Introduction: When it comes to swimbaits, anglers are always searching for that one lure that does it all - one that looks realistic, swims naturally at any speed, hooks fish solidly, and stands up to punishment from big bass and toothy predators alike.  This ICAST Z-Man is introducing the SWAG LT, a swimbait designed to deliver on all these fronts for serious trophy hunters.

Z-Man is introducing another new swimbait this ICAST, the SWAG LT which features even more hook configurations

The SWAG LT is the latest evolution of Z-Man's push into the line-through swimbait arena. The company first grabbed attention at ICAST 2023 with the Mulletron LT, which took home "Best Saltwater Soft Lure." The next year, Z-Man followed up with the Shadtron LT, which earned "Best Freshwater Soft Lure" honors thanks to its innovative dual line-through harness system.

This year, the new SWAG LT builds on those successes with even more refinements, highlighting Z-Man's commitment to creating purpose-built, fish-catching machines that perform straight out of the package.

Like Z-Man's other soft bodied swimbaits the SWAG LT features a lifelike profile and finish with handcrafted details and will be available in 5 and 6 inch sizes and eight baitfish patterns. The real differentiator is this bait is the tail. Z-Man's new hybrid "SWAG Tail" combines the best of wedge and T-tail designs, and is designed to deliver a wide, rhythmic swimming action that remains stable and true at every retrieve speed. Whether you're slow rolling it over submerged grass or burning it back across open water, the SWAG LT is designed to hold its track and keeps thumping  without rollouts, and saving wasted casts.

"Three years into our line-through program, we've blended everything we've learned into this bait," says Jose Chavez, Z-Man's Director of Product Development. "The new SWAG Tail is a big reason why anglers will notice how reliably this bait swims, no matter how they fish it."

A look at the internal weight and harness design. Notice how the bottom hook hanger is wired into the core of the bait

Professional angler Luke Clausen, a Major League Fishing and Bass Pro Tour veteran, has been fishing the SWAG LT coast to coast. For Clausen, it's the solution to common headaches anglers face with other swimbaits, like poor hookup ratios and baits that go out of tune when retrieved fast.

"With other harness swimbaits, you often have to add extra weights or tune them just to keep them tracking right," Clausen explains. "The SWAG LT just works - right out of the package. The dual Over/Under Line-Through harness lets you rig it with a single dorsal hook for shallow cover or a belly double hook for open water and deeper fish."

The design enables the hooks to clip securely into the harness, keeping them in position on the cast, and release when a fish strikes. This design helps prevent bass from using the lure's weight to shake free during the fight. A twin clip belly hook keeper also pins the shank tight to the bait for more secure presentations.

The Swag features a completely new tail design which is engineered to move at all speeds and not cause the bait to burn out during burns

It wouldn't be a Z-Man bait if it wasn't durable and like the company's other swimbaits it is constructed from their signature 10X Tough ElaZtech material, which combines lifelike softness and action with outstanding durability. Hand-painted eyes replace glued-on ones that can pop off after a few fish, while an internal glass rattle creates subtle baitfish clicks. There's also a hidden chamber inside the bait for adding scent, extra rattles, or tungsten weights to tweak sink rates and action.

There are two sizes to select from, a 5" and a 6"

Each SWAG LT comes rigged with both hook options: a sickle-shaped black nickel single hook (3/0 for the 5-inch, 5/0 for the 6-inch) for dorsal rigging, and a custom double belly hook (size #4 or #2), and retail for $15.99  for the 5 inch  and $17.99  for the 6.

All of the patterns look solid in the Swag lineup

Our Quick Take: Jose and the team at Z-Man continue to push the limits of their ElaZtech material across a wide range of baits, from finesse offerings to new swimbaits like the SWAG LT. We had a lot of success with the Shadtron LT earlier this season, so we're eager to see how the SWAG LT compares in terms of action, versatility, and overall effectiveness. Its design, which allows it to be fished both slowly and aggressively with multiple hook configurations, is especially intriguing.