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bwcasolo
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06/03/2019 07:31AM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
Just got back from Ely and had a hoot with Mike's Zman top-water rig. The largemouth and smallmouth just exploded on the rig. I have fished topwater before, but this was different. I watched northerns come from a few feet away , luckily, never lost a rig to a northern.

Largest largemouth, 5 lbs., smallmouth, 4 lbs. Total fun.
 
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cossefoort22
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06/03/2019 03:24PM  
Pics or it didnt happen! JK LOL, but if you have some pics post em up. Nice work!
 
06/03/2019 07:07PM  
Good to hear! I'll be using that in early September but mostly at dusk. You went at a great time for topwater. Fun fishing for sure. And a 5 lb. largemouth is a trophy up there in my book. That's gotta be a very old fish.

 
bwcasolo
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06/04/2019 05:35AM  
TomT: "Good to hear! I'll be using that in early September but mostly at dusk. You went at a great time for topwater. Fun fishing for sure. And a 5 lb. largemouth is a trophy up there in my book. That's gotta be a very old fish.


"

i don't take pictures when i solo anymore, i've caught so many bass in my lifetime, i can judge them pretty close. when my wife comes, she takes the photos.
yes, this little lake i was on had both smallies and largemouth.
 
QueticoMike
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06/06/2019 08:49AM  
Glad to hear I could help! Sounds like an excellent time! We caught a ton on the ZMAN ShadZ and RaZors on my last trip. The Pop-R was doing heavy work on the last trip as well!
 
TheGreatIndoors
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06/11/2019 10:57PM  
Just back from a fishing trip in the Pocono's with my son and a bunch of other kids. We ended up trolling around with Zulu rigged Shadz (easiest way to go when nobody cast) and caught a bunch of largemouth bass. You should have seen the expression on my son's face when he realized he had hooked a ~14" fish on his little 2 foot, Shakespeare, kiddie pole. I thought he was going to lose his grip and the rod would end up going overboard, but man the kid was ecstatic and determined to get that fish to the boat. He's only 3 and a half years old and fought that fish to the boat himself, complete with a dramatic jump out of the water mid-fight. It was awesome! Thanks, Mike!
 
QueticoMike
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06/12/2019 06:55AM  
TheGreatIndoors: "Just back from a fishing trip in the Pocono's with my son and a bunch of other kids. We ended up trolling around with Zulu rigged Shadz (easiest way to go when nobody cast) and caught a bunch of largemouth bass. You should have seen the expression on my son's face when he realized he had hooked a ~14" fish on his little 2 foot, Shakespeare, kiddie pole. I thought he was going to lose his grip and the rod would end up going overboard, but man the kid was ecstatic and determined to get that fish to the boat. He's only 3 and a half years old and fought that fish to the boat himself, complete with a dramatic jump out of the water mid-fight. It was awesome! Thanks, Mike!"


That is awesome! Love to hear stories like this!
 
CityFisher74
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06/13/2019 12:28PM  
I'll be trying this setup for the 4th time this year, and have yet to catch one. Not sure what I am doing wrong but I need to get it figured out ASAP. Going Kawishiwi River and I know of 2 different rapids so I am going to cast upstream at the bottom of the rapids and see if I have any luck there. I've read his articles 100 times and read through all the forums. It is clearly me that is not doing something right.
 
missmolly
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06/13/2019 02:09PM  
CityFisher74: "I'll be trying this setup for the 4th time this year, and have yet to catch one. Not sure what I am doing wrong but I need to get it figured out ASAP. Going Kawishiwi River and I know of 2 different rapids so I am going to cast upstream at the bottom of the rapids and see if I have any luck there. I've read his articles 100 times and read through all the forums. It is clearly me that is not doing something right."


What time of the year have you used it? I've only used it once, caught a 19-incher on my first cast and seven bass in nine casts,* and that was early June, which is when Mike uses it most. Correct me if I'm wrong, Mike.

*Then a cold front hit and it stopped working. Only leeches worked.

 
midfin
member (22)member
  
06/13/2019 02:36PM  
Another way of fishing the Z-man that I like real well, is using a standup Chomper brand jig head, (they come with an easily removable, single strand wire guard, grab it with a pair of pliers and wiggle it a couple of times while pulling straight out) and super gluing the z-man to the jig. They last longer that way. I've found that the older I'm getting, it's tougher to get it rigged up straight, which is critically important. When I do? It lasts forever. The Chomper's jigs have extremely sharp and solid hooks that hold up. I've always felt that the wider profile head shape, helped displace some of the water and made rigging it straight, a little more forgiving. If it doesn't run true, tie on another.

The z-t00 and the Zulu 3x plastics are highly effective as well.
 
QueticoMike
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06/13/2019 05:07PM  
midfin: "Another way of fishing the Z-man that I like real well, is using a standup Chomper brand jig head, (they come with an easily removable, single strand wire guard, grab it with a pair of pliers and wiggle it a couple of times while pulling straight out) and super gluing the z-man to the jig. They last longer that way. I've found that the older I'm getting, it's tougher to get it rigged up straight, which is critically important. When I do? It lasts forever. The Chomper's jigs have extremely sharp and solid hooks that hold up. I've always felt that the wider profile head shape, helped displace some of the water and made rigging it straight, a little more forgiving. If it doesn't run true, tie on another.


The z-t00 and the Zulu 3x plastics are highly effective as well.
"


All of the ZMAN scented jerk ShadZ\StreakZ and Strike King Ztoo\Zulu are produced by ZMAN and use the same plastic ( ElaZtech ). ZMAN manufactures the lures and sells them to Strike King and then they rename the lures. I determined this back in 2007 when I was the Fishing Gear buyer for Piragis Northwoods Co. in Ely.
 
QueticoMike
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06/13/2019 05:13PM  
missmolly: "
CityFisher74: "I'll be trying this setup for the 4th time this year, and have yet to catch one. Not sure what I am doing wrong but I need to get it figured out ASAP. Going Kawishiwi River and I know of 2 different rapids so I am going to cast upstream at the bottom of the rapids and see if I have any luck there. I've read his articles 100 times and read through all the forums. It is clearly me that is not doing something right."



What time of the year have you used it? I've only used it once, caught a 19-incher on my first cast and seven bass in nine casts,* and that was early June, which is when Mike uses it most. Correct me if I'm wrong, Mike.


*Then a cold front hit and it stopped working. Only leeches worked.


"


I fish the ZMAN scented jerk ShadZ from the beginning to the end of open water season. I will use this lure in the winter if there is no ice on the river.
 
06/13/2019 08:16PM  
QueticoMike: "Glad to hear I could help! Sounds like an excellent time! We caught a ton on the ZMAN ShadZ and RaZors on my last trip. The Pop-R was doing heavy work on the last trip as well!"


Mike you rig with a worm hook or a treble?
 
QueticoMike
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06/14/2019 06:46AM  
mcsweem: "
QueticoMike: "Glad to hear I could help! Sounds like an excellent time! We caught a ton on the ZMAN ShadZ and RaZors on my last trip. The Pop-R was doing heavy work on the last trip as well!"



Mike you rig with a worm hook or a treble? "
1/0 Gamakatsu worm hook, 10 inches of line leader, size 4 SPRO ball bearing. If you would like to read my article on the Zulu rig send me an email at queticomike@yahoo.com. If you like to read the Zulu Magic Update article you can call the Boundary Waters Journal 800-548-7319 and order the article or the whole current Spring issue. I will find the Zulu Rigging thread and bump it to the top so you can see step by step pictures of the rig.
 
Ogelthorp
  
06/14/2019 10:13AM  
What is the Zman set up?
 
QueticoMike
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06/14/2019 10:50AM  
They are talking about my Zulu Rig mentioned in the above comment. ZMAN scented jerk ShadZ ( I prefer redbone right now ) , 1/0 Gamakatsu hook, 10 inches of line leader tied off to a size 3 or 4 SPRO ball bearing swivel.

Check the thread on " Zulu Rigging "
 
QueticoMike
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06/15/2019 07:32AM  
Ogelthorp: "What is the Zman set up?"


If you want to read my article on this rig, send me an email -queticomike@yahoo.com - and request the Zulu Magic article
 
midfin
member (22)member
  
06/18/2019 03:42PM  
"All of the ZMAN scented jerk ShadZ\StreakZ and Strike King Ztoo\Zulu are produced by ZMAN and use the same plastic ( ElaZtech ). ZMAN manufactures the lures and sells them to Strike King and then they rename the lures. I determined this back in 2007 when I was the Fishing Gear buyer for Piragis Northwoods Co. in Ely. "

Thanks Mike, What about the Yamamoto series of 3x baits? Do you think Strike King produces those too?

Mr. Mike has been gracious enough to respond promptly to my e-mails, and has been extremely helpful. I'm sure my questions have been a pain in his side, he's handled it well and I'll be forever grateful for his help.

Derrick


 
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