Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Pro-Lure-Fishing-Tips » The Mighty ZMan HerculeZ
The Mighty ZMan HerculeZ
By Cameron Cronin
A few whispers of a new ZMan paddle tail started spreading a few months back and I was eager to see what all the fuss was about, so I reached out to the guys at Tackle Tactics. Still in the early stages of production, the ZMan HerculeZ was, at that point, still few in numbers, with only a handful of pre-production samples kicking about. Graciously, I was sent a couple of lures in the 4” and 5” sizes to try, and as soon as I laid hands on them, I knew that ZMan was onto a winner.
With a thumping underslung boot tail, realistic eyes and scale finish, as well as a brutally strong Mustad hook, that leaves other pre-rigged lures on the market for dead, I could tell that these lures were designed with big fish in mind. I was excited to get out and test them on the local flathead and mulloway population.
With very few lures on hand, the former was the first target in mind, so I headed out to a relatively snag free system close to home. There I would cast at some bait schools with the hope of a flathead and some other by-catch. Once the bait was located, it didn’t take long before a healthy stream of flathead, tailor and salmon started to grace the casting deck of the boat.
I was immediately impressed with the cast distance of these lures, which offer minimal wind resistance with an integrated weight and can easily be flung towards the horizon. With weight throughout the belly section, this lure sinks horizontally, instead of nose diving, allowing it to sink more slowly than non-pre-rigged plastics of a similar weight. I found this particularly useful for punching casts into the stiff northly wind that was present on the day, however once in the water, the lure would swim seductively down to the bottom, drawing strikes on the drop from pelagic species as well as plenty of flathead once the lure reached the bottom.
After boating a solid flatty, a little under 80cm, we decided to switch gears and start targeting mulloway as the sun began to lower. However, tragedy struck as my samples were lost in quick succession after a tailor snipped through my light leader, then another lure became stuck in the reef we were fishing!
Determined to pick up where I left off, I patiently waited until the production lures became available, and immediately picked up a wide range of colours upon release. No longer worried about snags, I headed off to some of my favourite landbased mulloway locations in the Sydney region, with the hope of crossing paths with a few solid fish.
When fishing for mulloway landbased, tight drags and heavier than usual gear are the norm, which increases the risk of pulled or straightened hooks. For this reason, I was very happy to see both the 4” and 5” HerculeZ sporting an oversized, extra heavy duty, Mustad hook, which is painfully hard to find in smaller pre-rigged lures on the Australian market. This allows for smaller lures to be thrown on heavy gear, for even the largest of fish. This lure will also be right at home for barramundi, threadfin salmon, mangrove jack and mulloway anglers, just to name a few.
The lure also sports a heavy-duty underbelly attachment point, which is ideal for adding a stinger treble for increased hook-up rate, or a blade for extra flash in dirty water. During my mulloway sessions however, I spun this lure straight out of the pack and quickly found the hook up rate to be excellent, scoring a healthy tally of school mulloway and plenty of by-catch over a couple of sessions.
Although plenty has already been said about the durability of ZMan’s ElaZtech material, I was once again surprised to find that this design was (somehow) even more durable than the unrigged ZMan range. With the hook and weight being fully integrated into the 10X Tough body of the HerculeZ, there is no jighead for the bait to slip off. I now have one HerculeZ that has caught over 20 fish and you’d honestly struggle to notice it has been used. This translates into great value for money when compared to other pre-rigged lures on the market and I can’t wait to see how many fish might be possible on one lure!
Anyway, back to the mulloway fishing… Whilst the HerculeZ had accounted for a heap of smaller fish, under 85cm, we were still looking for a metre plus model off the bank, to really put this lure through its paces. Heading out for one more session, with my mate Ross, I had already landed a fish early on, so it was his turn to have a cast.
Armed with a ZMan 5” HerculeZ in Opening Night colour, he pitched a short cast out into the darkness and commenced a steady slow roll just under the surface. It wasn’t long before the lure was slammed and a short, intense battle ensured on heavy tackle. Bringing the fish closer to shore, as I slipped my hand under its gills it was clear that the metre fish had been ticked off! Measuring a touch over the mark, it was a great fish for this Sydney system and the HerculeZ remained unphased, even after a solid tug of war on 60lb Platypus Hard armour leader.
Since this session, the ZMan HerculeZ have continued to be a staple in my fishing arsenal, and I can’t wait to see what other captures this lure has in store for anglers right around the country. The ZMan HerculeZ is available now from all good tackle stores in both 4” and 5” sizes, in a variety of proven fish catching colours. If big fish are the target, tie on a HerculeZ and hold on… you won’t be disappointed!
Cheers, Cameron