New Bait Trial

[TOXIC]

Part of my responsibilities of being Pro-staff with Yamamoto Baits over the last 25 years is to give new baits a real world trial and honestly report back to them my thoughts/concerns/criticisms/complaints and hopefully praise.  I have found the easiest way to do this is to go to a body of water I have experience on and a track record of catching fish.  Second, I limit myself to only throwing my test bait.  Usually I am with my fishing partner who is throwing tried and true offerings and I use him as a control group to see if my test bait does better/worse or equal to his offerings.  The place I chose to test out the new Yamamoto 3” Scope Shad was the Rappahonock River here in Virginia.  The river has a great biomass and offers an interesting selection of species.  In order for a new bait to gain access to my “Don’t leave home without it” section of my tackle, it has had to shine in a memorable way.  Currently in this class of baits is the Senko, DShad, Pro Senko, Shad Shape Worm, Zako, California Roll, all in various sizes and colors.  To be honest, Yamamoto has opened the floodgates on a lot of new baits that I have not had the chance to put to the test.  The 3” Scope Shad earned a spot in my favored baits category.  I threw the bait on a custom poured, weedless Ned head, a spinning rod with 6lb mono and a 2500 series reel on a 7ft medium/fast rod.  As they say, the proof is in the pudding.  I caught Largemouth from squeakers to 4lbs with the total for the day being 40 fish.  As for other catches, I was able to catch a 4lb Smallmouth (super bonus on the river), Crappie, hefty Bluegill, and to top it off a Snakehead.  All on the same bait.  Although I brought other rods, I never picked on up the entire day.  I’ll post up pics just to back up my claims.  Some of the pics have the bait and some of the pics you can see I am using the same rod/reel even if you can’t see the bait.  To be fair, my buddy caught good numbers as well using ZMan Ned’s and baits.  Difference being, he didn’t catch a snakehead or smallmouth but he did catch a couple of channel cats.  

[MN Fisher]

Sounds like a bait I'll have to add to my box for next spring....thanks for the report, man.

[JCfishing]

Nice catch, might have to add those to my arsenal if/ when there available for purchase at any of the sources I purchase baits from

[MN Fisher]

48 minutes ago, JCfishing said:

if/ when there available for purchase at any of the sources I purchase baits from

Amazon has them in stock now for $5.99/10 pack

[Darren.]

They look great. A little fatter than the shad-shape worm and

with a Y tail. Accurate description? Looks like I may need to

try them out.

[Munkin]

Is it made in "Natural Shad ".

 

Allen 

[RRocket]

Great report! 

 

I love trying new baits! 

[islandbass]

@TOXICI am liking what I’m seeing! Just a question though. I see how you rigged them but do you have any idea how they would fare on a simple unpegged Texas rig? 
 

I’ve been having success with the unpegged Texas rig style and I have a gut feeling that this could be a winner for me. Anywhere from weightless, or split shot up to 3/16oz. 

[ike8120]

Check out Discount Tackle, has these on sale.

[TOXIC]

15 hours ago, Darren. said:

They look great. A little fatter than the shad-shape worm and

with a Y tail. Accurate description? Looks like I may need to

try them out.

Actually not much thicker, the Ned’s I use are really small, they have trout hooks but the bait has a triangular shape body which I was not expecting.  

 

15 hours ago, Munkin said:

Is it made in "Natural Shad ".

Yes they are, always a favorite color of mine in the Shad Shape Worm.

 

10 hours ago, islandbass said:

I see how you rigged them but do you have any idea how they would fare on a simple unpegged Texas rig? 

I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.  I have never finesse fished a Texas Rig.  For me, that is a bigger bait technique.

 

I also have had good luck with the small Yamatanuki on a Ned as well.  Both these baits are offered in multiple sizes to fit your personal tastes.  I like the real finesse offerings myself.  Rest assured, if it didn’t produce, I would still review it honestly.  

[islandbass]

@TOXIC: Thanks! I have been experimenting with finessed T-rigs and have been super pleasantly surprised and encouraged by the results. And that is why after seeing your post my mind started imagining, hmm… There might be some use to the bait Toxic is using and this is a potential addition to the article. 
 

The bass in the WA state are a different character altogether, and maybe it’s just me, but it sure seems that way.  They’re stingier, and seems every caught bass is a badge of honor, lol. Oh yeah. Just western WA. The  bass on east side of the state are normal, lol. 

[TOXIC]

@islandbass remember, there are different sizes of both the Scope Shad and Yamatanuki.  The Yamatanuki has a little more weight and bulk even in the smaller sizes.  

[islandbass]

@TOXIC: Thanks again. I am going to check some stores and see if they’re there. 

[Munkin]

On 10/14/2024 at 11:07 AM, TOXIC said:

Yes they are, always a favorite color of mine in the Shad Shape Worm.

 

 

You don't hear a lot about the shad shape worm or the color natural shad but they are just killer in the clear water around here. Looking at that Ned Head it looks like someone used Steelhead hooks? Thinking the is a Gama 604 or a Mustad 32883 hook.

 

Allen

[MAN]

Wow thats awesome.  What did you do with the snakehead?  

[Bird]

Thanks 👍 

Ordered a pack.

[RRocket]

On 10/14/2024 at 12:02 PM, TOXIC said:

@islandbass remember, there are different sizes of both the Scope Shad and Yamatanuki.  The Yamatanuki has a little more weight and bulk even in the smaller sizes.  

I have fished the smallest Yamatanuki quite a bit. Weightless Texas rigged.

 

As you point out, it's a pretty heavy bait for something so small.

 

[TOXIC]

17 hours ago, Munkin said:

You don't hear a lot about the shad shape worm or the color natural shad but they are just killer in the clear water around here. Looking at that Ned Head it looks like someone used Steelhead hooks? Thinking the is a Gama 604 or a Mustad 32883 hook.

 

I have Natural Shad in all my dropshot baits and even in 5” Senkos.  I got schooled from one of my buddies I fish with in the clear waters of Lake St Clair.  He swears by them.  Shad Shape Worm is my #1 dropshot bait.  I can’t wait for the release of the Shad Shape Swimmer, it’s a Kieteck style smaller swimbait. 
 

 

16 hours ago, MAN said:

Wow thats awesome.  What did you do with the snakehead?  

I release them.  My buddy follows VDGIF requests and guts them.  They are delicious table fare but you are not allowed to carry or transport them alive so they have to be immediately killed if you are going to keep them.  That would require us to bring ice chests and handle them like saltwater fish.  Many stores and markets are now selling them renamed as Chana to make them more desirable for consumption.

[Catt]

[BayouSlide]

On 10/13/2024 at 11:56 AM, TOXIC said:

I threw the bait on a custom poured, weedless Ned head

 

What weight Ned head did you use? I'm looking to give them a try myself.

[TOXIC]

@BayouSlide I use different weights depending on tide strength.  Rule of thumb is to go as light as possible.  I go lighter in the lakes I fish.  1/10-1/16 usually.  But the river on a strong tide will make me jump up.