Ladson, SC – Great baits often exhibit an undeniable “it” factor. Often, it’s a spicy silhouette or a “living thing” like texture that just nails it. Sometimes, the secret sauce lies in the bait’s smooth moves—a series of off-the-rails jukes and jives that incite bites with crazy consistency. You can’t always put your finger on it, but the bait’s propensity to get chewed gives you ample incentive to keep it perpetually tied to your line.

In hand, the new Z-Man® Trout Trick® Thick Trick™ is a model of simplicity and pure fish-attraction. It’s a soft slinky that kicks enticingly and a little differently with each retrieve. Twitch it. Drag it. Rip it. Skate it. Regardless of rigging and rodtip cadence, the Thick Trick’s broad, ribbed torso pushes plenty of water, while its wispy twitch tail activates effortlessly, busting out a series of slick slashing, gliding, dog-walking motions—never quite the same evasive action twice. It’s a superpower among softbaits, prompting big seatrout, redfish and flounder to eat it with aggression. The bait’s constant performance, however—all based on the new inshore bait’s ElaZtech® composition—elevates its fish-appeal to epic heights of inshore bliss.

Based on the original Z-Man Trout Trick—perhaps the greatest seatrout softbait ever created—the new Trout Trick Thick Trick might be even better. But first, a little background . . .

Z-Man® Unveils New Erratic Action Trout Trick® Thick Trick Twitchbait 1

Developed for seatrout by distinguished saltwater guide and bass tournament angler Bob Sanders, the original TroutTrick became an inshore player almost by accident. During an otherwise typical outing over a decade back, Sanders found himself surrounded by a horde of big, surface-feeding speckled trout. Problem was, despite the fishes’ apparent aggression, Sanders simply couldn’t find a bait that fooled these maddeningly selective trout, which rejected every one of his offerings, until . . . In desperation, Sanders grabbed a bait resembling a shad-shaped worm from his bass box, and, instantly, he was hooked up. After three or four rapid-fire strikes, he knew he was on to something extraordinary.

Eventually, fortuitously, Sanders met Z-Man president Daniel Nussbaum, and the anglers hatched a plan to make the bait from ElaZtech, altering and adjusting its anatomy and action to perfection—softer, livelier and exponentially more durable than anything available at the time. “Show an angler something that catches trout during those cold dormant periods or in the heat of summer when most folks resort to livebait and you’ve got a fan for life,” noted Sanders in 2018.

Still producing big trout all these years later, the original Trout Trick’s talents have been injected into the new Thick Trick, a shortened, thick-bodied version of the classic saltwater twitchbait. The 3.75-inch Trout Trick Thick Trick is turbo charged to flex and kick with exaggerated, erratic darting, gliding motions. A convincing imitator of fleeing shrimp and panicky inshore baitfish, the Thick Trick’s bulky, deeply segmented body and narrow tapered tail empower the bait’s variable movements and decisive fish response. From the beginning, the goal has been to dupe the biggest 20-inch plus trout with consistency—a tall task in any inshore environment.

Z-Man® Unveils New Erratic Action Trout Trick® Thick Trick Twitchbait 2

The bait’s propensity to produce trophy trout created an ideal opportunity for Z-Man to partner with Release Over 20, a pioneering nonprofit fishery conservation group founded by longtime Z-Man ally and exceptional inshore angler, Dave Fladd. For every pack of Trout Trick Thick Tricks sold, Z-Man will donate a portion of the proceeds to Release Over 20.

“Z-Man was among our first corporate sponsors and have been a great supporter of the program since its inception,” notes Fladd, co-owner Eye Strike Fishing. “Funding from sales of the new Thick Trick will greatly help us expand our reach and further our mission and vision, which is all about reversing declines in trophy trout (and other inshore species) populations by influencing recreational anglers and guides to voluntarily create self-imposed limits more restrictive than the law allows (more information about Release Over 20, below).

“Partnering with Z-Man has been a no-brainer from day-one,” said Fladd. “More specifically, the new Thick Trick is the perfect bait to help support our mission at Release Over 20, which is all about catching and voluntarily releasing bigger trout, as well as other inshore species,” said Fladd. “This bait has already become one of my go-to’s in pursuit of the biggest, most selective trout.”

Fladd continues: “While the original Trout Trick fishes with a subtle tail kick and straightforward freefall, the new Thick Trick gives you a broader body profile that empowers its leisurely glide and unpredictable darting action,” he explains. “Any time I’m imitating thicker-bodied forage or need to provoke a hair-trigger reaction from spooky fish, the Thick Trick springs reliably into action.

Z-Man® Unveils New Erratic Action Trout Trick® Thick Trick Twitchbait 3

“Let the bait sink to the bottom and give it two sharp jerks of the rod, allowing it to fall vertically on a semi-slack line—enough slack to let it fall without resistance, but tight enough to feel the slight tick of a trout inhaling it,” he explains. “I’m convinced the presentation triggers a primal reaction from trout, snook and redfish.”

Sculpted to marry up with an array of Z-Man jigheads, Fladd says the Trout Trick Thick Trick fishes beautifully on any Trout Eye® series jighead—Trout Eye® X, Trout Eye® Finesse or Original Trout Eye®. He prefers a 1/8-ounce jig weight in most conditions, switching to a 3/16-ounce in faster current or deeper water. “The Thick Trick also pairs perfectly with the Texas Eye™ or Texas Eye™ Finesse, swing-head style jigheads that add another dimension of bait movement alongside bigtime snag-resistance.”

Available at outdoor retailers now—or at zmanfishing.com — the new 3.75-inch Z-Man Trout Trick Thick Trick is made in the USA and features 12 guide-selected inshore saltwater patterns. MSRP is $6.99 per 6-pack, a portion of each sale supports Release Over 20.

Z-Man® Unveils New Erratic Action Trout Trick® Thick Trick Twitchbait 4

About RELEASE OVER 20: “Since the inception of our grassroots Release Over 20 (RO20) initiative, Z-Man has been on board as a key corporate sponsor and tremendous supporter of the program,” says Dave Fladd, who created the RO20 concept in 2020. “Release Over 20 is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization invested in fishery conservation. Essentially, we strive to reverse declines in inshore fisheries by influencing recreational anglers and guides to voluntarily create self-imposed limits more restrictive than state regulations allow. Anyone can participate by completing our online entry form and receive a free RO20 decal and special news on fishery research and other updates to the program.

“My original intent was to assure the release and survival of more “gator” sized speckled trout around my home waters near Charleston, South Carolina,” adds Fladd. “Even though laws do not support an upper-end slot size limit, I realized we could set our own catch and release standards and keep these larger female trout in the fishery. As support for the program expanded and gained the support of local guides and influential anglers, we realized the concept applied equally to species like flounder, sheepshead, striped bass and redfish. The initiative is now embraced by anglers from Texas to New York. We’re excited to work with Z-Man once again, and to promise anglers that their purchase of a few packs of the new Thick Trick will help support this DIY fish conservation program for years.”