Vintage Fred Zier "Triple ZZZ" 13" Orange Yap Chugger Lure - Rare Handmade Masterpiece
$95.00
Sale price
$95.00
Regular price
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Vintage Fred Zier "Triple ZZZ" 13" Orange Yap Chugger Lure - Rare Handmade Masterpiece
$95.00
Sale price
$95.00
Regular price
Up for sale is an incredibly rare, highly collectable masterpiece of big-game offshore sportfishing history: an authentic, vintage Fred Zier "Triple ZZZ" 13" Orange Yap Chugger [ZZZ Lures].
Fred Zier (frequently misspelled Zeir) was an elite, old-school Northeast machinist who achieved local legend status for his meticulously crafted [ZZZ Lures banner]. Unlike standard big-game lures that are quickly cast from uniform liquid molds, Zier approached lure making like a high-end watchmaker. He individually precision-machined separate internal core components on a lathe, balancing and hand-assembling the multi-piece weight blocks completely by hand before enveloping them in clear, glass-like resin [Fred Zeir Triple ZZZ Nacre Mako Jet 13” Trolling Tuna Lure.
Item Specifics:
- Brand: ZZZ Lures (Handmade by Fred Zier)
- Model Name: Orange Yap Chugger (Canyon Series)
- Total Length: ~13 Inches (Fully Skirted)
- Head Shape: Concave Deep-Cupped Chugger Face
- Core Design: High-Contrast Neon "Orange Yap" Internal Core Block
- Target Species: Giant Bluefin Tuna, Bigeye, Yellowfin, Blue Marlin
The "Orange Yap" Technical Blueprint:
This 13-inch model features the legendary, highly coveted "Orange Yap" configuration [ZZZ Lures]. Rather than a basic metallic or dark field, the internal core block features a brilliant, deep neon-orange backing [ZZZ Lures]. In offshore tournament circles, a "Yap" style refers to an intensely bright, high-contrast internal field [Beiträge von Roddy Hays - Big Game Fischen - Big Game Fishing ...]. This was intentionally engineered to catch ambient light at extreme depths, making the oversized moving eyes visually "pop" against the surface haze and triggering aggressive reaction strikes from giant pelagics hunting from below.
Performance & Action Profile:
- Aggressive Chugging Action: The deep, sharply machined concave cup-face grabs massive gulps of surface air upon breaking the surface. It dives down violently, pushing an exceptionally thick, long bubble smoke trail directly through the white-water prop wash.
- Flawless Tracking Stability: Because of the strict tolerances Zier applied to his internal multi-component metal core weight, this heavy 13" head tracks straight like an arrow and refuses to tumble or blow out of the wave face at high tournament trolling speeds.
- Premium Presentation: Outfitted with dual high-quality skirts mounted cleanly to his molded tie-on hips, creating an profile that matches large pelagic baitfish perfectly.