The Magic Lure

[roadwarrior]

I was at the Bass Pro Spring Classic this past weekend for a seminar on smallmouth bass. Mike Whitten, Mid-South Staff Writter for GYCB's Inside Line Magazine was the featured speaker. Mike demonstrated a variety of lures and presentations in the Bass Pro fish tank. This allows everyone to see how a presentation actually looks underwater and how the fish react. The tank contained largemouth, smallmouth , catfish, crappie and white bass. These are "resident" fish in the BPS aquarium in Memphis.

Mike Whitten demonstrated eight lures including tubes, grubs, Lucky Craft Pointer 100, Cordell Gay Blade, 5" Senko and the Magic Lure. Oddly, the smallmouth struck the single tail grub, but none of the largemouth seemed interested. The biggest largemouth in the tank was VERY intersted in the Pointer, but a couple of smaller 5-8 lb fish were more agressive and kept eating the lure. Everything except the catfish were attracted to the Gay Blade, senko and tube.

Mike focused on structure, boat positioning and lure presentation. Actually watching him work a bait through the structure in the tank was very educational. He talked about equipment, spinning verses baitcasting gear, specific recommendations as to weight, line size and had a number of interesting thoughts to share with us.

All this was interesting and very entertaining, but when he began fishing the Magic Lure, the entire crowd just stood there in awe.

Mike Whitten is the CEO of a large company, a member of BPS Pro Staff and a writer for GYCB. His presentation included several different brands of lures and equipment manufacturers. This was not a seminar on GYCB plastics, but the Magic Lure is. Mike first began with setting up the situations where you might use this bait, how to rig it and techniques to fish it. When he tossed it into the tank, it was immediately eaten by a 2-3 lb smallmouth, and he wouldn't let go. When the bait was finally released by the first fish, another smallmouth immediately attacked. Mike retrieved the lure to contiune his talk. The second pitch was about midway in the tank, away from where the smallmouth were suspending. As the lure slowly sank, the biggest bass in the tank came over to investigate, but a fast, more aggessive 7-8 lb largemouth grabbed it away. On the second or third strike by this fish, Mike let her hold the bait, once for five seconds, the next time for eleven. On the final cast, the results were similar: Every largemouth and smallmouth bass in the tank were after this lure, the catfish and white bass did not seem to care.

This was the most informational event I have been to in a long time. Whitten covered a lot of ground and talked about aspects of smallmouth fishing that would help even the most experienced fisherman. Other speakers were interesting and their presentations were fun, but no doubt, the Magic Lure stole the show!

Oh! The Magic Lure?

GYCB Fat Ika.

[.ghoti.]

Cool story, RW, wish i'd been there. I read some of your earlier posts, and now have every color of palm tree's I can find. Been unable to locate ika's. I was just wondering, do you rig these weightless. They seem heavy enough. I've not had a chance to try them out yet, but we will be at Table Rock in a couple of weeks. In mid March the bass may still be deep. Have you tried these on a jighead or a t-rig? The only experimenting I've done was to rig one on a 4/0 EWG hook and drop it in the sink. It had a nice little wiggle as it sank. It seems to me, any added weight might kill that subtle action. Any thoughts?

[roadwarrior]

The Fat Ika and the Palm Tree are the same bait, just different colors.

The "magic" of the lure is the slow fall, I would not (do not) fish it deep or with any kind of weight. Mike demonstrated it using 1/2 of a nail weight for a deeper presentation, but I still think it negates the most important aspect of the lure. I fish it weightless in <12' of water, skirt up.

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Nothing better than getting somthing out of a seminar.  It's usually old hat type stuff.  Well, you were a believer before you even went so have you actaully gone out and bought stock yet?  What's it selling at right now? lol

RW turned me on to these last year and Although I worked through the whole pack with decent success, I wasn't totally "hooked".  I only fished them upside down, so they would shoot under the brush along a quick dropping bank that we have along one side of our lake.

I keep them in the line-up, bought 2 more bags but I would probably use it as a tube alternative.

RW-Can you elaborate on which techniques and rigging they used while explaining this bait?

[roadwarrior]

I fish it on spinning tackle, #6 Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft, 4/0 EWG Gamakatsu, T-rigged weightless and weedless, skirt up. Although the lure is often described as nothing more than a solid tube, the action is totally different. I work tubes with more of an exaggerated verticle hop so that the lure can exhibit its spiraling fall. The Fat Ika does not spiral.

I cast parallel to cover or structure, let the lure settle to the bottom and fish it like a Senko with a short (6-12") horizontal sweep. I then let the lure fall on slack line so that it falls vertically, not moving forward. I work the lure slowly, letting it pause for 10-20 seconds or more before moving it again. I like to picture a crawdad moving over rocks and hiding.

You will rarely miss a hook up. When the fish bites, reel down and set the hook firmly. Bass will not let go of this lure.

[.ghoti.]

Thanks, RW!! Can't wait to get out and give 'em a try. I read somewhere, not sure where, that an underwater, "walk-the-dog" retrieve was effective. The game was, w-t-d, then kill it and let in sink on a slack line, then w-t-d etc. I'm thinking, this may be a good follow-up technique.

Thanks for the help.

GK

[KU_Bassmaster.]

Did Mike Whitten rig it skirt up?  If so, on the fall, does it fall away from you or straight down??

I like LBH, I fished this a few times last year and had OK sucess with it.  I think some of the bass at my lakes are getting tired of Senkos ..... the 6 and 7 inchers as well.  This was/is a biat I was planning on trying to use a lot more this year.

[Guest avid]

No doubt about it, the Fat Ika is a great lure.  I fish it a little differently than RW.  I rig it the same i.e. skirt up, no weight but I cast directly to the cover not paralell to it.  I keep the line semi slack.  This causes the bait to "swim" away from you and down under the cover canopy.  This is a great presentation to use in the deep South where you have floating mats of hydrilla etc.

[Raul]

This causes the bait to "swim" away from you and down under the cover canopy

That 's the secret of the magic bait.  

[GobbleDog]

Ok, I've read enough.

I'll check out some Fat Ika's on my next trip to the bait shop.  Anyone have a picture handy that they could post?

[ghost]

Here you go:

http://***.com/descpageSFSYAMA-YAFI.html

If the link does not work, go to *** & type fat ika

[paparock]

I want to clarify something. By rigging the Fat Ika "skit up" you are referring to the skirt  being closest to the eye of the hook right? :-/

[roadwarrior]

Yes.

When you work the lure the tentacle are pushed down on the lure then reverse and flutter when it falls. Work it in clear, shallow water so you can see how "alive" this lure actually looks. It is remarkable.

[GobbleDog]

Seems like a pretty good flippin bait.

Unfortunately, I suck at flippin.   :-/

[Raul]

You don 't need to flip it Papa, cast it as usual near the target in question and let it sink on a slightly slack line, the bait will swim AWAY from you and into the cover, as a matter of fact you can keep the bait in the same location just by pulling the line with your rod and allowing the bait to sink without retrieving, just by lowering your rod..........deadly.

[sodaksker]

This causes the bait to "swim" away from you and down under the cover canopy

That 's the secret of the magic bait.

Didn't the flying lure do that as well?

[Vyron]

This causes the bait to "swim" away from you and down under the cover canopy

That 's the secret of the magic bait.  

Didn't the flying lure do that as well?

I was thinking the same

[Madhouse27]

I'd heard RW meantion this bait before and had put it on my list of things that needed further investigation. Well needless to say after reading this post they are all but ordered. I'm glad you guys got into the actual rigging of the bait. I'm sure I would have set it up more like a grub or a tube. This tentacles up presentation sounds deadly, and the fact that the bait moves away from you on the fall...it just doesn't get any better than that. Talk about being deadly on bass tucked way in under docks or topwater vegetation. Gary Y does it again. Awesome post Road!

[flyhatch]

i have used the big icka with much sucess

i bought the fat icka but a #4 ewg seemed too small and a #5 ewg seemed to big

but i never thought to rig it skirt up

i will be sure to check it out

eric

[bassnleo]

Hmmm, great ideas. I have some Ika's but never really did well on them. Guess I'll have to try them again.

[Pond-Pro]

Would the "Magic Bait" work good just casting in open water about 10ft. deap?

[GuideDog]

"Rigged Skirt Up"

Can someone enlighten me on that type of rig setup..

Thanks

GuideDog

[cgs2004]

rigged "skirt up"=rigged "backwards"

[GobbleDog]

Rigged skirt up and weightless, eh?.... it does sound interesting.

I'm going to give it a try this weekend. I'll report back with my results. I have a hard time believing it can out-fish my mojo rig or typical Trick Worm, especially in the off-shore hydrilla that I usually fish, but I'm going to give it a fair shot. Something tells me this bait probably works best in tight cover, especially bed fishing and such.

In any case, do the Ikas come in different sizes? If so, whatchall recomend?

[roadwarrior]

What you want is the FAT IKA.

The Ika is a smaller version and there is a 5" Ika, but it is an entirely different bait.

As for tight cover. It sounds like avid and Raul fish the Fat Ika IN cover, but I fish it AROUND or PARALLEL to cover and structure. For me, it's 90% structure or what some would describe as open water. Be careful throwing it around or under docks, you might get your arm broken!