Gear Review: Z-Man SMH WormZ

WHAT IS IT?

Z-Man SMH WormZ

WHAT SETS IT APART?

The whole idea of a shaky head is to present a worm in a mostly vertical orientation and thereby mimic a living creature foraging along the bottom. Angler imparted action that keeps the bait moving maintains the ruse, but once the rod tip shaking stops, baits made from traditional PVC plastics eventually settle and the attraction ends. Z-Man’s new SMH (Shaking My Head) WormZ eliminate this issue with their soft, buoyant ElaZtech construction, which keeps the worm standing tall and quivering for constant attraction.

HOW DO I USE IT?

Designed for subtle, continuous underwater motion, the SMH WormZ feature a slender head and torso that facilitate hook penetration. Slimming into a thin midsection allows the worm’s bulbous, football shaped tail to kick and wiggle enticingly with each shake of the rod. When the shaking stops, the tail rises and catches any bit of current for continued motion. Introduced at the Bassmaster Classic Expo, the 6.5-inch SMH WormZ comes in 10 colors. The 15% salt solution gives the SMH WormZ optimal casting weight and the taste and texture that make a fish hold on longer.

HOW MUCH?

$5.99 (SMH WormZ 7-pack, SMH Jighead three-pack)

MORE INFORMATION: 

Zmanfishing,com

ANGLER’S INSIGHT: 

Across the board, shaky head success requires pairing the right worm with the right type of jig head. Z-Man did its anglers a great service by creating a complete SMH shaky head system that also includes the SMH Jighead, offered in 1/8-, 3/16- and 1/4-ounce sizes, with black and green pumpkin options. The design team really paid attention to detail by crafting a slender, oval shape head that tapers to a point at the line tie. This strategic design is a real difference maker, as it not only helps the head work through cover, it also slips past the fish’s jaws on the hookset to allow a light wire hook to do its job.