Gary Yamamoto's Trio of New Products for 2008
August 15, 2008
Gary Yamamoto has designed and released three new products for 2008. They are the new 9P Pro Senko and new 16L Pro Double Tail Grub designed to be rigged weedless on Gary's new jig.
Yamamoto's new trio for 2008: Gary's Jig, Pro Senko and Pro Double Tail.
Gary's New Jig
The first new product is Gary's Jig. It combines the strength of a flipping jig with two of today's hottest jig styles - both the shakey jig and the swimming jig combined. This breakthrough hybrid jig is so unique that it can only be called Gary's Jig. It incorporates flipping, shaking and swimming jigs into a single jig with the ultimate tournament strength hook.
Gary Yamamoto's forte, the way he most enjoys fishing, is to flip his soft baits into shallow, heavy shoreline cover like thick grassbeds, laydown logs, dense brush, bulrushes and all manner of junk that holds big bass.
Therefore Yamamoto designed his new jig first and foremost to excel within the rugged flipping environment, and he constructed a new Gamakatsu hook to go into his new jig. This Gamakatsu hook is incredibly strong and ideally suited for flipping Gary's soft baits.
The tournament-strength Gamakatsu hook is suited for baitcasting gear - and it is also ideal for Yamamoto's spinning rods with braided line. The extra long hook shank makes weedless Texas-rigging possible in snaggy cover. The unique forward line tie placement comes cleanly through weeds and brush. The shank is extra long to ensure soft baits can be rigged weedless properly.
Ten of the nineteen total different models of Gary's Jig.
All together, Gary's Jig comes in five weights and up to four hook sizes. Weights include 1/16, 1/8, 3/16, 1/4 and 5/16 oz with 2/0, 3/0, 4/0 and 5/0 hooks - 19 jig models in all.
"Different anglers have different ideas what hook sizes are right for them, ideally matched to the tackle they use and the size fish they catch. Also, different bait sizes naturally lend themselves to different hook sizes," says Gary Yamamoto. "So I am offering a variety of hook sizes in every weight, so every angler can get the hook size they like best, so you may be able to match every situation that you're fishing."
When not flipping shallow heavy cover, Gary Yamamoto will also use this same jig as a shakey jig in deeper water and as a swimming jig in open water. In deeper or more open water, Gary Yamamoto favors using his Medium spinning rod model #SM3701M spooled with 10 to 20 lb braided line and anywhere from 10 to16 pound test Sugoi fluorocarbon leader. In the case of the spinning rod, the braid adds a lot of strength to this outfit. Set-ups like these can cast these light jigs for long distances yet still have the backbone needed to sink the stout hook.
Originally, Yamamoto first identified the need for and developed his new jig in order to activate the tail on his 5" Swim Senko. Yamamoto informs us that, "The 5" Swim Senko achieves its strongest action and vibration with the heavier 1/4 to 5/16th weights and 5/0 hook size of the shakey jighead."
5" and 4" Swim Senko.
"The 4" Swim Senko is another one of my favorites for this jig, on my Medium spinning rod. It requires a minimum of an 1/8th oz head to get it to swim better. Either a 3/0 or 4/0 is fine for the 4" Swim Senko," instructs Yamamoto.
As Yamamoto field-tested his new shakey jighead, it worked so well that Gary designed two new baits: 1) the 5" 9P Pro Senko, and 2) the new 5" Pro Double Tail. Both have the leaner, longer body shapes that fit so well with the shakey jighead.
New 9P Pro Senko
Gary shows Pro Senko on Gary's Jig.
“The new 9P Pro Senko was designed to be used as a shakey worm, so it can be shaken on bottom using our new jig,” explains Gary.
"With the new Pro Senko, use a 2/0 or 3/0 hook. Vary the weight head from 1/16th to 1/4, depending how deep you want to go."
The wide head of the Pro Senko makes it easy to rig on Gary's Jig.
New 16L Pro Double Tail Grub
“Our new Pro Double Tail Grub (16L-series) was also designed for our new jig,” says Gary Yamamoto.
New 16L Pro Double Tail.
“The new Pro Double Tail Grub has a little more body length than your ordinary grub. That additional length lets it fit perfectly on our new jig,” says Gary.
“I have found the new 16L and our new jig to be very deadly in real shallow water swimming it across banks littered with tree stumps and laydown logs. I just swim it along for best results,” smiles Gary. “So this new jig is a shakey jig – but also a swimming jig, and can be used shaking it on bottom in deep water but it is equally good for swimming across shallow water.”
"The new Pro Double Tail fits best with about a 4/0 and at least an 1/8th. Actually 3/16 is what I use for swimming it in shallow water. You can go as heavy as you like, such as the 1/4 size to get to bottom in 10-20 feet of water. This combo has been very effective on spotted bass and smallmouth in deep water."
The new 16L Pro Double Tail has thick diameter legs that stand out from the body. The legs won't collapse and fall in on each other. While swimming, the legs stand out to the sides like a frog kicking or like a craw brandishing its claws.
Many Other Baits Work Great As Well
But of course, most any soft bait in GYB's entire product line can be used with Gary's new jig. With five weights and four hook sizes, there's a new jig sure to match perfectly with any Yamamoto bait. With hook sizes ranging from 2/0 through 5/0, simply match the hook you prefer to the particular bait. Whether it's the Senko, Kut-Tail, Shad Shape Worm, Yamamoto Hula Grub, Craw, Ika, tube or Yamamoto swimbait, Gary's new jig excels with all.
Top to bottom: 6-3/4" Kut Tail. 5-3/4" Kut Tail. 5" Senko. 3-3/4" Shad Shape Worm.
"One of my favorite applications for the shakey jig is rigged with a 5-3/4" or 6-1/2" Kut Tail. I use the biggest hook size (4/0) but the smallest 1/16th oz weight. This way, especially along thick, grassy, shallow shorelines, from a boat, I land the bait right on the shoreline. I swim it off the bank, and the very light weight 1/16th oz head literally bounces off and through weeds. The Kut Tail practically floats through the weeds. This set-up has accounted for some of my biggest bass this past year," says Gary proudly. "In fact, I'll soon be offering the 1/16th oz weight with a 5/0 hook for just this tactic. That's how good it works."
By the way, the Kut Tail can be rigged any way, but has better action when the spade tail points not up nor down but flat (either left or right doesn't matter).
Weedless Rigging with Gary's Jig
Gary's new jig has been designed specifically for the weedless rigging method as follows.
 Step One: No matter how many years and hundreds of times you may have rigged a bait, the first step is always to visualize first how you want the rig to end up. Each and every time you rig, measure off by eye and visualize the end result before you rig. As you then proceed to actually rig it, concentrate on this visual snapshot of how everything needs to end up. To skip this pre-rig visualization step, your rig is bound to fail before you even start.
|
"I hope you enjoy using our new jig with the new 9P Pro Senko, the new 16L Pro Double Tail and with all your favorite Yamamoto soft baits," says Gary Yamamoto.