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You mighta heard the expression "the tax man" in fishing β used for muskies who smash smallmouths on the way to the boat, and for sharks doing the same thing in saltwater. But I'm thinkin' the true tax men in bass fishing are Brett Hite and Morizo Shimizu.
They co-designed the original JackHammer β a Hite, Shimizu, Z-Man, Evergreen collab β and as we all know that bait is one of the most fun to throw and one of the most productive too. And you can't just have one color or one size and all that. It's the JackHammer tax! π
Anyhow, got with BHite to find out more about this new Baby Jack:
1. The JackHammer we all know. Then we got the JackHammer StealthBlade, which doesn't seem to have as much juice as the OG JackHammer β even thought it's a different deal β and the EVO Tungsten ChatterBait Elite, which some say is better than the OG JackHammer in some situations. Where is the Baby Jack in all these baits?
> "It'd be a more finesse style. It's not gonna thump as hard as a regular JackHammer [and] it's gonna have a a little bit lighter hook.
> "The problem with the Stealth Blade is if you're fishing in grass...it doesn't want to clear itself as good as the metal blade.
> "What we did with the Baby Jack is we put a weight collar down the shank to keep the head size small so it kind of becomes a keel. ...even with the 1/4 [sizes, along with 3/8 and 1/2] you can burn it and it won't blow out because of that weighted keel.
> "We just wanted something to where if you wanted to downsize your line or your trailer..just be a little bit more finessey with it."
Follow-up: You said it doesn't hit as hard, but does it feel like a JackHammer?
> "It does, yeah definitely. It still has that thump, it's just not as violent. Anytime when you've got a smaller blade you're not gonna have as hard a thump. It does feel really similar to an original JackHammer....
> "I've caught a bajillion bass on that thing [the Baby Jack] so far. it's been a good one.
> "It has a Decoy hook in it [so] what's nice is you can fish it on 12-lb [up to] 20-lb. ...the Mini Max, that hook is like a 3x hook. The Mini Max was invented to be a little more finesse but the hook [is not] finesse. If you wanted to go lighter line, you'd have a tough time hooking the fish...."
2. What exact fishing need did you and Morizo develop this bait for?
> "Let's say you go to Guntersville β obviously one of the best ChatterBait lakes in the country. You throw the regular JackHammer and you catch 5-6 on a stretch. Then you go back through it...you just think there's more fish there.
> "Obviously fishing pressure is a big deal anywhere in the country anymore [so they wanted] something where you could just downsize your line and downsize your trailer size and get a few more bites.
> "And with that 1/4-oz you can burn it almost like a sub-surface wake bait β something completely different.... I think of guys fishing that in river systems or in a kayak or stuff like that...super shallow.... Or the Potomac River or FL waters, where you're fishing super skinny aquatic vegetation. That 1/4-oz is...in a little different category."
3. What rod, reel, line and trailer do you like fishing it with?
> "I use the same rod I've been using [for the regular JackHammer], the Evergreen Combat Stick or the Super Combat Stick, a 7 3 H-action glass rod. I prefer a 6.3:1 gear ratio reel...most of the time the Daiwa Tatula Elite or the Zillion....
> "Line, you could use anywhere from 12-lb Sunline FC Sniper fluoro to 20-lb. I think that's about your range for that hook.
> "If you want to get it down deeper, go to lighter line or it you want to finesse it a little more in clear water...you still have good hook penetration.
> "I like using the [Yamamoto] Zako, the original 4-inch or the 3-inch, and there's a new Yamamoto trailer that will pair up perfect with this thing."
4. Do you and Morizo feel bad at all that so many bass fishermen's college funds and retirement accounts have been drained $15.99 at a time?? π
> "Uh no because it catches them fish."
[That's right peeps, what's more important β fish or college? And can you fish in retirement without JackHammers?? π€£]
5. What do you think about that EVO Tungsten ChatterBait Elite β is it actually better than the JackHammer like the Brownings say it is?
> "I don't think so. But that's me just being partial.
> "How many major tournaments have you seen won on a Tungsten EVO? I'm not saying it's not a good bait. It's a stepping stone to the JackHammer...."
Word! There you have it from 1/2 of the bladed jig mad scientist tax man team!
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