Z-Man Chatterbait WillowVibe for Early Season Smallmouths

Last winter, a few staff members from Z-Man Fishing Products tipped me off on this concoction, suggesting I try it for ice-out smallmouths. It was tried, but elsewhere….. on the rivers.

I discovered this combo is money on river systems. It captured several 18 to 20 inch class fish in April and May.

What we’ve got here is a vibration-emitting chatterbait head that gets pushed around by current, and a copper colored minnow tail that is exceptionally visible in stained waters.

This bait personifies the less is more mentality. No need for erratic action, or speed retrieves with this combo. If fishing rivers and currents, the flow will do majority of the work all for you, and get that vibration expedited and working on an auto-setting. This bait did such a great job getting carried downstream to the fish as well, maintaining its depth in the undercurrents, its ability to swim through holes and eddies, and holding together in current without blowing out. Great little combo for drift fishing. What a tool and personal discovery.

Rod and line choice here was very important. Without my 7-foot St. Croix Avid (AVS70MHF) and 15-pound Cortland Line Masterbraid to counter their pulling thru current, landing them would have been difficult.

Horizontal presentations, in conjunction with vibration-emitting characteristics, are integral to early season success. For river fishing and grabbing the attention of smallmouths feeding on baitfish in current, the Z-Man WillowVibe swimmer is deadly. It will also work with other plastics, if you can find a winner.

Product Links

• Z-Man WillowVibe
• Z-Man 4-in Scented Paddlerz