1st Fat Ika fish!

[Popeye]

OK, RW, I finally boated a nice little 1 1/2 pounder on a watermelon w/red flakes Fat Ika yesterday morning!! Super glad to get "over the hump" with that lure and gain some more confidence in it (as mentioned in another post, I had one hookup last Saturday on an identical Ika, but the fish threw the lure as it was dancing around on top of the water). NOW all I gotta do is find those +5 pounders who'll gobble up this thing:o) THANKS to you, RW, for the great tip(s) on this plastic!!

[shimanogloomis man]

When fishin gets tough fat ika is my go to lure ;D

[soccplayer07]

i have no luck w/ them. Popeye can you elaborate on your technique??? Thanks.

[EastTexasBassin]

The first time I tried the Fat Ika I caught a nice fish on the first cast.  I hopped it 3 or 4 times before I saw my line jump and I set the hook.  I've been hooked on the dang thing ever since.

[roadwarrior]

Woo-Hoo!

I'm glad it worked for you, but it won't be your last!

8-)

[Popeye]

soccplayer07: I used an EWG 4/0 Owner worm hook and T-rigged the Ika backwards with the skirt up and weightless like RW recommended. I threw it within a few inches of some tulies, hopped it once and the bass hit it HARD! I was so excited - first Fat Ika fish AND my first bass caught on my new/used ProCraft boat!! This lure and technique is going to become one of my favorites, that I can already see!

[Raul]

You rig an Ika "backwards" when you don 't rig it by the skirt first.

[GobbleDog]

I christened my Fat Ika about a month ago.  They cast like a bullet and catch bass no doubt, but my complaint was the need for that extra-wide-gap 4/0 hook.  I also wonder if the Ika's thickness didn't lead to more misses - even with the 4/0 wide-gap hook. I certainly missed quite a few.

I recently tried the Yamamoto Kreature which is very similar to the Fat Ika (rigged backwards with tentacles), but isn't nearly as thick and works with 2/0 hooks.  I did so well with them that I'm now hooked on Kreatures - the Ika's skinny cousin.

[Raul]

There 's a noticeable difference in body width between the Fat Ika and the regular Ikas, but same killa action.  

[roadwarrior]

I christened my Fat Ika about a month ago. They cast like a bullet and catch bass no doubt, but my complaint was the need for that extra-wide-gap 4/0 hook. I also wonder if the Ika's thickness didn't lead to more misses - even with the 4/0 wide-gap hook. I certainly missed quite a few.

I recently tried the Yamamoto Kreature which is very similar to the Fat Ika (rigged backwards with tentacles), but isn't nearly as thick and works with 2/0 hooks. I did so well with them that I'm now hooked on Kreatures - the Ika's skinny cousin.

I fish Kreatures with a 4/0 EWG, too!

Bass tend to "hold" the Fat Ika. I doubt that you missed many (any) bass, those bites were probably bream.

8-)

[GobbleDog]

I doubt that you missed many (any) bass, those bites were probably bream.

8-)

Very funny. I'm telling ya I missed some definite bites (albeit likely small bass considering the 40+ dinks  we caught that weekend). You gotta admit those Fat Ika's are pretty thick.

Regardless, the real reason I prefer the Kreatures is because I like having 2/0 hooks on all my worm-rigs so I can switch with different worms.  To me, a 4/0 wide-gap just wouldn't work with say... a Trick worm, Swamp crawler, curlytail, etc...  But that's me - small hooks, small weights, light line, etc.  

I am indebted for the "rig it backwards" trick.  It definitely works.  Does it work any better? Hell if I know, but I won't rig it any differently after catching a ton of bass that way.

[Davis]

I nabbed a nice 4 lber last night (PB of 08) on......you guessed it....Fat Ika. They never fail me.

[NICKJ]

I completely agree that even the little ones won't let go of the IKA.

Here is a dink I caught the other day on lunch....

[roadwarrior]

But that's me - small hooks, small weights, light line...small fish

Start using a bigger hook and you might catch some better fish.

8-)

[GobbleDog]

I understand 4/0 wide-gappers for Fat Ika's, 12" worms, and baits like that. But I can't use em with Trickworms 'n such.  That would mess up my constitution.

[roadwarrior]

Okay, just trying to be helpful. I realize some of the smaller soft plastics "work" better with smaller hooks, but for everything with the width of a 5" Senko or bigger, the 4/0 or 5/0 EWG should be considered.

8-)

[daviscw]

I use a 1/0 hook with a 5" Senko and I hauled in two 4 pounders just yesterday. I think you need a bigger bait, or you need to fish somewhere else....

[Redtail]

I also have caught a lot with the Fat Ika and unfortunately missed a lot as well.  I now use the Big Ika which is a bit longer and thinner.  It combines the senko and Ika in the same bait.  

[Del from philly]

HELP A BROTHER OUT

i have fished fat ikas about 10 times since the start of the season with no luck

here are my questions:

-Is the fat ika not good weightless in a river with current? does it need wieght?

- Do you bounce it off the bottom? how do you fish it in the river

ALSO

have you ever tryed nose-hooking the fat ika with a Circle hook 3/0 etc?

[roadwarrior]

Here my reply in a thread currently running in "Smallmouth"

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1210085230/7#7

8-)

[Jeff C.]

I agree that you can use 4/0 & 5/0 on most all baits.. including 5" sticks.. They do not work on 3 & 4" hulla grubs.. but the bigger hook is needed on the Fat Ika.. I use 2 rods, one with a 4/0 or 5/0 & the other has a 2/0 or 3/0. that covers all baits I use..

[Davis]

I agree that you can use 4/0 & 5/0 on most all baits.. including 5" sticks.. They do not work on 3 & 4" hulla grubs.. but the bigger hook is needed on the Fat Ika.. I use 2 rods, one with a 4/0 or 5/0 & the other has a 2/0 or 3/0. that covers all baits I use..

Agreed.

I remember the first time I tied up a 4/0 wide gap hook. Thought it was HUGE and I really wasn't comfortable with it. That was until I hooked my first IKA fish.

Like the poster on the second page has shown.....even dinks will hit an IKA rigged with a larger hook. Don't let that 4/0 or 5/0 scare you off.

[BassFishingMachine]

Great bait, particularly like it because its something the fish haven't seen, and won't see for along time.. if that. I rig it with a size 4/0 EWG Gamakatsu, backwards, and fish it pretty much exactly like you would a senko. Only difference is I tend to hop it a little more here and there then I would a senko, I do this just to get them really interested or make the bait stick out ot the fish. So for example pretty much every cast when the bait initially hits the water I let it fall, pause for a few secs, then bring it back up and repeat, then while in the middle of the process I'll give it a good 3-4 hops to get the action really going, and then work it back in repeating the first step of working the bait slowly. So generally 75% of fishing it on each cast is done slow with high to short hops and 4-6sec pauses.

[Willzx225]

I know this goes against conventional thinking with concern to the Ika.  I learned about this great technique off of this site and am forever grateful for it but I also found that I was not boating the percentage of fish I was "hooking" on the Fat Ika with the EWG style hook so I started using a 4/0 Owner straight shank hook.  I am pushing 100% efficiency with my hook up to land ratio. JMHO the exit angle of the hook is much better.

[roadwarrior]

I know this goes against conventional thinking with concern to the Ika. I learned about this great technique off of this site and am forever grateful for it but I also found that I was not boating the percentage of fish I was "hooking" on the Fat Ika with the EWG style hook so I started using a 4/0 Owner straight shank hook. I am pushing 100% efficiency with my hook up to land ratio. JMHO the exit angle of the hook is much better.

Great post!

There are many ways to "skin a cat"!  For me, the 4/0 EWG Gamakatsu or XPoint Offset Worm Hook is the ticket, but you have found something that works better for you. Perhaps this suggestion will help others, too.

8-)