Z-Man pro staff grows with addition of Shuffield, Walters

Z-Man this week announced the addition of Spencer Shuffield and Patrick Walters to its pro staff.

Shuffield, who competes on the Bass Pro Tour, is coming off a 2025 season that saw him win the WON Bass U.S. Open and log three top-10 finishes en route to an 11th-place finish in the BPT Angler of the Year race.

“I couldn’t be more excited to officially join the Z‑Man family,” he said. “It feels like the missing piece.

“Soft plastics are essential to how I fish, and confidence in my equipment is critical. Between the durability and buoyancy of ElaZtech, I get more bites and spend less time re-rigging. Z‑Man has been at the forefront of my lineup since I returned to the pro scene in 2020.”

Walters’ addition to the team centers around his endorsement of the ChatterBait vibrating jig that helped establish Z-Man as a leading tackle brand in mid-2000s. It’s fair to consider Walters a local seeing that he resides about 45 minutes from Z-Man’s headquarters in Ladson, S.C.

“It feels great to work with a local company,” he said. “If they need me, I’m right down the road. If I need anything, they’re nearby and ready to help. Whether we’re testing products or filming videos, we can get high-quality content done quickly and efficiently.”

Walters is a six-time Bassmaster winner, including three Elite Series victories. He’s also won four times in the National Professional Fishing League and is the league’s reigning Angler of the Year.

“This was an absolute no-brainer for me,” Walters said. “Wherever you go and whatever type of lake you fish, you probably have a ChatterBait tied on. When you think of efficiently covering water for bass fishing, you automatically think of a ChatterBait.”

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