How would you fish this strange bait?

[Lunk]

So, walking through my local Dunham's this strange soft plastic catches my eye. It's on sale for $1.99 and it was in a Gary Yamamoto package so I was pretty well set on buying it. Doing some looking online and searching this forum I haven't seen it mentioned much. It's a Yamamoto Hula Swimmer in that black and green color. 

 

Now, I imagine it's intended use would be texas rigged and worked like a swim bait? I also plan on cutting off the paddle tail and throw in a nail weight for an awesome octopus neko rig. With its black and green presentation I imagine it would be best in stained water?

 

Has anyone fished something similar? How do you rig yours and what is your favorite way to work the bait?

 

My first Yamamoto bait didn't break the bank!

[Troy85]

3 minutes ago, Lunk said:

 

 

My first Yamamoto bait didn't break the bank!

I can see why....looks like they modeled it off a bait fish they found swimming in the Chernobyl reactor cooling ponds. ?

 

Let us know how it works!

[Team9nine]

Me personally, I wouldn't fish it  ...but since you did, I'd cut it in two and get two baits - a paddletail trailer for a swim jig or such, and a Ika style bait to be fished however you'd like. Turns a good deal into 2 good deals for the same price ?

[mattkenzer]

I use two different soft plastic swim baits 90% of the time - Swing Impact or a Swim Senko depending on the situation.

I would cut-off the tentacles if I owned it.

[Spankey]

I can see making a couple cuts on it and fish it like a TRD. the color has a river smallies name all over it. 

[detroit1]

Weightless on a 3/0 ewg and slither thru the tops of weeds....

[BASS302]

TackleTour did a review:

http://www.tackletour.com/reviewyamamotohulaswimmer.html

 

[burrows]

Put it on a ball head jig and swim it?

[Fishin Dad]

It's not that strange, it's just a hula grub with a shad tail instead of twin grub tails.   I may stop at my Dunhams and see what they have.......Yamamoto for $1.99.   Thanks

[Darren.]

Welcome aboard!

 

I probably wouldn't fish it, but hey, throw a nice O'Shaugnessey 4/0 in it

and Texas rig it.  

[frogflogger]

Killer swimmer

[craww]

Its basically the same thing as a swim senko, which is an insanely productive lure. Swim it through shoreline cover on an EWG Hook. 

[Pro Logcatcher]

That's a funky looking bait... I'd end up cutting off the tentacles ?

[TOXIC]

It's a killer bait on the Potomac.  A go to for some of my buddies.  Couple of ways to fish it.  Weightless on a EWG hook and weighted with a belly hook.  It is fished over and through grass, dropping in holes.  Good score at that price.  

[Hillbilly Bennett]

15 hours ago, detroit1 said:

Weightless on a 3/0 ewg and slither thru the tops of weeds....

Bingo! That thing will flat out catch fish. 

[the reel ess]

I'd T rig it or put it on a jiighead and experiment with retrieves until the bass tell you what they want. Also might do well on one of those chatterbait type jigheads.

[WRB]

Plain swim jig trailer. Don't cut off the skirt, I weld Hula skirts onto soft plastics they are so effective and Yamamoto has stopped making Hula skirts so I'am scrounging them up at local tackle shops.

Tom

[NYWayfarer]

Run a weedless wacky hook though the middle, crimp on a split shot about 12-18" from the bait and cast it out, catch fish, repeat.