A fluid pump apparatus for an artificial lift system has a barrel, a standing valve positioned at a lower end of the barrel so as to be movable between an open position and a closed position, a plunger reciprocatingly mounted in the barrel, a traveling valve positioned in an interior of the plunger so as to control fluid flow through the plunger, and a pilot slidably positioned in the plunger. The plunger has a first aperture at an upper portion thereof and a second aperture extending through a wall of the plunger so as to open to a channel extending through the channel. The traveling valve is slidably movable within an interior of the plunger. The plunger has a seat that is cooperative with a surface of the traveling valve. The pilot is cooperative at the surface of the traveling valve so as to move the traveling valve.