Ladson, SC: Call it your most reliable utility player. A bait whose versatile talents—and ability to provoke bites—know no bounds. Throw it over shallow flats. Grind it across rocky points. Swim it alongside or beneath boat docks. Rip and pause it through sparse grass. Fire it out into open water where suspended bass corral shad like sheepdogs. Spring. Summer. Fall. Winter. Threaded onto the right jighead, no other lure in your box likely shines in as many situations as the all-powerful paddletail swimbait.

In Part 1, we put swimbait shapes under the microscope. To better understand and apply various paddletail baits to the finest fish-catching patterns, we examined how tail shape, angle and size affected swim action and vibration. As we also discovered, tail-kicking motion can be complemented or contrasted by body (torso) considerations—round versus flattened, solid bodied versus softer, hollow bodied versions—to produce an array of distinct swim actions.

Beyond intelligent lure engineering and fish-attracting cosmetics, each of Z-Man’s thirteen tactical paddletail profiles perform a different underwater dance—all driven by critical combinations of tail shape, angle and body profiles. In Part 2, we dive deeper into the science of swimbait mechanics, revealing stand-out actions, retrieves and optimal jighead pairings—all in the name of maxing out your fun and fish-catching proficiency.

DieZel MinnowZ™
Among the most versatile and popular paddletail profiles worldwide—fresh- and saltwater alike— the Z-Man DieZel MinnowZ features a flat-sided baitfish profile, endowed with lifelike scale patterning and dorsal fin details. The DieZel’s vibrant swimming action can be altered and accentuated by jighead or hook selection, such as the ZWG™ Swimbait Hook.

TRD GobyZ™
A super soft, tasty little goby-replica, the Z-Man TRD GobyZ shines when retrieved near bottom with a swim-and-stop cadence. Powered by a modified, keeled paddletail, the Ned-rig sized swimbait kicks subtly at the slowest speeds. Poured with 10X Tough ElaZtech superplastic, the TRD GobyZ body compresses easily for seamless hooksets. At 2.4-inches, the petite bottom-hugging morsel is sized to match a variety of Ned-rig sized jigheads, most notably, the Football NedZ™.

Mulletron™
Impersonating finger mullet—the most prolific inshore forage species—the Mulletron’s true-to-life profile and thick wedge-shaped tail enable slow, precise retrieves across the skinniest flats. The bait’s buoyant ElaZtech tail also helps carve a perfect strike-inducing V-wake for explosive surface action. Consider the Mulletron’s talents for freshwater predators like bass and walleye, as well.

Scented PaddlerZ™
Designed to be a dynamic swimbait-jerkbait hybrid, the Z-Man Scented PaddlerZ’ slender, segmented body and thin paddletail produce a seductive wiggle on slower retrieves. Add frequent rodtip jerks and twitches to unlock the bait’s enticing darting/kicking motions. The Scented PaddlerZ comes pre-marinated in Pro-Cure® Super Gel for olfactory attraction and extended bite retention.

Slim SwimZ™
Among the most versatile of all Z-Man ElaZtech swimbaits, the diminutive Slim SwimZ features a special curved tail and flat-sided body and spine. Fish this multispecies swimbait any way you want; its tail activates at the slowest speeds; body action and vibration intensify as you amp up the velocity. To create the ultimate finesse swimbait, rig the Slim SwimZ on a 1/0 Finesse EyeZ™ jighead.