Environmentally friendly, durable and popular — in the U.S.A., Z-Man’s ElaZtech® is already being hailed as a revolution in rubber baits. But what makes these rubbers so special and how do they arrive in Germany? In this article we have taken a closer look at the Z-Man lures.
Seventy years have passed since Nick Creme created the first artificial lure from vinyl plastic, oils and pigments. Creme’s invention set in motion a burgeoning softbait industry. And yet, it’s interesting to see that today, decades later, most lure manufacturers are still using the same old PVC-based soft plastic. In contrast, materials and technologies in fishing lines, rods, reels and electronics have changed dramatically.
The road to the new ElaZtech rubber
About 18 years ago PVC plastisols were taken off the market because the phthalates in the products were found to leach and make people sick. So from the beginning, Z-Man’s developers had the idea of creating a lure made from an environmentally friendly substance that would perform better in the water than traditional PVC lures. After three years of research and development, they had achieved what others thought impossible. Toys for children, whose composition seemed to meet the right criteria, served as a basis. Based on these, a material was developed that was eventually christened ElaZtech.
Essentially, it is a thermoplastic elastomer made from a non-toxic, food-grade and pharmaceutically approved resin. Known product applications include cosmetics, baby bottles, and medical and personal care products.
ElaZtech — The revolution of rubber baits?
Advantages of ElaZtech baits
Z-Man baits are incredibly soft and at the same time extremely durable. They can be stretched up to 12 times their length without breaking. American bass anglers typically catch more than 100 bass on one lure, with the record being 246 fish. For the best hold, the rubber lure can also be fixed to the hook with a drop of glue. And for this purpose there are special adhesives.
After the manufacturing process, the ElaZtech is as clear as glass and can therefore be colored in all imaginable directions. In addition, the material has a natural buoyancy, which gives the lure a very special action under water. While conventional PVC lures lie flat on the bottom, the ElaZtech rises by itself, giving it a lively movement.
To improve the taste, texture and weight for casting, selected lures like the Finesse TRD are enriched with salt. This also affects the buoyancy of the material so that heavily salted lures have a slow sinking motion. It is very interesting that the bait becomes sticky and almost slimy when the salt dissolves in the water. This makes the texture resemble a real prey fish, which can tempt bitchy predators to a spirited bite. But anglers can also stretch the bait to remove the salt and restore buoyancy. The salt leaves tiny, sponge-like pockets that are perfect for absorbing oil-based scents and holding them for a long time.
Disadvantages of ElaZtech baits
While ElaZtech offers undeniable fishing benefits, there is a limitation when it comes to bait storage. This is because the plasticizer in Z-Man lures reacts with conventional PVC lures. It is best to simply store ElaZtech lures in their original packaging. Also, it is a thermoplastic therefore it should not be stored on the dashboard in the car. Besides, the rubber compound is so soft and elastic that bite marks are hardly noticeable.
Conclusion: Environmentally friendly and durable
To call the whole thing a revolution in rubber lures is probably more the U.S. advertising style that likes to use superlatives. But with these lures Z-Man offers in any case an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional PVC lures which is very welcome. They are extremely popular among U.S. bass anglers, and the longevity of the lures is especially appreciated. In this country Z-Man lures are still less known, but Johannes Dietel has already discovered them for winter fishing. And so it certainly won’t be long before the brand gains popularity among bass anglers in Germany.
First published in german: https://www.fisch-hitparade.de/magazine/elaztech-die-revolution-der-gummikoeder/
