Z-Man® and Evergreen International Expand Legendary Bladed Jig Lineup with Four Fresh Colors
LADSON, S.C. (September 11, 2026) – Nearly a decade after its U.S. debut, the ChatterBait® JackHammer™ remains the gold standard for premium bladed jigs, trusted by top tournament pros for its unmistakable vibration, instant blade startup, and proven ability to trigger reaction bites. A collaboration between Z-Man® and renowned Japanese luremaker Evergreen International, the JackHammer is arguably the winningest bait in top level bass tournaments in recent years.
Even with a lure as established as the JackHammer, changing forage, water clarity and fishing conditions create opportunities to refine presentations. Subtle changes in blade, skirt and head color can provide the different look needed to trigger a bite. On ultra-pressured lakes, showing bass something they haven’t seen before can be the difference that grabs their attention and generates a strike.
Same Hammer, New Patterns
New for fall 2026, Z-Man and Evergreen have collaborated with Bassmaster pro and bladed jig savant Brett Hite to bring four new JackHammer patterns to market in staple 3/8- and 1/2-ounce sizes: Cold Shad, Secret White, Morizo Pink and Pumpkin Gold.
“Every one of these colors has a specific time and place,” says Hite. “Whether you’re dealing with clear water, a little stain, really muddy conditions or very tannic water we see in places like Florida, these four patterns give anglers some different looks to dial in to those conditions.”
“Cold Shad has been in the JDM lineup for a few years and is just a really good all-around shad pattern,” says Hite. “It has a frosted silver blade that’s not super reflective, with a gray back, pink center line and white belly. That little pink line gives it a natural threadfin shad look.”
“I’d fish Cold Shad in medium-clarity water to even a little bit of stain. It’s brighter than Clearwater Shad but still toned down enough to be a really versatile color in a lot of different water clarities.”
“Secret White is a really bright pattern with a matte white blade and even a little glow to it,” Hite explains. “It’s your super-stained-water bait. Early in the spring when heavy rains create really dirty water, it stands out aggressively in the water column.”
“If I’m fishing really muddy conditions, Secret White, Dirty White and Fire Craw are the three I’d have tied on. Dirty White gives you a gold blade, Fire Craw a black or orange blade, and now you have Secret White with that matte white blade.”
“Pink has been a big thing, with Morning Dawn going crazy last year, and we wanted something even louder,” Hite says. “Morizo Pink is brighter and more vibrant than Morning Dawn, which gives you some different options.”
“In clear water, it can be a great smallmouth color when they get aggressive toward something super bright. But it also stands out better in stained water where the more subtle Morning Dawn starts to disappear.”
“Pumpkin Gold looks like green pumpkin with a little gold in your hand, but put it in the water and it really lights up when the sun hits it,” Hite notes. “The patina copper blade gives you the flash of gold without being as aggressive as a solid gold blade.”
“We came up with this one for tannic water, like you find in Florida or around cypress trees. I’m always a green pumpkin guy, and that combination of green pumpkin, gold shimmer and the patina copper blade really shows up well in that type of water.”
Heavy Hammer, More Colors
To further round out the lineup, Z-Man is adding four established colors to the 3/4-ounce JackHammer lineup. Clearwater Shad, Bruised Green Pumpkin, Hite’s Hot Craw and Brett’s Bluegill are among the lineup’s most popular and versatile patterns, and all four are proven producers year-round across a wide range of water conditions. Their addition to the heavier 3/4-ounce JackHammer gives anglers more proven color options when targeting fish in deeper water.
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 over three decades. The company’s roots trace back to producing silicone skirts for many of the industry’s top lure makers, a foundation that set the stage for its evolution into a full-fledged lure brand. With the addition of the Original ChatterBait® bladed jig and the development of its proprietary 10X Tough ElaZtech® superplastic material driving its transformation, Z-Man broadened its offerings into a comprehensive lineup of innovative freshwater and saltwater lures. Today, Z-Man remains family owned and is among the fastest growing lure companies in the fishing industry, with its products distributed across North America and in more than 40 countries worldwide.
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