Going Hard in the BBZ – Bill Siementel’s New Swimbait from Fishlab
(continued)
Durability
was also impressive.
The lure held up
well against
aggressive strikes,
and while rotating
hook hangers would
have been a nice
touch, the bait’s
compact size and
lighter weight
helped keep fish
pinned throughout
the fight. The
hybrid tail and fin
designs not only
look realistic in
the water but also
proved resilient -
retaining their
shape in storage and
flexing upon contact
with structure
rather than cracking
or tearing.
The joints all
feature dual
connections and the
hybrid tail held up
well to strikes
Price and
Applications:
It’s interesting
that at ICAST 2024,
the FishLab BBZ won
Best of Show in the
Saltwater Hard Lure
category. While
patterns like
Skipjack and Mullet
make it a strong
option for saltwater
fishing, the
majority of its
colorways are
clearly designed
with bass anglers in
mind.
Don't sleep on the
carp pattern...
One advantage of an
injected plastic
lure like the BBZ
Hard is the ability
to incorporate
translucent elements
and experiment with
internal weight or
rattle housings. The
BBZ lineup includes
both
semi-translucent and
fully opaque
patterns, as well as
a few foiled designs
that add an extra
flash in the water.
...while Carp is not
the first pattern I
usually grab I found
this bait's
combination of
generic shape and
color effective in a
variety of water
conditions
Like other FishLab
baits, the BBZ Hard
is competitively
priced. The 4.5-inch
model retails for
$17.99, while the
larger 6.5-inch
version is just two
dollars more. This
puts it in the same
price range as many
large jerkbaits and
ripbaits—an even
better value
considering it comes
equipped with
premium BKK stock
hooks.
The BBZ Hard is an
easy to fish and
very affordably
priced swimbait
For bass fishing,
my top three pattern
choices are:
Sexy Bone: A blend
of sexy shad and
white with subtle
foil flash on the
gills, making it a
versatile option.
Baitfish: A more
understated,
natural-looking
pattern that excels
in clear water.
Rainbow Trout: A
highly realistic
design that’s
especially effective
in stocked lakes.
I also wouldn’t
sleep on the Carp
pattern. With its
brownish finish, it
easily doubles as a
sunfish imitation
and performed well
for me in both clear
and stained water.
Ratings:
(We've
re-calibrated our
ratings standard for
2008 and have
included a key at
the bottom of the
following matrix as
a guide):
|
Fishlab
BBZ
Hard
Swimbait
Specifications
Ratings
(?/10)
|
|
Construction/Quality |
Like
other
FishLab
baits
the BBZ
Hard is
built
well and
features
good
hardware.
The bait
does
have a
more
mass
produced
look and
feel
than
some
swimbaits
but the
quality
and
consistency
is
there.
Every
lure we
tried
swam the
same and
required
no
tuning
out of
the
package |
8 |
|
Performance |
The BBZ
Hard
swims
with
smooth
snaking
pattern
in a
straight
line. It
can be
paused
and
manipulated
with rod
action
to
create
more
erratic
actions
but
seems to
fish
best
with a
straight
retrieve
with
occasional
pauses
mixed
in. It
is a
great
chuck
and wind
swimbait
that is
easy to
fish but
because
it is
such a
slow
sinking
bait it
seems
best
suited
for
conditions
when the
fish are
actively
feeding
near the
surface
|
8 |
|
Price |
Great
value
for a
swimbait.
With
both
sizes
retailing
under 20
dollars
the BBZ
Hard is
affordable
and a
great
entry/gateway
swimbait
for
anglers |
9 |
|
Features |
Top
features
include
the
multi-jointed
design,
hybrid
tail
which
looks
good and
holds up
well,
and
quality
BKK
treble
hooks |
8 |
|
Design
(Ergonomics) |
Both
sizes
are easy
to throw
with
conventional
setups
and they
hold up
well
over
time
without
any
special
storage
requirements
to keep
the
tails in
good
shape |
8.5 |
|
Application |
The
versatility
in
patterns
enables
the bait
to match
the
hatch in
both
fresh
and
saltwater.
The BBZ
Hard is
a good
option
for
bass,
stripers,
and
other
inshore
fish
that are
actively
preying
on
baitfish
in the
upper
parts of
the
water
column.
I found
the bait
very
effective
when
targeting
fish on
top of
subsurface
structure
or over
grassy
flats. I
wish
that the
bait
came in
some
faster
sink
rates
but
tuning
the bait
with
tungsten
adhesives
and
fishing
with
fluorocarbon
lines
helped
get the
bait
down to
target
suspended
fish in
deeper
water |
8 |
|
Total
Score
|
8.25 |
Ratings
Key:
1 =
terrible
: 2 =
poor : 3
=
lacking
: 4 =
sub par
: 5 =
mediocre
: 6 =
fair : 7
= good :
8 =
great :
9 =
excellent
: 10 =
unbelievable!
For More
Details
of the
updated
rating
system
visit
our
explanation
here |
Pluses and Minuses:
|
Plus
Minus
|
|
+
Easy to
fish
effectively.
One of
the
swimbaits
that you
can
simply
chuck
and wind |
-
Only
available
in super
slow
sink
(can be
tuned
with
tungsten
adhesive
weights) |
|
+
Performs
well in
warm and
shallow
water
where
fish are
actively
feeding
at the
top of
the
water
column |
-A
rattling
and/or
knocking
version
would be
nice in
a faster
sinking
model |
|
+ Hybrid
tail
design
looks
good and
holds up
well |
|
|
+
Armed
with
quality
BKK
hooks |
|
|
+
Excellent
value |
|
Conclusion:
FishLab continues to
expand its swimbait
lineup, and I
believe the BBZ Hard
Swimbait is their
best release since
the original Bio
Gill. Its
four-segment design
creates a smooth,
natural undulating
action that sets it
apart from two- or
three-piece baits,
making it easy to
fish with a straight
retrieve at any
speed.
The BBZ Hard
Swimbait’s generic
slender profile
enables it to
imitate a wide range
of baitfish in both
fresh and saltwater.
Patterns like
Rainbow Trout and
Mullet look
especially lifelike,
making this bait a
convincing match for
various forage
species.
As far as swimbaits
go the BBZ Hard is
easy to fish
effectively when
bass are actively
feeding in shallow
water or near the
top of the water
column. It would be
great to see some
other sink rates but
even in the current
form this is yet
another BBZ swimbait
that delivers in
both performance and
value
Bill Siemantel has a
track record of
designing productive
yet affordable
baits, and the BBZ
Hard is no
exception. Priced
under $20, it’s
accessible to
mainstream anglers,
easy to fish, and
quite effective when
targeting fish near
the surface or in
shallow water. It
also holds up well
over time,
maintaining both
durability and
performance. Whether
you’re looking for a
great starter
swimbait or an
affordable addition
to your lineup, the
BBZ Hard is a solid
choice for warm or
shallow water
fishing at any
retrieve speed.
Looking for the Fishlab BBZ Hard Swimbaits? Try
Tackle Warehouse
