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If you don’t have a Zoom Super Fluke tied on this month, you are missing out on some of the best action of the year. In much of the country the bass are either moving to beds, on bed, or are moving from beds. The Zoom Super Fluke is one of the best options for coaxing strikes from these fish. Even for those anglers in parts of the Northeast and Midwest, where the seasons are just opening, the Super Fluke is still a dynamite option, one that rivals even live bait on many occasions.

The Right Lure At The Right Time

For those of you who need convincing that the Super Fluke is the perfect option this month, here are four options, at least one of which should suit your situation.

The cold-water killer.

In parts of the country, the bass season is just opening and hordes of eager anglers are making their way to the lakes and rivers, most of which are still quite cold. Since bass, being cold-blooded, are likely to be quite sluggish this month in those areas… placing a Zoom Super Fluke on a dropshot and slowly working it along flats adjacent deepwater and secondary points leading into spawning flats should be deadly. There really is no wrong way to fish the lure in this manner, though making a long cast and slowly, methodically twitching it back to the boat, is often the most effective means of searching for sluggish fish.

The Texas-rigged tantalizer.

When professional anglers are looking for a bite under tough conditions, they often tie on their favorite lure and work known haunts for finicky eaters. Well, bass that are moving up to spawn definitely qualify as finicky, since eating is not their primary concern. A very successful technique employed by professional anglers is to rig a Super Fluke Texas-style, with a small bullet-weight pegged at the nose, and fan-cast areas that pre-spawn bass are likely moving into, to spawn. Use the lure to target cover such as stumps, debris, laydowns and anything else that could shield shy, skittish fish from other predators.

The bomb-in-a-bed.

If you’re lucky enough to have bed-fishing opportunities this month in your area, we have the technique for you. You’ll need a bag of Super Flukes in either the White Pearl, White Ice or Albino colors, some dropshot hooks and a pack of nail weights. Place one of the nail weights into the nose of one of the lures, ensuring everything but the head of the weight is inside the body of the Super Fluke. Then drive the point of the hook through the back of the lure, just before the tail, and allow it to exit, creating an exposed hook. Now, when you cast the lure into a bed, you can twitch the lure in place, for the nose stays down like that of feeding bluegill, which bass hate. When fished this way, the Super Fluke drives bass wild.

The weightless dynamo.

The Super Fluke really shines when fished weightless, allowing it to dart, bob and spiral on a twitch-twitch-pause retrieve. There are few better post-spawn options available, primarily because this technique can be used to find bass wherever they are and no matter what they are foraging for. Earlier in the month, set your boat off the tip of main-lake points adjacent spawning flats to intercept bass moving back to their summertime haunts. Make casts to either side of the point and work the lure back, just under the surface. Later in the month, when the shad are spawning near riprap banks, cast a weightless Super Fluke right up the cover, then aggressively twitch the lure back to the boat. It likely won’t make it back to the boat without being attacked.

No matter where you live, the Zoom Super Fluke has a place on the end of your line this month. Try at least one of the options listed above and let us know what you think.

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If you’re lucky, this is the month when the big females start moving shallow to spawn in your neck of the woods. It’s the time of year you cannot get to the lake soon enough nor fish long enough. And, who could blame you? With hordes of green torpedoes, their bellies bloated with eggs, cruising the shoreline… controlling your emotions isn’t a top priority. With that in mind, we singled out three Zoom go-to lures for bedding bass to increase your chances of success this month.

To be sure, just about any of Zoom’s lures will work this month, but these are three of our pro staff’s favorites for bed fishing.

1. Finesse Worm
   Yes, you read that right. While you might scoff at the notion of using a dainty worm in lieu of a big creature bait to get a spawner’s attention, consider this: A smaller lure means less plastic to get in the way during hook sets. Besides, it’s often not the size of the lure that arouses interest from a female or buck; it’s the movement and overall placement of the lure that makes the difference. Placing the worm on a Texas rig with a small weight pinched above the hook works just fine, but a better option…one we “borrowed” from several of our Elite Series pros, is to use a shaky head. Here’s why: With a Texas rig, you make a cast past the bed, drag the lure to the spot, and then attempt to twitch the lure by shaking the rod, forcing the tip to move. With the shaky head, you cast past the bed, pull the rig to the spot, and you can more easily twitch the lure in place without it moving. Try it. All you need is a 1/8 to 1/4 ounce jighead and whatever color of Finesse Worm that you desire.
2. Salty Super Tube
   We created these tubes after years of hearing “Zoom needs a good, all-around tube.” We listened; creating a versatile tube that’ll stand up to any conditions. The heavy salt in the Salty Super Tube ensures when you flip it into a bed, it won’t glide or dart too far from the intended target. It also means the aggressive buck or annoyed female won’t spit it out too soon. For whatever reason, bedding bass are especially annoyed by tubes, but many anglers find they miss more fish when using tubes. Not anymore. The problem, as we learned from an Elite Series pro who isn’t sponsored by us but who uses our soft baits, is color: Most bed fishermen like using white tubes, which they can see better in the water, but they often swing too early when they see the fish “flash” on the lure. A simple fix, he says, is to use a Green Pumpkin tube, which is much tougher to see, thus forcing the angler to go less on sight than feel. The result? You don’t miss near as many fish. Try it.
3. Z-Hog Jr
   No bed-fishing arsenal would be complete without including the Z-Hog Jr., the diminutive little brother of the Z-Hog and an easy target for bedding bass. Many of you will have one of these tied on a flipping stick with a light flipping weight ahead of the lure, ready for presentation to a bed. The lure’s profile and gliding nature in the water makes it deadly when fished in this manner. Another benefit of the Z-Hog Jr. is, when you spot an empty bed, you have already tied on the perfect lure for flipping and pitching to nearby targets such as stumps, laydowns, rocks, submerged tires where skittish spawners often go to for protection. So if you come upon an empty bed, all you have to do is start pitching to nearby targets with the Z-Hog Jr.

No matter what Zoom lure you ultimately choose this month, make it a point to enjoy some time on the water. You deserve it.

And if you land a giant using one of our products, we’d like to hear about it in the comments below.

ENTER TO WIN!

The Zoom Magnum Swamp Crawler is the latest addition in the company’s Magnum lineup. It’s a very significant addition when you consider how near and dear the original Swamp Crawler is to anglers at all levels, especially the pros.

Ask a group of Zoom pros to name their five favorite soft baits and names like Super Fluke, Trick Worm, Horny Toad, Finesse Worm and Brush Hog will be at the top of their lists.

But, pull those same anglers aside one by one and ask the same question. The answers are likely to vary, with at least a few of the pros discreetly adding the Zoom Swamp Crawler to their list… saying, but only if you promise not to share that information with the other pros.

“I wouldn’t call it a secret bait, per se,” says one prominent Zoom pro. “It’s the lure I find myself going to most often when bites are tough and nothing else seems to work. And in that situation, the Zoom Swamp Crawler is a fish-catching machine.”

The Magnum Swamp Crawler, at 6 1/2 inches, is a full inch longer than the original Swamp Crawler. But like the original lure, it really shines when fished on Texas and Carolina rigs, in addition to a shaky head, weightless or wacky style.

Really, there is no wrong way to fish the Zoom Magnum Swamp Crawler. The lures come 15 per pack and are now available in 7 different colors.

We pride ourselves on giving discerning bass anglers the lures that help them put bass in the boat, so when some of you said you loved the Z-Hog creature bait but wished it was a bit smaller, we listened.

The new Z-Hog Jr, a 3 1/2-inch version of its beefier big brother, gives you the same great bait and action but with a slimmer, smaller profile. Our pros have been testing it for months, and the only questions we’ve consistently gotten is “Why can’t I keep these a secret?”

That’s no surprise when you consider the original Z-Hog has become a favorite of anglers across the U.S.

The Z-Hog Jr. still has the rabbit-ear tail akin to the Zoom Super Chunk and the small flappers on either side of its body, in addition to the deep grooves on the front and back of the bait. Also, though the lure is smaller than the original, it will still hold a wide-gap flippin’ hook.

And maybe the best part of all is that you can fish this lure in the same gnarly, knotted debris that you did his big brother. Only this time even those finicky eaters likely won’t let you get Z-Hog Jr. back in the boat without a fight.

Now thru March 14th, you can enter to win a Z–Hog Jr Prize Pack!

Z-Hog Jr Package Includes: Ten packs of the new Z-HOG Jr (Black Red, Junebug, Watermelon Seed, Green Pumpkin, Watermelon Red, Black Sapphire, Watermelon Candy, California 420, Scuppernong Green and Scuppernong Candy), two large ZOOM decals, two small ZOOM decals and a Wired2Fish decal.

Register today to win here on the ZOOM Bait site, or on our Facebook Page. Good Luck!

This just in! We now have new shirts, hats, and vanity plate, perfect for any fan of Zoom bait. Some of these items even appeared in the prize pack for our Valentine’s Day Giveaway!

Famed Bass Writer, Louie Stout has recently launched a new website and blog full of outdoors recreational news and tips at MichianaOutdoorNews.com. He covers everything from local news, gear reviews, angler updates, tips, tricks and there’s even a section to share your trophy photos!

Check out one of their recent videos with ZOOM Pro Kevin Short. In this video, part of the Bass Pro Video Tips, he reveals some of his best tips in using ZOOM Baits for drop shot fishing, including the NEW Zoom Z–Drop! Click the picture below to view the video.

We’ve added three colors to our Salty Super Tube lineup that are sure to make a big difference to anglers across the country. And if the response we’ve already gotten from our pro staff is any indication, the fish love them, too.

Two totally new colors have been added to both sizes (3.75 and 4.25) of tubes. The colors, Green Pumpkin Chartreuse Inside and Green Pumpkin Purple Orange Inside, are as different as they are effective. In each case, the outside of the tube is the Green Pumpkin color while the entire inside of the softbait is a different color, either chartreuse or orange. Trust us when we say that what sounds cool is actually deadly for bass.

Not only do the colors show bass something different, but they mirror the actual natural changes of crawfish and baitfish when viewed underwater, making the lures more lifelike and realistic in appearance than any others on the market. And, of course, because they are part of the Salty Super Tube lineup, they also loaded with salt as well.

Though the color itself is not new to our softbaits, California 420 has also been added to our tubes. Popular from one end of the country to the other, anglers have been telling us that we needed it in our line of popular tubes, so we listened.

To view all of the colors offered in our Salty Super Tube Lineup, check out the gallery below!

Tis the season to go fishin’… Fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la!
You entered to win what your tackle’s missin’… Fa-la-la-la-la la-la-la-la!
Now we’ve pick ourselves a winner… Fa-la-la la-la-la la-la-la!
To receive our ZOOM bait gear!! Fa-la-la-la-la la-la la-la!

CONGRATULATIONS to Kyle Stewart! You are the winner of our awesome Holiday Prize Pack Giveaway!

Thank you to all who entered, and make sure to keep a lookout for new contests, products, and more by checking back here or on our Facebook Page!

We would also like to thank all of our loyal and trusty fans and customers, as this year wouldn’t have been as great as it was without you! We wish all of you a happy holiday and amazing new year, and look forward to everything 2013 will bring!

Our newest lure, the Z Drop Worm, was created for one purpose: putting finicky bass in the boat. When fish want a small offering placed right under their noses, this is the bait you need on the end of the line. The new Z Drop is 4 inches and is build for performance.

Designed with input from our pro staff, many of whom are recognized as some of the best finesse fishermen on the planet, the Zoom Z-Drop has a slender profile that gradually tapers to a flat, teardrop-shaped tail. Though the underside is flat, the back of the Z Drop has a raised ridgeline running from the midline to the tip of the tail.

What makes it different makes it better.

Anglers well-versed in drop shotting know that design is everything when it comes to their offerings. They know that the worm needs to be soft, small but not too small, and it needs to move in the water, even when there is no action imparted to the lure by the angler. This lure achieves all of this and more, thanks to the supple body, flat underside and the raised back profile that uses any hint of current to make the lure dance, sway and swim in the water.

We put a lot of thought into the design and functionality of the new Zoom Z Drop so you don’t have to spend any time thinking about whether you have the best lure on the line when drop shotting. Take it from our pro staffers: If you have the Z Drop tied on, you have the right lure for the job.

The lures, officially available in January 2013, come 15 to a bag. They are available in Green Pumpkin, Watermelon Red, Seedless Watermelon, Green Weenie, Morning Dawn and the new Purple Smoke color.

“You just don’t worry about that right there. Just keep on fishing.”

Those were the words spoken by a seasoned angler who was teasingly chastising a curious co-angler who’d inquired about the used Creepy Crawler Twin Tails scattered on the front deck of the angler’s boat.

Hmm…

Every angler has his share of secrets, those lures and/or techniques reserved for the toughest conditions, when nothing else works. We all know about shaky heads, drop shots, inline spinners and downsized Carolina rigs. Chances are at least one of these is a part of your panic box.

But some days, especially in the cooler months, when the temps are cold but not yet frigid, none of these suffice.

In much of the country, the fishing right now is either lousy or great, with the fall turnover complete and bass in their usual haunts. Often, the issue isn’t finding them so much as it is catching them once they are found.

“I hate this time of the year,” anglers say. “The shad aren’t balled up as tightly as they are in the winter, and the bass often aren’t as tightly oriented to any one piece of cover or structure. If you can see them on the bottom, fine. But they are more prone to suspend, which makes them nearly impossible to catch unless you are using an Alabama Rig or counting down a fish-head spinner type lure.”

Enter the Zoom Creepy Crawler.

“Looks like these spots don’t want any of these jigging spoons or fishhead spinners,” said the secretive pro. “I’ve got something they will bite, though.”

He hands the co-angler a baitcaster with a split shot 10 inches or so up the line from…a Texas-rigged, White Pearl-color Creepy Crawler. The pair backed out of the creek they’d been fishing, and as they did, they made long casts right up to the back, then began the retrieve with the lures just a few feet under the surface.

Instantly, they had two hookups from fish that had previously ignored spoons, shaky heads, fishhead spinners and even live bait being fished from a nearby pontoon.

“There’s just something about this lure, when it comes through the water over suspending fish,” said the pro. “I don’t show this to many folks. I call it my ultimate sleeper.”

Per the pros advice, try this:

When the temps are still cooling and the bass are suspended and fickle, make long casts beyond the fish, then slowly retrieve a lightly weighted Creepy Crawler right about where you imagine the fish to be positioned. This technique works well over brushpiles, roadbeds and creek channels, provided the locations have clear water.

What really makes the Creepy Crawler Twin Tail a sleeper are:

A. anglers can fish the lure in a manner they aren’t accustomed to—higher in the water column—and
B. you are using a grub in a situation that most anglers think only a shad-profile lure will work.

The key, says the pro, is that it works.

“I don’t know what they think it looks like when it comes through the water over their heads, but I know they’ll pull the rod out of your hands to get it,” he accurately predicted.

Make sure to check out the gallery of all of the colors offered for the Creepy Crawler Twin Tails below!

Can you smell the cinnamon and marshmallow topped sweet potatoes? What about that decadent stuffing and cranberries? What else could go better with your feast this month than having a Hog for Thanksgiving?!

This November is the month of giving thanks, and here at ZOOM Bait, we’re giving away 10-packs of Z-HOGs in an assortment of colors, including green pumpkin, california 420, watermelon red, watermelon seed, and many more! The winner will be chosen the Monday following Thanksgiving—AKA Z–Hog Day!

All you have to do to enter is visit our Facebook app here, or click the button below! Good Luck!

Talk to five anglers about fall bass fishing, and you’ll get five opinions. Some hate it, avoiding it altogether in deference to donning camouflage for hunting. Others think fall can be the best fishing of the year, but only if you catch the conditions just right. But at least one angler will likely share that fall is his favorite time of the year to fish, detailing how fall provides a perfect opportunity to more easily find aggressively feeding fish.

It’s widely known that in the fall, the bass are following the baitfish, which are migrating from the main body of water and into the creeks, tributaries. While this migration is ongoing, it’s common to see bass schooling throughout the day as they gorge on these balls of baitfish.

Now that you know where they are, or should be, what do you use to catch them? We’ve got that covered. Here are three techniques successfully employed by Zoom anglers nationwide:

1. Super Fluke: Main-lake points are a frequent site for feeding bass in fall. When the sun gets high, heating up the shallower water in these locales, these become locations become baitfish rest stops. The bass are not far behind. This a great location to have a Zoom Super Fluke tied on. Many anglers position their boats directly off the end of the point and make long casts right up the bank, then aggressive twitch the lure back to the boat. If there are no takers, make the same cast but allow the lure to work deeper in the water column while using a more subtle twitching motion. When the fish do come up schooling, anglers simply cast the lure, rigged weightless on a 3/0 to 5/0 widegap hook, right into the action, allowing it to fall just like a dying baitfish. There really is no wrong way or place to fish a fluke, and this time of the year is no different. Select the best colors based on preference, but White Ice, Albino and Glimmer Blue are popular favorites across the country.
2. Centipede: The main reason anglers loathe fall fishing is that when there is no feeding activity; the bite can be brutally tough.  This is when a seldom-talked-about killer can work magic. The Centipede is the anti-thesis of a sexy lure. It looks like a dried-up french fry, has no tail or appendages and no one ever talks about the lure. That’s all part of the plan. The Centipede is designed to catch fish that aren’t actively feeding and thus aren’t in the mood for an offering with a lot of action. It just glides along appearing as an easy morsel, too tempting to ignore. There’s another reason you don’t hear about this lure: Many pros consider it their secret weapon for catching bass in tough conditions. Fished on a Carolina-rig, the Centipede is ideal for working main-lake points appearing to have no activity. And as the bass make their way further into the creeks, casting the rig to secondary points can prove just as fruitful.  It’s hard to go wrong by having a Green Pumpkin-colored Centipede tied on in the fall months.
3. Super Chunk (and Horny Toad): So you’ve checked the main-lake and secondary points, and you feel confident that the fish are farther up the creeks. This is when a Black or Pumpkin Pearl-colored Horny Toad can really shine. Worked around shallow water grass and wood, the lure has few equals, with many pros considering it superior to a buzzbait, which is another fall killer. Several well-placed casts upon entering the creek can tell you if the fish are there and if they are and actively feeding. But don’t assume that no takers means no fish. Often, bass will cling tight to cover after a front, and once in this position, it’s all but impossible to get them to bite, lest something falls right in front of their noses. A Flippin’ Blue Salty Super Chunk on the back of a black jig could be just what the doctor ordered. Flip the jig around any cover you come into contact with, especially wood.

If there is one key to fall bass fishing it’s that anglers need to keep moving. Starting with main-lake points, then work you way farther into the creeks. Bass, like humans, are creatures of habit, so you know where they should be. With these Zoom lures tied on, you can feel good about giving yourself the best chance of success