Bassmaster Elite Series angler Mike McClelland recently put the new ZOOM® bait through its paces while competing in the Empire Chase on Lake Erie.
“The goby is definitely the baitfish of choice up here right now,” McClelland said of the northern waters hosting the last two Elite Series tournaments of 2008. “This new Fluke Tail Goby has a really good profile to match the baitfish that live in these waters. I’ve thrown a number of goby-type baits, and this one has everything it needs to get the job done.”
With its fluke tail and goby-shaped head, this new bait will be popular among anglers fishing northern waters. In lakes such as Lake Oneida and the Great Lakes, smallmouth bass gorge themselves on goby and this new lure mimics their natural colors and movements.
“From what I’ve seen while fishing for smallmouth up north, these fish don’t need anything too detailed,” McClelland explained. “A bait just needs to have the correct shape and action. The Fluke Tail Goby’s slender body and forked tail will create very realistic movements in the water.”
McClelland’s general presentation when fishing the Fluke Tail Goby is a spinning rod with 8-pound fluorocarbon and a 1/O drop shot hook. However, some may find an occasion where fishing it on an open-hook jig head will do the trick. When fishing it on a jig head, dragging the bottom is key to catching those stubborn fish that won’t come up to bite the drop shot.
According to McClelland, the spinning rod and 8-pound line will allow the bait to reach the fish much quicker than a baitcaster.
“The thing about fishing the Great Lakes is that you will see a lot of fish on the graph,” McClelland said. “When using a spinning rod with 8-pound fluorocarbon, I can get the Fluke Tail Goby down to those fish quickly. This is especially important when the wind is blowing and I’m moving fast. I have to be able to get the bait down quick and present it to the fish.”
“The thing about fishing the Great Lakes is that you will see a lot of fish on the graph,” McClelland said. “When using a spinning rod with 8-pound fluorocarbon, I can get the Fluke Tail Goby down to those fish quickly. This is especially important when the wind is blowing and I’m moving fast. I have to be able to get the bait down quick and present it to the fish.”
One tip while fishing the Goby on a drop shot – Don’t overwork the bait. Let the design of the tail and the pliable body work as it should and give its own action.
The ZOOM Fluke Tail Goby is available in stores now and comes in eight colors: Smoke Purple, Green Pumpkin, Black Sapphire, Baby Bass, Kiwi, Alabama Craw, Mardi Gras and Natural Goby.
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