i was walkin through the fishing sectoin yesterday and i noticed the gary yamamoto ikas.  they kinda resemble a tube i guess.  i was wandering if you fished them the same way you would a tube or if there was any other ways in doing so.  if there is please lemme know

Fish a Ika weightless and rig it so that the tentacles are at the head. Let it sink to the bottom and just bounce it off.

Thats just one way of doing it you could also fish it like a tube but its not hallow inside so you might get a different effect    

You can also do a search on the IKA here at BR...........There has been 1000 threads about this bait.........

I did a search to help get everyone out.

These three are general

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1159678776/14#14

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1160065007/2#2

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1162323206/13#13

Covers Weighted Ikas

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1162149654/10#10

Roadwarrior's magic lure

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1141053342/0#0

bassdocktor

I've caught bass on Ika's when nothing else seemed to work.  I always fish it "skirt up" too.  Around here it seems to be one of those baits that not alot of people know about or use, so when you do throw one they work.

The Fat Ika still hasn't been "discovered." Away from BR members and GYCB fanatics, no one talks about it or uses it effectively. It can be your secret weapon. The Fat Ika has been my #1 producer for two years.

When Art Pasley from CAST was up here this summer, I took him to my lake for a few hours.  He borrowed a rod but brought his own "TOP secret weapon".  Busted my chops about it all the way to the lake.  When we got there and he pulled them out I was like "Awww, cmon man,....OLD news,lol"

He was amazed someone else knew his secret.

FYI- He's in the hall of fame,lol, great minds......

Hey Doc, thanks for the links!!!

Wayne

The Fat Ika still hasn't been "discovered." Away from BR members and GYCB fanatics, no one talks about it or uses it effectively. It can be your secret weapon.  The Fat Ika has been my #1 producer for two years.

Glad that is true for the rest of the country.  Here in southern California you see everyone from the tourney anglers to the newbies throwing them.  It's been that way for the last 3 or 4 years.  Guys even use them in salt water out here.

Hmm...

I guess enough people must fish them or GYCB wouldn't keep making them, but are you sure the baits you're looking at are Fat Ika, not just tubes? Here in the Midsouth, I have never run into anyone fishing them. Now, I know that can't be technically true because our local BPS carries the Kanami Palm Tree, but still, I never see people fishing this bait.

Trust me on this one RW, it's the GYCB Fat Ika.  I am sure there are some of the socal boys on here that can back me on this one.  Especially those who fish Lake Perris.  They lowered the water there and if you walk the d**n, you can see that it is full of Fat Ikas with rusted 4/0 and 5/0 EWG hooks in them.   That bait is a staple at that lake.  I am not trying to say "oh, look at us, we're so cool because we have been fishing these for years."  It's more like "d**n you guys are lucky."  It used to be a magic bait, especially at night.  But now I get just as many fish with a T-rigged ribbon tailed worm or a jig.  Just like when the Senko first came out.

I guess what they say is true then, everything starts is Cali.  

Like RW said, I don't ever run into anyone throwing the Fat Ika either.  I do know of people who fish them that are diehard bass anglers, but no weekend warriors who fish em'.

Are they a good smallmouth bait also?

I will echo RW saying that I have never seen anyone in MO fishing GYCB Fat Ikas or Kinami Palm Trees. I know that some of our MO members do fish them, but outside them I know of no one else that does. Good thing too. Generally when I get a tough bite, that's what I'll go to. I can usually get something on a backwards rigged, weightless Fat Ika.

Are they a good smallmouth bait also?

I love the Ika for smallies., especially if your fishing ledges..........The Ika will swim right under those ledges! Much Fun!

Around the Midwest I have seen no one fishing the Ika.  Most of the stores arond here don't tend to order them much and only carry a couple of colors.  I probably would have over looked this awesome bait if had not been for this forum.  

So thanks again for whomever said to try this bait.

Also, IMHO, the key to this bait is how it falls in the water.  Unlike a Senko, which wiggles and falls slowly, the Ika falls straight down, allowing it to get to the big ones on the bottom faster.  Again this is just an opinion.

Around KC I know of two people the use ika's, me and my buddy Fatman1267, and he uses them a lot more than I do.   The Cabelas here carried the palm trees earlier this summer, but they quit carrying them because they were not selling.  A few weeks ago he and I went out there and the shelves where they had been were empty.  We ended up finding them in the bargain cave for .25 per bag.  We bought them all.

25 cents...I'd like to see that deal.

Good catch!

anyone have a picture of these?

anyone have a picture of these?

Yeah RW I was pretty excited when we found those.  They were not my ideal colors, but for that price who can complain.  I think the colors we found were oxblood, red/black, and baby bass.

Yeah RW I was pretty excited when we found those. They were not my ideal colors, but for that price who can complain. I think the colors we found were oxblood, red/black, and baby bass.

Doesnt sound like too bad a deal at all!!!

I have started making these, and I am actually excited that not many people up here in the northwest fish these.  You can't even find them in the stores up here. I plan on having these in the tackle stores this spring, so hopefully people will start buying them  I know you guys don't think a knock off will be as good, but the skirts I am using have a whole lot more action than the standard skirt.  I know some of you tackle makers out there know what I am talking about.  Getbitlures.com has the best skirts available. These things are pretty sweet.  At around 5 bucks a bag, they are a lot cheaper too.  

I have started making these, and I am actually excited that not many people up here in the northwest fish these.  You can't even find them in the stores up here. I plan on having these in the tackle stores this spring, so hopefully people will start buying them  I know you guys don't think a knock off will be as good, but the skirts I am using have a whole lot more action than the standard skirt.  I know some of you tackle makers out there know what I am talking about.  Getbitlures.com has the best skirts available. These things are pretty sweet.  At around 5 bucks a bag, they are a lot cheaper too.  

Any pictures of them?

Around KC I know of two people the use ika's, me and my buddy Fatman1267, and he uses them a lot more than I do.   The Cabelas here carried the palm trees earlier this summer, but they quit carrying them because they were not selling.  A few weeks ago he and I went out there and the shelves where they had been were empty.  We ended up finding them in the bargain cave for .25 per bag.  We bought them all.

Hawgin, you guys missed a couple of bags.  After I got the PMs from you and Fatman I went out there and bought a couple of bags of the Kinami palm trees as well.  I'm pretty sure there are none left now.    BTW, Dick's out at Zona Rosa carries Fat Ikas.