Tackle Tactics » Tips-Techniques » Pro-Lure-Fishing-Tips » When in doubt, ShrimpZ it out!
When in doubt, ShrimpZ it out!
By Reece Thomas
I think most anglers would have a few lure types that would be their 'go-to' lures or 'confidence baits' as I like to call them. Whether it be a particular colour or profile of lure.
For me my 'confidence bait' would be a ZMan ShrimpZ profile (closely followed by a 2.5" Slim SwimZ). Using these soft plastics I have caught a wide variety of species and over time have become very fond of using these soft plastics. ZMan do a 3" Scented ShrimpZ, along with a 3.5" EZ ShrimpZ, which has a jointed tail that mimics a prawn's natural action perfectly.
My first experience using the ZMan ShrimpZ was in Moreton Bay chasing shallow water snapper. Like many fish species, these big shallow water snapper don't mind taking advantage of the prawns that turn up in abundance throughout the year.
A lot of my snapper fishing is done in the low light hours, focusing around the early morning bite periods. I found that the darker colours in the 3" Scented ShrimpZ, like Houdini, Redbone Glow and New Penny work really well, creating a silhouette as the plastic is slowly sinking down the face of a reef ledge or any other type of suitable structure. The added bonus of the ZMan ShrimpZ is that are scented with Pro-Cure Super Gel, which really seems to draw fish in for a closer inspection.
If fishing the 3" ShrimpZ in the shallow water (around 2-5m) these are best fished on a 1/6oz or 1/4oz TT Lures HeadlockZ jighead to ensure a nice slow sink, which will normally be intercepted by an aggressive snapper hit. The HeadlockZ have a heavy duty Mustad hook that will stand up to the strong jaw power of a large snapper.
A prawn that is being chased by a predator will normally have a couple of fleeing flicks then settle again, so I aim to mimic this action with the ShrimpZ. Not only will you see angry snapper attacking these soft plastics, I have also caught grunter, mulloway, flathead and yellowfin bream by replicating the same techniques used for snapper.
The 3.5" EZ ShrimpZ is a newer addition for ZMan and I was really excited to see another shrimp / prawn profile added to the range.
I took a few samples down to my local estuary prior to their release and put them to work landing a few flathead and some small mulloway. Fishing these lures on a 3/8oz 4/0 TT Lures HeadlockZ HD jighead, I began to fish the edges of deep holes and drop offs, targeting schooled fish located on the sounder that were preying on baitfish and prawns.
A couple sessions later and the roles were reversed and I was fishing these lures in the Brisbane River for threadfin salmon. At night the threadfin salmon take advantage of the abundance of artificial light and use this to feed on copious amounts of prawns and baitfish that are attracted to these areas. The 3.5" EZ ShrimpZ were perfect for this style of fishing.
I chose the natural looking prawn colours, like Greasy Prawn, Fried Chicken and Natural, and rigged these on a lightweight 1/8oz or 1/4oz 4/0H HeadlockZ HD jighead. I would then cast the EZ ShrimpZ into these artificial light pools, keeping a close eye out for any disturbed bait and making sure that the lure was kept in the top of the water column, where hopefully a hungry threadfin or mulloway would be searching for their next meal.
Remember, everything eats a prawn! So next time your wandering through your local tackle shop grab a packet of ZMan ShrimpZ and give them a go.
Gear List
TT Lures HeadlockZ HD jigheads
ZMan 3" Scented ShrimpZ
ZMan 3.5" EZ ShrimpZ