A Seminar on Z-Man Diezel MinnowZ

This 4-inch slender swimbait personifies fishing on the fly, in search of quick bites. Whether exclusively targeting smallmouths, casting for walleyes, or pursuing a mixed bag of not knowing what you might end up catching, the 4-inch Diezel Minnow is a fish catcher on every water.

Traditionally I would throw a larger profiled swimbait or paddletail with a casting setup. Mainly to weed thru dinks and focus only on the largest specimens available in the system. But as you know, our big fish are seeing more baits more often, and with that comes more frequent lure rejection. Downsizing from a high octane 5 or 6 inch swimbait to the softer, slender shape and subtler profile and shimmy of a 4″ Diezel Minnow fished with spinning gear proved to be the difference-maker across many fisheries. It caught fish of all sizes, but many bigger ones I believe wouldn’t have been caught otherwise.

Unparalleled softness, action, and elaztech durability merge to create the most bulletproof swimbait on the market. Inspired by Z-Man’s renowned three-inch Minnowz, smallmouth anglers alike will find that the Diezel Minnow’s hook slot and split dorsal fin provide easy weedless rigging and problem-free hooksets. It is an incredibly soft and durable bait. The softness of its body allows its boot tail to wiggle more vigorously and alluringly at slower-paced retrieves – Take note this is what you want in early season (ice-out) and late in the year (post-turnover).

ElaZtech works well with certain styles of hooks, but not so well with others. The rubbery plastic will fail to connect with jig heads lacking a wire keeper or sturdy collar.

My first recommendation is to pair it with Z-Man’s Finesse Eyez Jigheads. The slender head cuts through water, promoting further bait body swimming and tail kicking action. They are also excellent when worked through the shallows and near-shore. I have found other jig heads work very well with it. They include a 1/4 oz. Northland Slurp! which has a wire keeper and launches even further with spinning gear. The other, a 3/8 oz and 1/2 oz. Freedom Tackle FT Series Swimbait Jigs which sports not one, BUT TWO, revolutionary keepers that eliminates slipping and tearing. This jig will make casting the diezel minnow possible with a baitcaster.

I fish pelagic fisheries most often, therefore smelt is the only color I ever need. Available in dozens of other colors, I also gravitate to the Ayu, The Deal, and Motor Oil colors, as they work on every water type and clarity. Pro Team Perch recently saw lots of usage in September and October, and excelled wherever perch were the dominant lake forage species.
The 4-inch size works anytime, anywhere. But on some lakes and in certain seasons, you might find that the 5-inch Diezel Minnow (listed further down on this page) catches them best. The smallmouths will tell you quickly.

Beyond smallmouths, everything that swims loves them too. It’s so deadly on walleyes, that we caught a ridiculous number of 24 to 28 inch fishes in ’23.

Sometimes, bigger is better.

Smallmouths have no problem taking down a 5- to 8-inch cisco. Likewise, I’ve found that a 5-inch DieZel MinnowZ on a ¾- to 1-ounce head shows them the optimal size and profile. You want a heavier jighead, too, which helps activate the bait; gives it a fast thumping, fleeing action. Z-Man’s “disco cisco” DieZel MinnowZ pattern nails the blue, green, silver coloration of the species, and it was my go-to this year.

The best swimbait-specific rod I have found for the slinging and usage is the St. Croix Victory S.B. Ranger (VTC710HF). It’s a 7-foot 10-inch heavy-fast rod with a flexible, reactive tip section. Rated for baits up to 3-ounces, easily handing most large swimbaits and even Alabama Rigs. One unique feature of this rod is the soft thick EVA foam handle. This prevents casting fatigue and supports cushioning as the rod is clutched against the torso. Presently, the best handling line I’ve found is Sunline Sniper FC. 17-pound and 20-pound size is suitable. You’ll get by with most casting reels. My recommendation is a high-capacity spool. A 300 to 400 size reel is ideal.

Product Links

• Z-Man Diezel MinnowZ
• Freedom Tackle FT Swimbait Head
• Northland Slurp! Head