When it comes to effective striped bass lures, nothing is more important than action and movement. That’s why soft-plastic baits are so deadly on striped bass—no other artificial lure can match the lifelike, strike-inducing action of a soft-plastic bait.
I started fishing Z-Man soft-plastic baits for striped bass several years ago on an On The Water TV shoot in Boston Harbor. Big striped bass and big bluefish had massive schools of pogies (aka bunker) penned up and were laser-focused on the live baits. One lure that was able to pull their attention away from the real thing was the 10-inch HeroZ. The action of the lure was fantastic, but it was the way it stood up to repeated striper strikes and the occasional mauling from chopper bluefish that made me a believer in the Z-Man formula.
How was it that a soft-plastic bait could standup to the same bluefish that were chopping live menhaden in half with one razor-toothed bite? The secret is Z-Man’s “10X Tough ElaZtech” soft plastic, a material that is remarkably soft and pliable, yet resists nicks, cuts, and tears better than other soft baits – and it’s made in the USA, manufactured entirely at their facility in South Carolina.
#1 Soft-plastic Striper Lure: HeroZ 10”
An oversized fish-shaped jerkbait, the HeroZ is remarkably soft, giving it great action, but super tough thanks to the ElaZtech material.
Rigging: I like to pair the HeroZ with a 12/0 ChinlockZ weighted hook. It has plenty of heft for casting, but the buoyant material will keep it at or just below the surface.
Technique: Cast toward shorelines, structure, or around baitfish schools. Keep your rod tip down and work it with a twitching retrieve to make it dart side-to-side. Try an occasional pause to let it sink like a dying baitfish.
#2 Soft-Plastic Striper Lure: MagSwimZ
A deadly, super-sized swimbait, the 8-inch MagSwimZ has an elongated body and a paddletail that provide a lifelike swimming action with plenty of wiggle. It’s swimming action make it a great bait when bass are feeding on mackerel.
Rigging: Pair the MagSwimZ with an 8/0 HeadlockZ HD jighead – Built around an extra heavy-duty Mustad UltraPoint hook, they are available in sizes from ½-ounce to 3 ounces.
Technique: Depending on the weight of the jighead, the MagSwimZ can be fished horizontally by swimming it through the water column on a steady retrieve or allowed to sink toward the bottom for a more vertical presentation that incorporates lifts and drops.
#3 Soft-Plastic Striper Lure: Diezel MinnowZ
The minnow-shaped paddletail profile of the Diezel MinnowZ might look familiar to saltwater fishermen, but you’ve probably never fished a swimbait with this much action or bulletproof toughness. Smaller sizes are unbeatable on spring schoolies, while the 5- and 7-inch sizes will attract attention from stripers of all sizes.
Rigging: The Diezel MinnowZ has a molded-in hook slot and integrated dorsal fin hook pocket wo it’s easy to rig on a HeadlockZ HD jighead for a weedless presentation that still provides easy hooksets.
Technique: Has a lifelike swimming action at all retrieve speeds, so you can fish it slow and low when bass are less active (think spring and fall runs). Great mimic for inshore baits like silversides, mullet, bay anchovies and peanut bunker.