The Quick And Easy Way To Rig Z-Man Jerkbaits [Cool Trick]

Wait until you see this cool trick to rig Z-Man soft plastics on weighted hooks!

If you’ve used soft plastics for saltwater fishing, then you know the #1 problem with using soft-plastic lures is that many of them quickly get ruined by the sharp mouths of many saltwater fish.

Of all the soft plastics out there that I’ve used so far, it seems as if the “ElaZtech” material used in Z-Man jerkbaits can withstand the most punishment without getting damaged.

I experimented with Z-Man lures years ago when I first learned about their durable lures, but I did not like them at the time because they proved to be difficult to rig due to their bouncy yet very strong material.

However, I have learned a cool trick that makes it as easy to rig Z-Man lures as the other brands with weaker material.

So scroll down to see a video showing the cool rigging trick and you’ll see how to rig a Z-Man

And you’ll also see a second “how to rig a Z-Man jerkbait” video that highlights a new weighted hook that Z-Man recently came up with to help their customers rig their lures.

Best of all, you’ll see the rigging steps that’ll enable you to effectively fish Z-Man jerkbaits in shallow water for redfish, snook, seatrout, tarpon, bass, and any other meat eater that feeds up in the shallows.

How to Rig A Z-Man Jerkbait

[Using Owner TwistLock Hooks]

Owner TwistLock hooks are one of the most popular of all weighted hooks because their unique centering pin allows us to more easily and effectively rig our soft plastics onto the hook.

But without the easy trick shown in the video below, Z-Man baits are very tough to rig on these popular hooks.

Steps For Rigging A Z-Man Jerkbait

1. Create a groove through the center of the bait by poking the top with the point of the hook
2. Once the grove is made, push the corkscrew through the top of the bait and twist
   until the entire corkscrew is buried into the plastic
3. Find where the hook naturally goes through the bait
4. Mark the natural spot where the hook will go through the bait with your thumb (or index finger)
5. Push the hook through the bottom of the bait, up middle of the soft plastic, and push it
   out the top
6. Make sure that the bait is in its natural shape (no curves or twists)
7. Slide the small bait-stopper against the soft plastic to keep the hook in position
8. If fishing heavy cover, slightly bury the hook point into the soft plastic

Rigging A Z-Man Jerkbait [VIDEO]

[Using Owner TwistLock Hooks]

References from video:

Click here to learn about the Inshore Slammer course which guarantees you’ll be catching more slams than ever before.

How to Rig A Z-Man Jerkbait 

[Using Z-Man EZKeeperz Hooks]

Since the unique texture of Z-Man soft plastic lures makes rigging more difficult (for those who don’t know the trick shown above), they created a new hook that significantly helps anglers rig Z-Man lures.

How To Rig Lure Onto Z-Man Hooks [EZ-Keeperz]

1. Push the soft plastic as far up the sharp end of the “horseshoe” as possible
2. Push up on the soft plastic and squeeze the horseshoe together
3. Find where the hook naturally goes through the bait & mark it with your finger
4. Push the hook through the bottom of the bait, up middle of the soft plastic, and push it
   out the top
5. Slide the small bait-stopper against the soft plastic to keep the hook in position
6. If fishing heavy cover, slightly bury the hook point into the soft plastic

Rigging A Z-Man Jerkbait [VIDEO]

[Using Z-Man EZKeeperz Hooks]

References from video:

– See how to tie a great loop knot

– How to catch more inshore slams in less time

Conclusion

By using either of these two methods, the act of rigging a Z-Man jerkbait can be just as easy (if not easier) than rigging other soft plastic lures with weaker material.

So if you were like me and turned away from Z-Man after some rigging frustration, I recommend giving them a shot again because their ability to withstand the sharp/rough mouths of our favorite saltwater species is extremely impressive.

For example, I was fishing down in the Keys recently with some friends for mangrove snapper on the flats and I caught over a dozen mangrove snapper and some trout on just one Z-Man bait while the others went through multiple packs of other baits.

If you want to see the EZ Keeper hook in action, here’s a link to a post showing some on-the-water footage… click here.

P.S. – If you’re in need of any help consistently catching more redfish, snook, seatrout, flounder, etc., then be sure to check out our Inshore Slammer course.