Zoom Zlinky- New Stickbait Contender?

[Looking for the big one]

Anyone tried these? I picked up a pack, took them on the water, and was very impressed. I've been using Yamamotos but at nearly 8$ a pack they start adding up quickly. These are nearly a perfect Senko imitation but around 3$ less per pack. They're loaded with salt and have a slot for texas rigging. Considering the price I think these will be replacing all of the 5" green pumpkin and black and blue senkos I've got. 

[Bluebasser86]

It's a stick worm and Zoom makes it, I'd say the chances are good it'll catch fish. Will it be as good as the original? Doubtful, but if the drop off in productivity is minimal, then it might be worth it.

[fishballer06]

I bought two packs, but I haven't thrown them yet. We'll find out come April. 

[moguy1973]

Eh, it's a stick worm.  I'll stay with using BPS Stick-Os I can get in a bag of 30 for the same price on sale.

 

I'm surprised this is Zoom's first venture into the Senko style stick worm.

[Darren.]

Bummer (for me) that it only comes in 5" and not 4" which is my

preferred size (well 4.25 for the Stick-O). I'll throw a 5, but not

usually. But I'm sure it'll catch fish.

[swhit140]

I'm surprised that they are just releasing these, I think they are a bit late to the party. I love the Bass Pro Stik-O they are a very good bait for a great price and they have variety of sizes/colors.

[Bluebasser86]

12 hours ago, moguy1973 said:

I'm surprised this is Zoom's first venture into the Senko style stick worm.

They had the Z nail, which was kind of a tapered Senko/stick worm. It was a really good bait but they quit making it for whatever reason.

[Shimano_1]

I've always said the original is the best, but since they're so proud of them I refuse to spend that kinda coin. If i fished professionally or big money a lot I'd buy senkos. I've had good luck on dingers for years. Never cared much for the stick o but apparently a lotta guys love them. May have to try these zoom baits. I like most other zoom products.

[david jarvis]

try bruiser baits big sticks 

[Munkin]

You can buy Stickkos directly from the manufacturer cheap. Only downfall is you have to buy like 1k at a time. 

 

Allen 

[pauldconyers]

Not to hijack the thread speaking of new Zoom products when did they start making frogs? I saw them the other day at BPS and these things were HUGE! Look at them compared to the size of the Booyah model?

[txchaser]

I bought a bag of them for the motor oil/chart laminate color. They worked fine, caught fish. A little more plastic-y than a senko, but the fall looked ok. I'm not a fan of the hook slot as I'd rather skin-hook - a little easier to get through weedy stuff. 

 

If you are trying to save money you can make the actual senkos last a long time on owner CPS hooks if t-rigged, and using the lake fork tackle ring for wacky (just ignore the weighted hook it comes with). And a bottle of mend-it. LFT is a metal ring, so much better than o-rings. Point being a few bucks of upfront, and the senkos start lasting a long time.  Or you could do all this stuff on the zooms/bps/etc and save even more. 

[pauldconyers]

On 12/7/2019 at 7:45 PM, txchaser said:

If you are trying to save money you can make the actual senkos last a long time on owner CPS hooks if t-rigged, and using the lake fork tackle ring for wacky (just ignore the weighted hook it comes with). And a bottle of mend-it. LFT is a metal ring, so much better than o-rings. Point being a few bucks of upfront, and the senkos start lasting a long time.  Or you could do all this stuff on the zooms/bps/etc and save even more. 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Mustad_Wacky_O-Ring_Replacement_Pack_25pk/descpage-MWO.html

[txchaser]

On 12/7/2019 at 7:50 PM, pauldconyers said:

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Mustad_Wacky_O-Ring_Replacement_Pack_25pk/descpage-MWO.html

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Lake_Fork_Weedless_Wacky_Hook__Weight_System_2pk/descpage-LFWWHWS.html

 

FWIW I like how much wider this metal doodad is. Leaves the worm impervious to everything but the dreaded "dink head shake". 

[soflabasser]

Thank you for posting this @Looking for the big one. Zoom is known for making good lures so I will consider getting a packet of Zoom Zlinky the next time I see them. 

[ChrisD46]

On 12/6/2019 at 11:32 AM, moguy1973 said:

Eh, it's a stick worm.  I'll stay with using BPS Stick-Os I can get in a bag of 30 for the same price on sale.

 

I'm surprised this is Zoom's first venture into the Senko style stick worm.

+1 ... While I like and use Zoom - they are late to the sick worm party ... I don't see anything so remarkable with the Zlinky that would make  me want to rush to buy them over say a Yum Dinger (lower price) or the original Senko or newcomer General (higher price) .

[Hutch13]

I finally got around to trying these. They feel more like a Senko, softer and heavier (10.0 grams) then the Yum Dingers (9.2 grams) but not quite as heavy as the Senkos (11.0 grams). I tried them rigged wacky style and found that they have a wiggle very similar to Senkos. I didn't catch anything (on any bait) today, but I like what I see in the Zlinky. I've tried several Senko stick type baits and I think this is the closest action that I've seen to a wacky rigged Senko.

[Tatsu Dave]

They remind me of BBB Trick Sticks in shape w/hookslot and weight is about the same. I'm real taken with the XZone True Center's, bubble scum is a real neat color and movement pretty much mimic's the senko, has a hand poured feel.

[roadwarrior]

Well, there is the Senko and then a lot of wannabes.

 

[MN Fisher]

5 minutes ago, roadwarrior said:

Well, there is the Senko and then a lot of wannabes.

I look at it this way - if it performs at least 60% as well as a Yama-Senko, then I'll get it as it's only 60% the cost each. Budgetary constraints.

[Finessegenics]

They sound cool. I give a shot to almost every senko knockoff I come across because senkos are darn expensive. I’d definitely give those a try but I haven’t seen any in stores here in Canada. Not many zoom products manage to get up here for one reason or another.
 

The original senko is hard to beat but the best knockoff I’ve fished is the Xzone True Center stick. When t rigged weightless it shimmies just as well if not better than the senko. I seriously believe in that so for now I just use my senkos for wacky rigs. If I’m t-rigging a stick bait it’ll be the Xzone. 

 

I also have Dingers and Ochos and I’m not really a fan of either. I know the dingers get a lot love so I might catch some heat for this I think the  action (or I should lack of action) of that bait is absolutely dead. It doesn’t have that wiggle or if it does, I can’t notice it. Just drops like a log. Maybe it’s just a mental thing but I seriously can’t throw a dinger knowing I have better options in my tackle bag. 

[Hook2Jaw]

As a proponent of cheap baits, and I throw a lot; YUM, H2O Xpress, BOSS Jigs, I've come to realize tiny differences to us are regular differences to bass.  Their living world is on a much smaller scale than our own, and proven actions are starting to become more and more important to me.  As a result, I've started to phase some of my still unproven H2O Xpress offerings for lures from different manufacturers.

 

That said, I wouldn't be surprised if the ZOOM Zlinky shines in situations the Yamamoto Senko does not depending on it's characteristics.  Then again, I wouldn't be surprised if it falls way short.

 

The exaggerated writhing action of the Yamamoto Senko is easily identified by our human eyes, I imagine the action from stick worm to stick worm is even more discernable to a fish.  For some reason, the bass like it, seemingly, like none other.

 

I'll stick with Dingers for a bit longer, however, they're still a major confidence bait for me and they're a proven performer as well.

[Bluebasser86]

6 hours ago, MN Fisher said:

I look at it this way - if it performs at least 60% as well as a Yama-Senko, then I'll get it as it's only 60% the cost each. Budgetary constraints.

A Senko isn't always the best option anyways. I use a lot of stick worms. I might own a half dozen bags of actual Senkos. The rest are all Strike King Ochos (which I feel outperform Senkos and are less than half price), YUM Dingers (slower sink that work well when bass are suspending under dock floats or I'm fishing over submerged grass that's near the surface), or Berkley Maxscent (similar price but more durable plus the added scent).

 

It's another prime example of use what works for you.

[Hutch13]

17 hours ago, roadwarrior said:

Well, there is the Senko and then a lot of wannabes.

That's true but I hate paying for them. That's why I'm on a mission to find something that works as good weightless, wacky style but at a better price.

[roadwarrior]

Okay then, give the Strike King Ocho a try:

 

https://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Strike_King_KVD_Perfect_Plastic_Ocho/descpage-SKPO.html