Z-Man announced that Bassmaster Elite Series angler Brett Hite and FLW Tour pros Bryan Thrift and Brian Latimer have joined the company's pro staff. Latimer will be promoting the entire Z-Man product line (ElaZtech and ChatterBait), while Hite and Thrift will focus exclusively on representing the company’s ChatterBait brand.
“Having experienced tremendous growth over the last 2 years, we feel that expanding Z-Man’s pro staff on both the Bassmaster Elite and FLW Tour trails is a great way to help spread the good news with our increasing number of customers and prospects,” said Z-Man president Daniel Nussbaum. “I’m confident that Brian, Brett, and Bryan will do a great job educating anglers on our growing product line and how to best use our baits to increase their success and enjoyment on the water.”
Hite is widely regarded as one of the world’s preeminent bladed-jig fishermen. He relied on a ChatterBait bladed jig en route to taking top honors at both the 2014 Elite event on Lake Seminole and 2014 FLW Tour derby on Lake Okeechobee.
“I’m super-excited about my partnership with Z-Man and the ChatterBait brand,” Hite said. “Over the last 9 years of my career, a bladed jig has been my go-to bait that’s contributed to four major tour victories on both the B.A.S.S Elite and FLW Tours, and close to $1,000,000 in winnings. I’m looking forward to providing the Z-Man team with new and innovative bait ideas that will make the brand even stronger – and help anglers catch more and bigger fish!”
Thrift, a dominant force on the FLW Tour since 2007, has amassed nearly $2 million in earnings, nine tournament wins, and 10 Forrest Wood Cup berths. A 2007 FLW Rookie of the Year and 2010 FLW Tour Angler of the Year, Thrift helped put the ChatterBait on the map with his 2006 FLW Stren Series win on Lake Okeechobee when he relied on the original bladed jig to land 19 of his 20 fish over a 4-day span.
“I owe both the start of my professional fishing career and my first tournament win to the ChatterBait, so I’m obviously thrilled to formally represent Z-Man and their world-class products,” Thrift said. “In addition to being one of the most versatile and productive lures that anglers of all skill levels can have in their arsenals, the ChatterBait is also a proven difference-maker when tournament success, and wins, are on the line. I’m thrilled to be a part of Z-Man’s pro staff and look forward to helping make even more advancements, and enhancements, to this game-changing lure.”
Latimer finished 3rd in the Rookie of the Year standings and 47th overall in his 2016 FLW Tour debut season. A South Carolina native known for his fishing versatility, the social media-savvy Latimer has also created an entertaining, content-rich YouTube channel that provides subscribers with a chronicle of his angling adventures, as well as a wealth of tips on how to employ Z-Man baits.
“Joining the Z-Man pro-staff is a tremendous honor for me,” said Latimer. “The company’s ingenuity and cutting-edge product development clearly demonstrate their dedication to the sport and helping anglers of all skills levels catch more fish. Their diverse product line, coupled with the thought and quality that goes into making it a reality, is second to none.”
