Nikko hellgrammite & Yamamoto Hula Grub Experience?

[ReggieT]

Howdy Studs,

As you can tell, winter fishing fever has hit me hard & heavy!

Been chatting with a bud of mine who use to fish pro for a while.

 

He recommended these two lures to add to my bass arsenal:

 Nikko hellgrammite & Yamamoto Hula Grub.

What I'd like to hear is what your various experiences have been using them, what colors are better, rigging, water conditions...etc.

He already drilled it in my skull that the, "Nikko hellgrammite" is absolute murder on smallies, monster bream, and some bucket-mouths to boot ,around any rocky structure as well as creek fishing in general.

He also says he pulled some huge toads from around beaver dams, lay-downs, and stick-ups tossing the, "Yamamoto Hula Grub".

 

Let me hear from ya!

Later

Reggie

[heavyduty]

The Nikko hellgrammite falls in line with the Zman plastics in that it floats and don't mix it with other plastics. I rig it on a 1/32 or 1/16 ned head #2 hook. I use the "natural" or "green pumpkin" color. It does the trick on river smallies for sure. 

The hula grub, I use dark pumpkin or green pumpkin, 4", texas rigged 3/0 hook with a split shot crimped about an inch up the line from the hook. There have been days it was the ticket, others it worked about the same as a zoom craw or beaver style bait.

[JustJames]

I use a lot of hula grub when the bite is tough. It is best to fish it slow. I fish them weightless 5”, 1/10 shroom jig head 4”, and Texas rig with 1/8 weight. The best color for me is green pumpkin.

While you at it I also recommend Yamamoto Fat Ika. You can fish them weightless in deeper water than hula grub, and seem to last longer.

[Crestliner2008]

A reversed rigged Hula Grub is essential in my arsenal. Haven't tried the Nikko yet though. Something to look forward to doing this spring.

[Deleted account]

Can't speak about the hellgramite thing, never used it, but the hula grub is money. I put it on a brush or swim jig head, and let it do it's thing. A baby boo/Fat Albert will work as well and hold up better, the only knock on GY baits.

[TOXIC]

A Yamamoto Hula Grub on a 1/4 oz Gamakatsu football head jig will get you bit all year.  More than one of my Lake St Clair crew's favorite bait.  Will often times outfish a tube.  

[bassin is addicting]

double tail hula grub is a go to of mine and flies under the radar for a lot of anglers.

green pumpkin w/blk flake and pumpkin w/blk and green flake are my favorites

[BigTerp]

It my small sample size using the Nikko hellgrammite this past year on a few trips chasing river smallies, it fished equal to my go to baits (Mizmo teaser tube 2.5" & ned rig w/TRD) in terms of numbers. But it did produce noticeably bigger fish compared to the tube and ned rig. I rig it on a ned head with a little lighter weight than I typically use on my ned rig. Just seems to have better action/looks to my eyes with a lighter weight. I also think it would work great weightless letting it tumble down riffles into an eddy, but I've yet to rig it that way. I have the natural color and it looks good. Definitely something that will be in the regular rotation this coming year.

[ReggieT]

11 minutes ago, BigTerp said:

It my small sample size using the Nikko hellgrammite this past year on a few trips chasing river smallies, it fished equal to my go to baits (Mizmo teaser tube 2.5" & ned rig w/TRD) in terms of numbers. But it did produce noticeably bigger fish compared to the tube and ned rig. I rig it on a ned head with a little lighter weight than I typically use on my ned rig. Just seems to have better action/looks to my eyes with a lighter weight. I also think it would work great weightless letting it tumble down riffles into an eddy, but I've yet to rig it that way. I have the natural color and it looks good. Definitely something that will be in the regular rotation this coming year.

Great testimony...can't wait to try it out!

[WRB]

GYCB double tail Hula grub is the combined original spider skirt and double tail grub to make up a Garland* spider jig. Been fishing spider jigs since the mid 70's and suggest this jig for anyone who wants to learn how to fish a casting jig, works everywhere.

Yamamoto stopped making the spider or Hula skirts as a seperate item last year, I will mis being able to make soft plastics with contrasting color spider skirts.

4" Hula grubs also make a good slip shot /finesse C-rig soft plastic using 3/0 off set hook.

Tom

* Bobby and Garry Garland who created the Gitzit tube.

[I/MBasser]

1 hour ago, ReggieT said:

Great testimony...can't wait to try it out!

Just bought it in natural as well and can't wait to try it on the river for smallies.  Color looks great!

[ReggieT]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

GYCB double tail Hula grub is the combined original spider skirt and double tail grub to make up a Garland* spider jig. Been fishing spider jigs since the mid 70's and suggest this jig for anyone who wants to learn how to fish a casting jig, works everywhere.

Yamamoto stopped making the spider or Hula skirts as a seperate item last year, I will mis being able to make soft plastics with contrasting color spider skirts.

4" Hula grubs also make a good slip shot /finesse C-rig soft plastic using 3/0 off set hook.

Tom

* Bobby and Garry Garland who created the Gitzit tube.

WRB...can you post a pic or two of that jig?

I'd really like to see it!

[WRB]

Don't post pictures but it's very simple jig to make up;

Plain black Yamamoto Football weedless jig (wire weed gaurd ) with Gamakasu hook and Hula grub 4" or 5". I use 4" on 3/8 oz and 5" on 1/2 oz makes up a spider jig. Color 221 & 330 work everywhere.

Yamamoto spider skirts are no longer available, they came in 10 each package. The spider skirts are double ended (skirt on both ends) with a solid center collar area. I cut the double skirt in bald at the middle solid area and melt the skirt onto any soft plastic nose end with a hot butter knife or solder iron tip. Hula grubs come with a spider skirt attached.

Tom

PS, PM email address and I will send a few photos.

[ReggieT]

10 hours ago, WRB said:

Don't post pictures but it's very simple jig to make up;

Plain black Yamamoto Football weedless jig (wire weed gaurd ) with Gamakasu hook and Hula grub 4" or 5". I use 4" on 3/8 oz and 5" on 1/2 oz makes up a spider jig. Color 221 & 330 work everywhere.

Yamamoto spider skirts are no longer available, they came in 10 each package. The spider skirts are double ended (skirt on both ends) with a solid center collar area. I cut the double skirt in bald at the middle solid area and melt the skirt onto any soft plastic nose end with a hot butter knife or solder iron tip. Hula grubs come with a spider skirt attached.

Tom

PS, PM email address and I will send a few photos.

Thanks Tom!??

I'm on it tighter than slob on a baby!!!?