Z-MAN ZinkerZ 5" Goby Bryant 6-Pack

Z-MAN ZinkerZ | 5 inch | Goby Bryant | ElaZtech Stick Bait | 6-Count | Wacky Rig, Neko Rig & Drop Shot | Great Lakes Goby-Forage Color for Smallmouth Bass on Rocky Bottom

The Z-MAN ZinkerZ in 5" Goby Bryant is the Great Lakes and goby-forage specialist in the ZinkerZ lineup — a brown/olive/tan naturalistic color developed specifically for smallmouth bass fisheries where round gobies and similar bottom-dwelling baitfish are the dominant forage. Goby Bryant’s muted, naturalistic tones precisely match the coloration of round gobies on the rocky, gravelly, and hard-bottom environments of the Great Lakes, Lake Erie tributaries, and inland rivers where smallmouth bass feed almost exclusively on gobies in the warmer months. On Z-MAN’s ElaZtech material — 10x tougher than standard soft plastics and naturally buoyant — the Goby Bryant ZinkerZ produces the slow, quivering fall and buoyant at-rest action that triggers strikes from the most selective, pressured Great Lakes smallmouth. Each pack contains 6 ZinkerZ baits.

Key Features

• Goby Bryant Color — Great Lakes Forage Match — brown/olive/tan naturalistic pattern developed to match round gobies on rocky, hard-bottom Great Lakes and tributary environments; round gobies have become the dominant forage species for smallmouth bass throughout the Great Lakes basin, and any color that precisely matches goby coloration dramatically outperforms non-matching colors on goby-keying smallmouth; Goby Bryant’s muted, bottom-matching tones also work effectively on any fishery with sculpin, madtom, or other bottom-dwelling baitfish forage
• ElaZtech Material — Z-MAN’s proprietary soft plastic compound that is 10x tougher than standard soft plastics; essential for Great Lakes smallmouth applications where a single fish can destroy a standard wacky-rigged stick bait; ElaZtech survives repeated strikes, the abrasive rocky bottom of Great Lakes fisheries, and the powerful bites of trophy smallmouth without tearing; salt-impregnated throughout for consistent scent output on every cast
• Natural Buoyancy — Wacky & Neko Action — ElaZtech’s inherent buoyancy causes both ends of the ZinkerZ to float upward from the hook on a wacky rig, creating the slow, horizontal, quivering fall that Great Lakes smallmouth key on over rocky bottom; on a Neko rig the tail stands upright at rest near bottom, imitating a goby in a defensive or feeding posture on hard bottom — one of the most effective at-rest triggers for goby-pattern smallmouth
• 5-Inch Profile for Smallmouth — the 5-inch length is proportional to adult round gobies and is the correct size for targeting trophy-class smallmouth that have become conditioned to large goby forage; large enough to produce the wide, slow fall that triggers committed strikes from selective Great Lakes smallmouth while remaining proportional to the goby forage that these fish are specifically targeting

How to Fish It

• Wacky Rig — Great Lakes Rocky Bottom — the most effective ZinkerZ Goby Bryant presentation for Great Lakes smallmouth; hook through the center with a 1/0–2/0 wacky hook (O-ring recommended); cast to rocky points, boulder fields, and gravel flats in 8–25 feet; allow the bait to fall on slack line with ElaZtech’s buoyancy creating the quivering horizontal fall that mimics a goby falling through the water column; most strikes occur on the fall; allow the bait to settle on bottom and twitch once before letting it fall again
• Neko Rig — Rocky Bottom Goby Imitation — insert a small nail weight into the head of the ZinkerZ; hook through the body near the weighted nose with a wacky hook; the weight pins the nose to the rocky bottom while ElaZtech’s buoyancy causes the tail to stand upright, precisely imitating a goby feeding or resting on rocky bottom; shake in place over boulder fields, rock piles, and deep rocky structure; the Goby Bryant color at rest in this upright posture is one of the most specific and effective goby-pattern smallmouth presentations available
• Drop Shot — Deep Rocky Structure — hook nose-first on a drop shot rig in 15–30 feet over deep rocky structure where trophy smallmouth hold in summer; ElaZtech’s buoyancy causes the bait to float upward from the hook, presenting the Goby Bryant color horizontally in the water column just above bottom; shake in place or drag slowly; particularly effective for targeting the deepest, most selective Great Lakes and tributary smallmouth that have been exposed to heavy fishing pressure
• Inland Rocky Rivers — Sculpin & Madtom Forage — on inland rivers with rocky bottom where smallmouth feed on sculpin, madtom, and other bottom-dwelling baitfish; the Goby Bryant color’s brown/olive/tan tones match these forage species as effectively as round gobies; drift or swing a wacky-rigged Goby Bryant ZinkerZ along rocky river bottom or across gravel bars where smallmouth are actively feeding

Target Species

Smallmouth Bass • Largemouth Bass • Spotted Bass • Any bass species in goby, sculpin, or bottom-baitfish forage environments on rocky and hard-bottom fisheries.

Specs

• Length: 5 inches
• Color: Goby Bryant (brown/olive/tan goby imitation)
• Material: ElaZtech (10x tougher, naturally buoyant, salt-impregnated)
• Count: 6 per pack
• Brand: Z-MAN Fishing Products