LURE REVIEWS
This is a brand new feature page. Every month we will feature a new lure. We outline the details of the lure and review its performance.
STRIKE KING'S ZTOO
Length - 5 inches
Weight - 1/2 oz
Manufacturer - Strike King
Rating (1 to 10, 10 being the highest) - I give this a 9
Type Surface to bottom and everywhere in-between
Depth - various
Colors and patterns - 7 that I know of
Fishing for - The list would be too long. This lure is great for fresh and salt water. I have not yet found a fish that will not at least look at this lure.
Setup - Use weedless type hooks like the Mustad Ultra Point Impact Hook, Owner TwistLock open Gap and the weighted TwistLock. Anywhere for 2# to 5# depending on the fish you are hunting. Keep it weedless so you can work this in any type of structure.
Where to use these lures – This is a great lure in the flats or under mangroves. Anywhere you want, it will work. What you need to do is use proper weights for depth. This lure floats, so just using a hook will not make this lure go under. Fact is, it can be used as a topwater lure.
Technique - Cast under structure, such as boat docks and mangroves. Little twitches to make the lure bounce off of the bottom will make a fish look. In flats, bounce it off of the bottom, or even work it as a topwater. Working this bait slowly seems to work best. Let the lure sit between pulls (pause), you will find a lot of your hits will be when it’s sitting on the bottom or dropping. A large enough sized hook with no weight will make this lure drop very slowly. This works great in very shallow water where you find Reds feeding and has almost no sound when hitting the water after your cast. The key is to experiment with it.
Angler ability - In the flats and open water, this is a very easy lure to work. For someone new or learning, it is a great lure. As for fishing around structure like docks and mangroves, this will be a little more challenging. Skipping a lure under mangroves is not something you learn overnight or from a book or video. So as in so many things, it just takes a bit of practice.
Additions - Weighted hooks are a must, so again, depending on water depth and how fast you want this lure to drop, you need to experiment. Hooks with no weight also work but the lure will tend to stay on top. However, this is a good thing in very shallow water.
Note from Randy - I have used these lures in all colors depending on what bait is around. I have caught fish in less then a foot of water, to channels as deep as 20 feet. What I like about this lure is that if you have used soft baits before you have had smaller fish chew the tails off. This, as you know, can get frustrating and costly. This lure is so strong I have had puffer fish hanging on the end of it and still they did not chew the end off. The one thing I did find is that this lure does not take heat. It will melt into your other soft baits, so keep them separated. And try to keep the heat away from them. Also, screw type hooks are hard to get into the end of this lure - it is so soft that it takes some work; so maybe think about having some set-up before going out, so you're not doing this when your into some good fish. Other than that, they are a really great lure. The salt imbedded into them really gets a fish to hang on, and just the feel of this lure you will notice is very different then other soft baits. Use these like other soft baits and I am sure you will also get hooked.
MirrOlure Catch 2000
Length - 3 1/2 inches
Weight - 1/2 oz
Manufacturer - MirrOlure
Rating (1 to 10, 10 being the highest) - I give this an 8
Type - Suspended bait
Depth - 6 to 12 inches
Colors and patterns - Many, try them all
Fishing for - This lure is a very good all around lure, spring and summer on the beach and inlets, Snook will destroy this lure. Tarpon, Redfish and just about anything will hit this. Ladyfish will go crazy over it (great Snook bait) and large gator Trout cannot resist. I have caught just about everything on these, even Snapper and Grouper. This is a must for your tackle box.
Setup - When using braided lines, use Mono or Fluorocarbon leader approximately 12 to 16 inches. 20 to 30 lbs test. Tie directly to the line. Do not use a swivel, as they tend to spook the fish and make the lure not work as well. Use a loop type knot at the lure to allow the lure to work its’ best.
If using Mono or Fluorocarbon line, you can tie directly to the lure if you are using strong enough line. Otherwise, use a leader. The reason for this is that Snook have very sharp gill plates and they can easily cut your line. Also, if your line is pulled into mangroves or structure, you will have a better chance of pulling them back out.
Where to use these lures – You can use these lures just about anywhere. The nice thing about this lure is that when there is a lot of grass on top of the water, this lure will still work. As long as there is enough water depth, this is a great lure. So try it everywhere.
Technique - If you use topwater plugs (walk the dog or poppers) then you will have no problem with this lure. Make a long cast, depending on depth you can let the lure sink a little before retrieving. Give little tugs while reeling in to make the lure create a zigzag pattern. Stop occasionally to give that realistic look and even double twitch it. This sometimes will get the fish to hit. Most often you will notice that the fish will hit this plug when you stop or between tugs. If you have any grass or anything else on your lure take it off. Even the smallest thing on this lure will turn a fish off. This is not a cast and reel in type lure, you have to work it, so practice. The better you get at it, the more fish you will catch.
Angler ability - This is not a beginner lure. If you’re new to fishing or teaching someone to fish, this is not the lure to start with.
Additions - The only thing you can do to this lure is put better hooks and rings on it. I have not had too many problems, but a large fish can straighten out the hook on you. Again, stay away from swivels, as they will tend to pull the nose of the plug down and spook the fish.
Note from Randy - I have used this lure on the beach in the summer with great results. I experiment with all types of lures, and this has become a favorite. I have caught large Trout and Redfish in the flats, and just about everywhere I have caught Snook with this lure. To my surprise, when kayak fishing in the flats one day I hooked into a very large Tarpon in the 100 lb range. What a ride that was! Jacks, Ladyfish, even sharks will hit this lure. Try to match the color to the type of baitfish in the area.
