Unleash the Gremlin™

Z-Man® Pro Brian ‘B.Lat’ Latimer Gets Tricky With a Twisty New Creature Bait

Traditional critter baits exhibit three outstanding qualities: they tear through grass and kick up wood decking like a wrecking ball. Baits cause big bites in thick cover. And if they’re made of run-of-the-mill plastisol, a bass or two is all you get before adding another shredded bait to the scrap pile.

A quick look at what’s new z-man® pixie it might mislead you into believing it’s like other baits in the category. But comparisons to every other creature end at the superficial level, as the Gremlin’s next-level anatomy reveals all sorts of valuable bass-catching talents. Built for off-roading, flipping heavy decks and pounding, the new Gremlin is equally effective on a Carolina rig, swim jig or swing head jig, or gnarly-looking trailer on the back of a ChatterBait® bladed jig. .

“Too many creature baits flap super-aggressively, and they all offer pretty much the same overall action,” notes Z-Man pro Brian “B.Lat” Latimer. “Shorts, especially 5- and 7-pound kickers, become conditioned to these same repetitive motions. That’s why one of the goals when designing the Gremlin was to create a refined and less aggressive tail action. The body and appendages of the bait have been contoured to perform at a high level, especially during the summer and fall when many anglers are targeting the same bass.

“We knew, of course, that injecting the bait with ElaZtech® would solve the durability problem,” says the YouTube rock star. “I mean, who wouldn’t rather catch a dozen or more bass on a single bait instead of changing it every few fish? Awesome. But then, we took the game a step further than our usual ElaZtech home recipe.”

Extending the properties of the next-generation superplastic material it conjured up nearly twenty years ago, Z-Man propelled the Gremlin forward with a new formulation of soft plastics. “In the past, one of the challenges with ElaZtech has been that it is so soft that when you flip baits on heavy cover, the hook can pierce the body too easily,” explains B.Lat. “Very excited to say that Gremlin is the first bait composed of Z-Man’s new ElaZtech.tumbling formula—Perfected for heavy cover combat style fishing.”

To allow the hook to quickly penetrate a hookset’s material while remaining completely weed free during retrieval, the Advanced Tumble Formula was developed in Z-Man’s laboratory in the USA. “Conceiving, sculpting, and pouring baits right in our South Carolina labs allows us to hone every element of bait creation, hands-on, rather than struggling to communicate with secondary agents across the ocean,” says José Chávez. , director of Z-Man. Product development.

“The new Flipping material is even stronger than our normal ElaZtech formula, but still keeps the pinch point in check during recovery. It also makes Texas rigging much easier. And you’ll notice that the Gremlin still feels extra smooth and fishes with the same freedom and fluidity as other ElaZtech baits, but with a tougher formula that’s perfectly suited to grass and brush with a large hook and heavy tungsten weight.” .

Zooming into the Gremlin’s anatomy, Chavez calls attention to several purpose-driven elements. “The bait was built with a nice meaty body and a polygon-shaped core that holds the hook point securely, even when dragged through heavy cover. The material itself is tougher, but the ribbed torso of the bait produces a smooth texture, easily compressed within the jaws of the bass. Deep-cut ribs increase water displacement and trap and exude air bubbles for even greater underwater presence.”

Examination of the Gremlin’s twin tails reveals attributes not possible with traditional PVC. “The connection points between the torso and the legs are very fine by intention,” Chávez points out. “This allows for very targeted and consistent action. He’ll also notice the two side fins, which help align the legs, keeping them apart without sticking together, a common complaint with traditional creatures. You can also remove the fins, which give the legs a much more aggressive flaring action. Essentially, the sidearms dictate the activity level of the bait, which the angler can customize.”

“One of the keys to the Gremlin’s bass catching success lies in its subtle curly tail action,” adds B.Lat. “You want to retrieve the bait with a slower swim, rather than jumping off the bottom. Swim and stop. Those little tails wave and spin continuously, more like subtle little tornadoes than broad, thrashing larvae. These refined little tail flicks send all the right signals to hard-pressed bass, just enough vibrance to grab attention without sending up red flags.”

Chávez points to the additional wizardry of crafting baits. “See how the legs start out extra skinny at the base of the torso and then contour and transition into a thicker ‘knee’ section? Paired with the bait’s wings, or side fins, this trim keeps the legs and tail perfectly streamlined and streamlined; prevents material from stretching for nice, smooth casts and quiet landings.”

Like all ElaZtech baits, the Gremlin augments every presentation with its natural buoyancy. “The bass absolutely crushes the bait as it glides slowly on the drop, the tails subtly spiraling,” explains B.Lat. “But the buoyancy also produces smooth, consistent action as you swim and let it skate. You get a lot of bites as the Gremlin slowly glides over the drop. Therefore, I like to maximize the glide effect by going as light as possible, often using 1/8 to ¼ ounce weight. It really gives the bait more visibility; let the fish see it coming and spot it from a distance.

“All I can say is, if you think the bait works on a Texas or Carolina rig, try it on a ChatterBait. That combo looks just disgusting.”

Designed by Z-Man pro Brian “B.Lat” Latimer, the 4.5″ Gremlin features a bass with a bulky creature bait profile and refined action-driven anatomy. Built from the new formula Flipping from ElaZtech, the Gremlin offers increased durability with optimal hook penetration.Offered in 8 color schemes, selected by B.Lat himself, the Gremlin will be available in October.MSRP $4.99 per 4-pack.www.zmanfishing. com.

About Z-Man Fishing Products: A dynamic company based in Charleston, South Carolina, Z-Man Fishing Products has been fusing cutting-edge fishing tackle with technology for nearly three decades. Z-Man has long been one of the industry’s largest suppliers of silicone skirt material used in jigs, spinnerbaits, and other lures. Creator of the original ChatterBait®, Z-Man is also the renowned innovator of 10X Tough ElaZtech® soft baits, among the most sought after baits in freshwater and saltwater. Z-Man is one of the fastest growing lure brands in the world.