Z-Man® Fishing Team Adds All-Star Kayak Angler

All-Star Kayak Angler Kristine Fischer Joins Z-Man® Fishing Team

Ladson, SC (January 27, 2020) – “For a kayak angler like myself, the resilience of ElaZtech® baits are a dream come true,” acknowledges Kristine Fischer, tournament champion and the newest member of Z-Man’s influential pro-staff.

Fischer, an emerging angling rockstar who won the 2019 Hobie Bass Open at Kentucky Lake, admits to catching big bass on Z-Man soft plastics and ChatterBait® Bladed Jigs well before she ever met the folks behind the popular fish-catching baits.

“I’m a power fisherman first, and a Z-Man ChatterBait JackHammer™ helped me cash my first check in a national bass tournament,” notes the Weeping Water, Nebraska native, who now travels and fishes across America with her fiancé AJ. 

Fischer cashed her first national tournament check thanks to a ChatterBait JackHammer.

“Kristine is a talented and diehard angler who has a habit of staying on the water longer than anyone else,” says Z-Man pro staff and promotions manager Joey Prochazka. “Not only does she effectively represent the kayak fishing community—who were early adopters of our ElaZtech baits—Kristine is also a dedicated ice angler and muskie hunter, truly a trailblazer.”

During her travels, which include an impressive 25 tournament stops from California to Georgia, Fischer has added finesse tactics to her bag of tricks. 

“The nationwide phenomenon of Z-Man finesse baits extends well beyond their attraction to smallmouth and largemouth bass,” she says. “The fact I can confidently grab a single bag of Hula StickZ™ or TRD CrawZ™ and know that six baits will be more than enough for a day—or even a week—of fishing is a huge advantage for a kayak angler.”

Fischer, who is also a valued member of the Traditions Media team, believes minimizing the tackle inventory in her Hobie Pro Angler is a time-saver as well as a necessity.

“For us, it’s all about packing light and keeping hot baits at our fingertips. I can easily fish a two-day tournament on one bag of Finesse TRD®s or DieZel MinnowZ™, while other brand baits might get torn up after a few bites and require me to carry five extra bags. Actually, I’d probably carry ElaZtech baits regardless, because their buoyancy, action and knack for scoring big bites just excels.” 

A Hula StickZ stays rigged on one of Fischer’s rods at all times.

Fischer, who aspires to eventually compete on one of the “big boat” bass tours, has been a revelation and an inspiration to other women following her career as a tournament-winning kayak angler.

“All the years I’ve been fishing I’ve never wanted to be singled out as a female angler,” she admits. “Honestly, I’ve just wanted to blend in with the rest of the competitive anglers and be respected as an angler and not have any extra accreditations that come with being a rarity in the sport. This past year, though, I’ve had so many women reach out and tell me how inspiring this is. So, I realize it’s not necessarily about me, but perhaps about something much bigger.”

Adds Prochazka: “Giving a voice to all female anglers is important to Z-Man because women are a legitimate and underserved part of our industry. We wanted to help give other women someone to root for in the angling community.

“We didn’t rush into this,” he continues. “But as we worked out the details it became abundantly clear that Kristine was so much more than a smiling face. She’s a cerebral angler with a high motor who’s also very selective and analytical about her decisions. No doubt, everyone in our office is absolutely thrilled to welcome Kristine aboard. She’s a super-driven angler, a terrific person and someone who gets things done.”

Fischer echoes the advice she often shares with fellow female anglers: “Admittedly, competitive kayak fishing can be an intimidating sport. It’s male dominated and something you don’t see a lot of women excelling in because there just aren’t that many of us. But if you are truly passionate about something, go out there and do it with every single bit of your being— and if you believe in yourself, you will succeed.”