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New Product 9B
3" Slim Senko
By Gary Yamamoto

July 10, 2001

Newest Yamamoto Senko - 3" 9B Slim Senko - Versatility in a small package!

Designed for bass, but irresistible to trout and walleye too, the 9B Slim Senko hits the tape measuring a miniature three inches - just perfect for dropshot, splitshot or Carolina rigging, and it's dynamite fished Senko-Style, a unique weightless way of pitching casts to shallow shoreline cover. For fast-paced action in a small package, choose the new 9B Slim Senko!

For the pond, tank or stream angler. Any time you just wants to have fun on small waters, farm ponds or streams, the 3" 9B Slim Senko is a great choice. You will catch everything in a pond or stream with these 3" bite-size Senkos!

"The 3-inch Slim Senko is a great choice any day that you just want to have fun on small waters such as farm ponds, tanks, and streams. You'll catch everything in a pond or stream with these 3" Senkos," says lure designer and international bass fishing star, Gary Yamamoto. 

"One day, my fishing partner Ben Matsubu and I were out on a Texas pond just for some fun. We threw all the normal-sized baits in our bags at them. We did catch a few, but it wasn't fast action by any means. That all changed when I picked up my light spinning pole and pitched one of these miniature weightless Senkos up against the bank! For the next half hour, Ben and I caught bass steadily on these bite-sized Senkos," says Yamamoto.

The 9B apparently matched the menu of food available in that pond It was so much fun, but we had to leave then. I was sorry we had to go! I believe it was a matter of "matching the hatch". Many farm ponds and small streams have small native baitfish species that do not get very large. In some ponds, unchecked panfish populations may be stunted, plus aquatic insects and small amphibians can play a larger part in adult bass diets on ponds and streams. So, the 3" Senko fits right into these down-sized ecosystems, says Gary Yamamoto.

For the tournament bass angler. There is a place for the 9B Senko for the tournament bass angler too, says Gary. The 9B is custom-made to quickly catch a legal length limit, and put five measurable bass in the livewell fast.

Keep in mind, the 9B will not discriminate! You'll catch large numbers of small fish - not just bass but all kinds of fish, adds Yamamoto.

"It's also handy as a bait to fall back on during tough times when your other baits and plans just do not seem to be working for you," smiles Gary.

So try the new 9B Slim Senko today!

Related Story
9B Senko Wins California State Classic
By Russ Bassdozer

October, 19 2002

Congratulations to Charlie Weyer, winner of the California B.A.S.S. Chapter Federation 2002 State Classic.

Small in size but big on bass, the 9B Senko was used by Charlie Weyer to hold off 56 other qualifying anglers to capture the title of State Champion on the 19th and 20th of October at San Vicente Lake in San Diego County. He held 1st place on both days with back to back limits of 14.36 and 11.97 pounds for a total of 26.33 pounds on what proved to be a very difficult tournament for most of the anglers, according to CBCF President, Gary Bradford.

Charlie and the rest of the top finishers caught most of their fish while chasing fish which came up in schools in various parts of the lake chasing shad. They caught their fish throwing a Yamamoto 3" Senko in smoke color, and other similar baits, on the breaking fish and waking it back to the boat, says Mr. Bradford.

Essentially, feeding pods of bass were pushing young-of-year shad to the top. If you could spot the "nervous water" where tiny shad were just beginning to come up top, and if you could start waking the small baits across the surface before bass began erupting, you would score, says Gary. By the time the bass were busting through the shad, it was too late, as the bass were already moving away toward where the next shad cluster would appear nervously pushing water on top. Light lines, even 4 or 2 lb. test were required for casting distance with the weightless 3" 9B Senkos.

Related Story
9B Busts Bull-Headed Bronzebacks
By Al Pugh

July 24, 2001

As a country boy, Al Pugh grew up on the Greenbrier River, learning the outdoors from his father. Today, Al and his wife have a home in Newport News, VA. Their two sons who cherish the outdoors and both hunt and fish.

This weekend, members of the RiverSmallies.com web site held a "Rodeo" on the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania. Now, a Rodeo is similar to a "Rally". Both are gatherings of web fishermen and friends, except that a Rally has a tournament aspect to it whereas a Rodeo is more of a "fish-for-fun" event that includes lots of camping and being outdoors.

I didn't get to fish Friday, but Saturday, I went out with Brook Hoover, one of the brothers who own Cabin Fever Tackle/Brook's Marine, a Gary Yamamoto dealer in Chambersburg, PA.

Brook is hardcore on tube baits (Green Pumpkin and variants) for the Susquehanna, and he is GOOD. We started out on a tube bite, with decent eastern summer river smallies from 12"-14" weighing from 1-2 lbs. Then, the bite seemed to stop abruptly. I pulled out some 9S-157 4" inch Senkos (absolutely my confidence bait in Eastern rivers). Brook went to a small crankbait, then to a buzzbait while I threw blades. No dice! Those bass had shut their mouths tighter than a miser's purse.

We tried just about everything when Brook called from his perch at the front of the jet boat, "Al, you bring any of them new tiny Senkos with you?" Now, this was not exactly a casual remark on Brook's part. I had brought up a box of promotional baits to support the Rodeo, including some new 3" inch 9B Senkos. Obviously, Brook had been rummaging through the "goodie" box! No problem, I trust Brook.

"Yeah," I said, "Look in the end compartment of the Yamamoto soft bag." Ten seconds later, Brook's head raised up from being buried in my plastics menagerie. I saw a smile emerge from his mountain man's beard as he held up the little 9B in a 194 watermelon color.

"OK, little feller," he said to it as he laced one on a #4 Split Shot hook, "go out there and say 'Hi, I'm the new guy.'"

The concentration on his face seemed like an attempt to will the fish to hit the Senko, but when Brook's sheer will power didn't turn the trick, we knuckled down and got methodical. We split the "search" duties, and I switched to a weighted 9S-157 on a 1/8 oz brass-n-glass setup, as that section of the Susquehanna has cuts, troughs, and holes between ledges only two boat lengths apart that may go 12 feet deep or more.

"Brook, try a little weight," I said. "I'm getting hit, but every time I set the hook, the weight is fouling on the rocks."

"You sure they're really hits?" Brook was picking on me pretty good, but we were both scrambling to figure out the right weight and placement of it. I went to a 1/32 bullet weight, pegged up the line, and Brook pinched on a pretty fair-sized split shot. I stuck with the 9S series, but Brook repeated his invitation to the fish and let fly with another 9B Senko. It hit the water, Brook flipped the bail, started to ease the rod up...and he set the hook, all in one smooth motion.

"I think I'm gonna like these!" Brook blurted out and immediately started talking to the fish to ask it to save his Senko for another cast. Meanwhile, I was "feeding" my 9S to a fish, waiting for the fish to take the whole thing, but the fish felt me before I stuck him. By the time I got my bait back in the boat, Brook had another fish on. I stopped fishing just to watch.

Five casts resulted in three good river fish! Brook was getting excited. His big beard parted for the smile and two large saucer-sized eyes topped the package. "Are these available for dealers now? Can I order them today?" I ribbed him with "I'm not sure...we'll check in a while...heck, forget all that, just fish for now, Brook." He didn't need any urging, he was in 9B machine mode.

We took and released about 55 fish that day. I will never forget three of the biggest ones as they rose lazily out of deep, shaded bank structure to swat poppers. We took some on tubes, some on other stuff, but fully half of them came on the 9B. Mostly in 194, a smattering on 241, 240, and 002. Accidentally, I left the 196's in my car, or they would have caught some too!

Overall, the 9B's beat other baits two fish to one. This ratio was even higher when they would hit both the 9B and 9S Senkos, because we didn't have to wait to "feed" the 9B to the fish, ever. Feel him, stick him, no problem.

By the time you read this, it is a relative certainty that 9B's will already be catching on in this corner of the world! Many of Brook's customers simply walk in and ask him what they should buy that has been working lately. Like a good doctor, Brook will diagnose the situation and prescribe potent fish "medicine" from the pegboards that panel the store, loaded with serious fishing gear. You can bet that whatever else he recommends, Brook will add, "and a bag of these little Senkos for when they get bull-headed and won't bite anything else."

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