A Q&A rap session with Z-Man® pro and sonar savant Dylan Nussbaum
Do we really need another article about catching fish with forward-facing sonar (FFS), the singular topic that seems to invade every fishing conversation today?
If you ask most young anglers today—or many old-timers, to boot—the answer would seem to be a resounding yes. “Almost every question I get these days is related to FFS,” notes Z-Man walleye pro Dylan Nussbaum, a sonar sight fishing wiz. “Anglers want to know how to set it up, how to trigger ‘sonar fish’ to bite and especially, which lures to use with FFS and how to retrieve them.”
According to super skilled, youthful anglers like Nussbaum, fishing traditions are shifting. Young, energetic fishermen are mastering new skillsets, birddogging bogeys on fish radar and firing heatseeking missiles with military-like precision. Moreover, as Nussbaum and other FFS specialists will suggest, going one-on-one with big fish, flipping a jig and Jerk ShadZ™ on their piscine snouts is an absolute adrenaline rush.
“We watch videos and read so much about fishing with sonar these days, but I think there’s a lack of content really explaining how and why we do what we do when we’re up front, crouched over a screen, flicking baits and setting hooks. Sure, I use FFS to catch big fish and win tournament money, but the truth is, it’s also an awesome learning experience and honestly, one of the most exciting and rewarding ways to catch ‘em.”
Z-Man: Seems like the power of FFS has shined through at recent walleye tournaments. Most eye raising are the big water tournaments, like on Lake Erie, where trolling methods that cover large swaths of water are gradually being supplanted by casting a single lure to a single fish spotted on sonar. Why are anglers adapting?
Dylan Nussbaum: Beyond the fun factor, of course, it all boils down to the fact FFS helps us pinpoint and cast to individual big fish, one-on-one with a favorite lure, as opposed to towing lures around the general vicinity of a school, hoping one will eventually eat. In tournaments, we’re looking to put five big fish in the boat each day, rather than seeking limits of smaller eater sized fish.
So, even in inland seas like Erie, we’re able to use electronics to find general fish-holding zones—often well off-structure—and then zero in on larger, individual walleyes. We saw it at the last two national tournaments on Lake Erie, where many of the top ten placing anglers opted to go ‘scoping rather than trolling. Even amid infinite volumes of potential fish-holding water, a single angler wielding FFS and the right skills can sometimes catch more big fish than the trollers, who cover ten times more water, faster.
Z-Man: Tell us about the baits you’re casting with FFS fishing.
Dylan: Right now, it seems like everyone’s throwing a jig and Scented Jerk ShadZ, which has become the default FFS lure, especially early and late in the season. The 4-inch Jerk ShadZ delivers the perfect bait-sized profile. I’ve thrown it at every tournament this year. The ElaZtech® material is so soft and it’s buoyant, too; moves differently than any other fluke-minnow bait I’ve used. Get it nice and straight on a jighead and watch the bait as you reel in. If it’s rigged right, you’ll get this killer crankbait-like action, a subtle wobble and shimmy that can’t be duplicated because of its superplastic material.
Z-Man: Why are anglers experiencing so much success with this bait, including in both walleye and bass tournaments like the 2023 Bassmaster Classic?
Dylan: I think the buoyancy is a huge advantage for suspended fish because it keeps the bait up and almost hovering in place. You benefit from a slowed-down drop, so it’s not falling past fish too fast. Underwater, the bait’s buoyancy also keeps it perfectly aligned at that ideal horizontal angle on a jighead. Also, I can use a heavier jig for casting distance, but still benefit from a slower, more seductive rate of fall.
On bottom, the Jerk ShadZ’ tail stands up, remains visible and looks alive. In all cases, I love the Jerk ShadZ in tournaments, because this optimal bait (and hook) angle basically guarantees I’ll sting 95-percent of the fish and right in the roof of the mouth. You almost never lose a fish on this set up, either. Feel that thump and you got ‘em.
Z-Man: What about the durability of the ElaZtech material. Why is this important?
Dylan: The fact I can fish with one bait all day and never have to worry about the tail getting ripped off by a short biter or nipped in half by nuisance fish; that is huge. I’m never fishing and wondering if my bait looks right or if it’s been destroyed, so every cast is pure confidence. Add a single drop of Loctite Gel Control before threading the bait on the jig and you’ll essentially create a bulletproof lure that lasts all day long.
Z-Man: Any guidelines on your preferred bait colors for FFS fishing?
Dylan: In clear water, I’m throwing natural baitfish patterns like Bad Shad, Disco Cisco or Perfect Perch. If the water’s stained to dirty, I do especially well with Pro Yellow Perch or plain old Pearl.
About Z-Man Fishing Products: A dynamic Charleston, South Carolina based company, Z-Man Fishing Products has melded leading edge fishing tackle with technology for nearly three decades. Z-Man has long been among the industry’s largest suppliers of silicone skirt material used in jigs, spinnerbaits and other lures. Creator of the Original ChatterBait®, Z-Man is also the renowned innovators of 10X Tough ElaZtech® softbaits, among the most coveted baits in fresh- and saltwater. Z-Man is one of the fastest-growing lure brands worldwide.
