Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Gear-Reviews » Fishing the ZMan 3.5 Inch EZ ShrimpZ
Fishing the ZMan 3.5 Inch EZ ShrimpZ
By Michael Wright
Late 2016 saw the introduction of the long anticipated ZMan EZ Shrimpz to the tackle market and at 3.5 inches / 89mm in length, it resembles our school prawns perfectly. The lure itself is slender in shape and the segmented tail sections allow for that great flicking action of a prawn, just like the real deal. ZMan's 10X Tough ElaZtech construction makes this plastic insanely durable. Just one plastic has lasted well over a dozen fish, with no fear of tears or being cut in half by toothy critters. The ElaZtech material is also buoyant, which can be a real positive in the way we can rig the EZ ShrimpZ up. It can be fished high in the water column on a TT Lures HWS (Hidden Weight System) jighead or down deep on a traditional jighead. The EZ ShrimpZ comes unrigged in a 4-pack and the options for rigging and fishing this prawn imitation really are endless.
The 3.5" EZ ShrimpZ is also available in a pre-rigged option, in a 2-pack, with a unique jighead that tailors the sink rate to suit your fishing location. This adjustment can be done easily by breaking off the segments of the jighead to take the built-in weight down from around 14oz to about 18oz.
Another feature of this custom pre-rigged jighead is that it allows the plasticlure to fall very naturally in a horizontal position. Having two in a pack is awesome as I leave one pre-rigged and the other I rig on a TT Lures ChinlockZ SWS jighead in a 1/12oz 3/0. You can also buy ZMan Scented ShrimpZ that have a belly slot for increased rigging options. Both of these rigging options will allow the angler to skip cast this plastic right into the strike zone.
The ultimate finesse presentation of the TT Lures HWS (Hidden Weight System) jighead can be paired with the EZ ShrimpZ, concealing the jighead weight inside the plastic and only leaving the eye and the barb of the hook exposed. The HWS in a 1/12oz or 1/8oz 3/0 size is perfect for casting under pontoons, jetties, boats and other areas where you might find that big jack or kicker bream hiding.
School prawns naturally spend a large percentage of their time buried in the bottom sediments. Like most crustaceans they are able to change colour depending on growth, background colouration and time of day. So, when it comes to choosing a colour to tie on, reference your water clarity and structure, be it rock or sand, weed bed or broken sandy rubble bottom.
Weed beds and their surrounds are a perfect location to flick the ZMan EZ ShrimpZ, simply because a prawn's diet is made up of plant material, microorganisms, small shellfish and very small worms. Weed beads on the estuary flats are the perfect environment for the school prawn and in turn are the perfect hunting grounds for predators such as flathead, bream, tailor, trevally and many others. So, if a prawns can change colour to adapt to their environments, I would recommend the following three ShrimpZ options:
1: Rock walls, broken reef bottom and thick weed beds - Rootbeer / Chartreuse Tail colour or the Fried Chicken colour. Rootbeer / Chartreuse Tail could also be a good choice in dirty flood water or at night.
2: Sand flats, shallow clear water and bright days - Natural and more translucent colours, such as Natural, Laguna Shrimp or Shrimp Po Boy.
3: Bridge pylons with good water quality - Greasy Prawn, Gold Flake or Fried Chicken colour and at night throw in Rootbeer / Chartreuse Tail as this colour will create a greater silhouette.
Angler tactics are important when using the EZ ShrimpZ. Like all lure fishing it is all about how to imitate the bait. My style of retrieve for the EZ ShrimpZ can be quite mixed up, from a constant slow wind, to a wind and whip style and even a hop and drop to the bottom. The hop and drop can be really effective on flathead and bream, whereby the EZ ShrimpZ kicks up the sand or mud, representing a fleeing prawn or shrimp in distress mode.
The common estuarine prawn in my region and along the east coast of Australia is the greasyback (greentail) and they spawn in summertime. This makes the warmer months the perfect time to get out there and throw around some ZMan 3.5" EZ ShrimpZ, with most of the spawning occurring around the full moon.
Don't be too concerned about night or day as I reckon results will come either way. If you're one who likes to tinker with their plastics you could also add a little glass rattle, which most tackle shops sell. I've had great success using the ZMan EZ ShrimpZ, as have many other anglers, and I would definitely suggest adding it to your tackle arsenal. With a little bite stimulus, such as the Pro-Cure Shrimp or Saltwater Yabby / Nipper Super Gel, you'll be sure to get out on the water and smash them.
Tight Lines
Michael Wright