fat ika on spinning or baitcasting gear?? how do you guys fish it??

[naturalnbama]

One of my goals for this year is to spend more time  fishing the fat ika.  I have  been fishing it on a 4/0 or (5/0 at times) hook mostly on a 6 foot spinning rod with the yo zuri 6 line.   seems to really work well for pitching under docks and into rock piles and stuff.  I have also tried it some on my new pfluger bait caster mostly for a flippin type presentation.  I just cant seem to get it to work as smooth on the underhanded pitch type cast under tree limbs and docks and stuff on the baitcaster.  I  feel like such a rookie pitching and flippin with my spinning reel but dang it just works soo well.  The fat ika will skip like crazy way back under just about anything with a little rolling underhand cast from my spinning reel.  why cant I get that from my baitcaster.  I went out and bought the new 10 ball bearing  pfluger and everything.  

    How do you guys fish it?? and what do you fish it on??  

Naturalnbama

[fishizzle]

You gotta be nuts to skip with a baitcaster!!!!

I have never heard of a fat Ika till this year.  Every week its brought up again.   So I am going to try it.

[Davis]

Spinning gear

8 lb test line

4/0 Gammy or Owner EWG hook

Rig it backwards and fish it with short hops like a jig and let it flutter back down.

Also when I first cast it I let it sit for maybe 20 seconds before I start my short hops. I think most of my hits last year came on the initial fall though so be ready to set that hook.

[flyhatch]

i prefer spinning gear for the ika too.

i dont think you cant get a baitcaster to make the same casts.

I rig it upside down (info I got on thiss board) and pitch it into and under

everything. Be patient it sinks pretty slowly. and when rigging it try a 4  and a 5 ewg hook I think the 4 ended up working better for me . those things have a lot of meat on them.

I recall one tourney, I was fishing cover right after launch, I had a ika rigged upside down. 1st pitch, blam ,hook set ,partner gets net. keeper in the boat. 2nd cast same thing. after netting the fish my partner asked " you got any more of those"

[roadwarrior]

Gear:

7' spinning rig, #6 Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft

and 5/0 EWG Gamakatsu Offset Worm hook.

Technique:

EXACTLY like you fish a Senko. I consider

these baits comparable in every way, just a

different profile and different action.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1141053342

8-)

[justfishin]

Spinning for smallies---#6 Yozuri Ultra Soft

Baitcasting for green bass---#12 Ultra Soft

4/0 G-Lock Gammie hooks.

I like the Green Pumkin/Red Flake and Pearl/Pepper,as well as, watermelon.

[iceintheveins]

I fish seknos and ikas on spinning gear with 6 - 10 pound.

[Basshole18]

I fish the fat Ikas on a medium action Kistler Helium LTA baitcasting rod paired up with a Shimano Curado 100D with 10# Bass Pro Shops XPS Fluorocarbon line (unbelievably phenomenal line). I rig it both frontwards and backwards on a 4/0 Owner Riggin' hook. The rigging hook is the best hook I've found for these and it's also great for tubes. It is a SUPER wide gap hook with a shorter shank for shorter bulky baits just like the Fat Ika. It does not "ball up" on the hook nearly as often as with other EWG's I've tried with the Fat Ika. Sometimes I also fish them on a 6'3" spinning rod also with 8# monofilament.

Also,  if you guys like to fish the fat ika,  especially if you fish it like a senko,  then you MUST try the Fat Ika's (much less popular) cousin, the Big Ika. It is about an inch longer than the Fat Ika but a lot more thin in the body (a little thicker than a 5" senko).  It is awesome on spinning gear under overhangs,  laydowns,  and docks. It's action is a lot closer to the senko and has a very erratic action and wiggles on the fall. Really an awesome bait. Hope this helps!

[roadwarrior]

Welcome aboard!

8-)

[procraft68]

I fish them both on 6-6 or 7 ft spinning gear but for deeper water I use my casting gear. They are tougher to flip but I pull the boat out of the garage very early spring and practice pitching into a bucket. Neighbors think I'm nuts but if I get under the tree out there I can work different angles and everything. Off course this from a guy who pulls his baits through a bath tub full of water to see how they move and fall ;D Wife thinks I'm nuts too

Good luck,

Snag

[Simp]

Gear:

7' spinning rig, #6 Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft

and 5/0 EWG Gamakatsu Offset Worm hook.

Technique:

EXACTLY like you fish a Senko. I consider

these baits comparable in every way, just a

different profile and different action.

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1141053342

8-)

RW I've got a very similar set up as you when fishing the Fat IKa but I'm using Power Pro 20lb moss green braid. I've noticed in another thread you recommended using a leader for braid on even top water. Do you really feel braid is that visiable?? The 20lb braid I have is the diameter of a 6lb mono and it doesn't "look" that visiable to me. I haven't went to flurocarbon yet because of the talk about it being tough to cast and the high price. I picked up the braid only a couple weeks ago and it seems to be preforming well so far. I did a google on Yo-Zuri Hybrid Ultra Soft and it seems to be some type of hybrid fluro/nylon line and it's certainly priced well. What draws you to it?

[roadwarrior]

No, you misread the post. I said moving baits and topwater specifically do not need a leader. When fishing "finesse presentations"  I believe line visibility is important. That's when I would recommend a leader.

On the otherhand, since I don't use braid, you should  probably rely on someone else's advice.

8-)

[Crestliner2008]

When fishing Ika's I use Fireline with a 3' leader of fluorocarbon line. Tie with back to back Uni knots and you're good to go. Just don't have too stiff a rod action or you'll rip a lot of lips!  

[I Love BassResource]

Using information from this specific thread I hit the New River last weekend armed with some Fat Ika's.  In the slower moving pools of water, I scored pretty well.  I caught several smallies over 20 inches, including a nice 22 incher.

Thanks for the information!

[roadwarrior]

Using information from this specific thread I hit the New River last weekend armed with some Fat Ika's. In the slower moving pools of water, I scored pretty well. I caught several smallies over 20 inches, including a nice 22 incher.

Thanks for the information!

Congratulations!

8-)