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92-Series Ika Tips
By Russ Bassdozer

February 20, 2001

When a tube is not a tube?…It’s an Ika!  Yamamoto made a bold step in non-tube technology with the introduction of the Ika. The Ika body is strong and solid, with long, perfect tentacles that collapse at retrieve speed, and flare alluringly at rest – built-in tail action with the dense, salt-laden body that made Yamamoto baits the favorite of tournament pros from coast to coast. Here's a hurry of hot tips for fishing the 92 series Ika. Once you try them, I think you'll understand why they're different from tubes - like apples and oranges!

Vertical jigging and horizontal swimming. Our first photo shows the Series 92 Ika on a 1/8-ounce ball jig head. It's the classic set-up for light-line fishing (6-12 lb. test). Either vertically jig it under the boat in deep, clear water - or horizontally swim the Ika barely above long expanses of shallow bottom. In both cases (vertical jigging and horizontal swimming), the Ika skirt is flared at the waist which will make the tentacles flutter and pulse like a living critter.

Bottom dragging. On snag-free mud, muck, or sandy silt bottoms, simply drag it! When dragged, the ball head buries under the sediment, sending up a silt trail. Bass are drawn in out of natural curiosity, when they catch a glimpse of those tail filaments waggling like a craw digging into the bottom, they just eat it!

Shoo Flies! Don't Bother Me! The next photo shows the versatile Ika excels as a jig trailer behind a Yamamoto series 11 soft plastic jig skirt. Just use this "fly" anywhere you would otherwise use an old-fashioned hair jig or "fly 'n rind."  For the ultimate attraction, use colors that feature reflective glitter to send off a sparkle and shimmer as the 72 total filaments wiggle and pulsate between skirt and tail.

Finesse Flipping. A small lure, on heavy tackle in thick cover? It's something that bass rarely see, but Texas tournament pro Lendell Martin, Jr. "finesse flips" the series 92 Ika into nasty cover for big bass on heavy tackle. Lendell uses a stout 3/0 hook, 1/8-ounce slip sinker and tough 16 lb. test Sugoi fluorocarbon line for this small profile flipping presentation that few of his competitors ever use!

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