how life works sometimes.

[eyra_kid]

I hear you on the stainless steel mixes. No SS expert here either, but there are a bunch. All I can tell you is the 7-17 frame feels a bit different than others. It's got some stiffness, but also some springiness.
If Clausen was able to catch 30 good smallies on 1 spinnerbait before the wire broke, I'd say they made a good choice on material. Hard to ask much more of a bait than that. Of course, from the sound of it, I don't know if any spinnerbait would hold up to one of your mudfish!

[Casslaw]

Mudfish are just evil! I’m shocked no other Florida/southern anglers have chimed in. They roll like a gator while thrashing! And they have the teeth of a....monster! Yes I’m exaggerating but my brother tore his ACL because of one! We were bank fishing and he caught one. It was going so crazy on land he went to jump away and his foot got stuck in the mud and we both heard a POP when he turned to jump....we were a half mile down the barge canal and I had to carry his the 220lb butt back to the truck, I’m 175 and thought he was milking it.

Hes very scared of mudfish now!

[eyra_kid]

Mudfish are just evil! I’m shocked no other Florida/southern anglers have chimed in. They roll like a gator while thrashing! And they have the teeth of a....monster! Yes I’m exaggerating but my brother tore his ACL because of one! We were bank fishing and he caught one. It was going so crazy on land he went to jump away and his foot got stuck in the mud and we both heard a POP when he turned to jump....we were a half mile down the barge canal and I had to carry his the 220lb butt back to the truck, I’m 175 and thought he was milking it.

Hes very scared of mudfish now!

Yowza! So gators are the least of your problems down there. I'm keeping my butt in Kansas...

[DrewFlu33]

Mudfish are just bowfin right? We've got them here in MN as well...people here call them "dogfish." Caught a giant on Pool 4 of the Mississippi last fall on a swim jig. I thought for sure it was a muskie until I got it boatside. In hindsight it was likely a state record as the current one is about 12.5 lbs and came from the same pool of the Mississippi.

They are mean. I seem to catch the most on frogs, though they'll eat just about anything.

[Casslaw]

Yes they’re bowfin, I guess because their top fin runs the length of their back into their tail...they are powerful! They just destroy tackle. I’m sure there’s a different name for them each place you go. They’re actually scavengers so they have the teeth to rip! I do catch most on topwater but if I’m slow rolling a spinnerbait and feel the line just kind of go dead....I go NOOOOO! 80% of the time they will unhook themselves if you let them jump but like cobia I don’t bring them in the boat. Nasty creatures that serve a purpose in our ecosystem.

[Casslaw]

This is a photo from google.

[DrewFlu33]

That's them! I caught a bass this spring on a jerkbait that had the tail of a small one sticking out of its throat. Poor photo, but I thought it was pretty cool!

[Casslaw]

I’ve never seen a juvenile mudfish, only 4+ pounders...like Tarpon I thought they were born big! lol, I’ve never caught a 5-10 pound Tarpon but I’ve seen it on tv so I know they exist!