Z-Man Fishing's new Jackhammer StealthBlade is designed for clear water and pressured fish.
Chatterbaits are all the rage on most popular bass fishing waters these days. To the point that some bass are becoming wary after seeing these baits constantly. Z-Man Fishing is introducing a new bladed jig designed specifically for pressured or clear waters. They are calling it the Z-Man JackHammer StealthBlade.
If you are already a chatterbait fan, odds are you are familiar with the Z-Man Jackhammer already. It was designed by pro angler Brett Hite and he was also the designer of the new Stealth Blade being made through a collaborative effort by Z-Man and EverGreen International, a Japanese lure maker.
This new bait uses a clear polycarbonate, hex-shaped blade and a lower center of gravity. The result is a bait that has a lower profile. At the same time, the newly-designed blade triggers the lateral line senses of a bass in way other lures do not. You can see the new SealthBlade's underwater action in the video below.
"The StealthBlade is the antidote for bass that have seen endless parades of traditional bladed jigs," Hie said in a press release on the Z-Man website. "Throw it in clear water. Skip it under heavily-fished docks and laydowns. Cast it for big smallmouths. Pitch it anywhere you want, and present bass with a totally different sound and cadence than other bladed jigs."
The man knows what he is talking about. Hite has made much of his career on fishing blade baits like this. Following the success of the original JackHammer, he quickly realized there was a place for a more finesse approach for ultra-clear water and other places where bass are generally wary of large, noisy lures.
"I'd say the vibe of the StealthBlade feels a little tighter, hunts with a slightly higher frequency vibration," Hite said in the release.
Much of that is thanks to that smaller clear blade we mentioned earlier. Z-Man Fishing says the blade tapers to a thin tip and has beveled edges. The result is a subtle little wobble that closely resembles a small baitfish feeding. It is the type of movement that is hard to replicate in a lure and the company says it helps generate more strikes. Z-Man further added to the slim profile by keeping the same hook gap. The difference is the hook is one size smaller and slightly lighter as a result. Z-Man President Daniel Nussbaum is excited for the lure's release.
"Working with Brett Hite and EverGreen, our main goal has been to give anglers as many bladed jig options as possible," Nussbaum said in a press release. "Parthenring with the sharpest bladed jig fishermen on the planet and a cutting-edge Japanese company like EverGreen has reinforced our ability to innovative bladed jigs into antler's hands. From a product development and manufacturing standpoint, EverGreen brings to the table precise attention to detail and the highest quality possible."
The Z-Man Fishing JackHammer StealthBlade will officially hit store shelves on August 15 and will be available in 3/8 and ½ ounce sizes.
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