Overview
Poured using Yamamoto’s custom heavily weighted soft plastic formula, the Yamamoto Yamatanuki Stick Bait is super dense which allows it to be fished weightless with great castability and a fast horizontal rate of fall. Ideal for pairing with an extra wide gap hook, the Yamatanuki is an incredible power finesse option for flipping into cover or dragging open water, as well as casting to fish on forward-facing sonar. While this is the first time the Yamatanuki has been made available in the US, it has been a very popular soft bait in the Japanese Yamamoto lineup for years and is credited as the bait that started the genre of ‘heavy’ weighted soft plastic lures state-side.
Available in hand-picked colors from Yamamoto’s pro-staff to provide a wide array of fish-catching options no matter what the conditions, each bait is molded with a hook pocket to provide easy rigging and greatly improve your hook-up ratios. Staying true to their roots of creating innovative baits that absolutely catch fish, the Yamamoto Yamatanuki Stick Bait is another incredible tool to add to your fish-catching arsenal from the world’s premier soft plastic brand.
Length | Quantity | Offset Hook Recommendation | Worm Weight |
2.5" | 10 | 1/0 | 1/4oz |
3.5" | 8 | 5/0 | 5/8oz |
4.5" | 8 | 5/0 |
Previous Feedback
Comments: I have been doing great with the 3.5 on pond bass. I rig it with a 4/0 EWG hook. When the hook slot gets worn out I just use mend-it, this helps extend the bait. Casts great on MH baitcast tackle.
From: O'Billy Dudewright: Also Lakehurst, NJ 8/31/23
Comments: I have been doing great with the 2.5 on pond bass.I rig it with a large owner screwlock and a 1/0 mustad 91768 30 degree jig hook. When the hook slot gets worn out I just rig sideways and this helps extend the bait. Casts good on bfs tackle.
From: Greg: Lakehurst NJ 8/24/23
Comments: Bought 4 packs, 2 different colors. Got the 2.5 inch. Bad mistake. Got 1/0 hooks as recommended. Not good. Hook is still too big for the lure. Should have bought 3.5 inch version. Got four useless bags of Ned Rig lures, and don't Ned Rig!!!
From: Unknown: Navarre, Fl 8/20/23
Comments: Nothing but success so far. For me, bites went up exponentially when I started running a few strands of chartreuse skirting through the tail (green pumpkin blue). Looks so good falling now and it gets chewed.
From: Calvin: Houston 7/25/23
Comments: I used both sizes over the weekend and both produced great. The small ones caught a lot of fish and the big one caught a 5lber. Like the reviewer below, I found a wide gap screw lock hook works pretty well without destroying the bait as quickly. For the 2.5 I had to use a 1/0 wide gap because that's all I had that small. These aren't durable but they catch fish which makes it worth it to me; I'd rather have a non durable bait that catches fish than a durable bait that doesn't catch fish. I think the 2.5 will be fun on BFS gear; for the 3.5 I used heavy duty gear because these things are heavy. Another great bait from Yamamoto.
From: Scott: Lacon, IL 7/18/23
Comments: This thing is my secondary go to when the ol' senko is not getting it done or if it's past 10ft of water it's drop rate is a perfect solution to cleaning up fish in an area and it's something that a lot of fishermen in my area are not trying love the darker colors for my northern lakes.
From: Devon: Otsego MI 7/16/23
Comments: I saw Larry Nixon at a show and he told me that this bait absolutely had his attention. A couple days later it made its debut to the world including a name, and I patiently waited for them to be stocked. Since then I have caught more fish than I can count on them, including a couple 4's and a 5 from the bank. It is simply a fish catching machine.
From: Shaun: Aubrey, Tx 7/14/23
Comments: Match it with Ryugi Infini 5/0 (trust me, it's not too big). It casts a mile; gets bit.
From: Burt: PA 7/8/23
Comments: Ugly, but works. Throw out and let sink to bottom crawl it back subtle swinging action bass love
From: Unknown: 6/30/23
Comments: These things look so dumb but man do they catch fish in cover. I'd recommend a screw-lock hook rather than an EWG hook to extend the life of each bait. Green pumpkin/amber on a weightless 4/0 hook slay largemouth on bluegill-heavy lakes here in the North Country
From: Tom: Wisconsin 6/16/23
Comments: Finally got a chance to get out on CA Delta; about a 8-10 degree F drop in temp overall so always same old story when we get a chance to get out, fishing was tough due to weather change! None of our usual offerings were working (including moving/reaction); threw the green pumpkin/blue Yamatanuki on a Gama 4/0 offset wide gap and immediately hooked up with a 2lber. Couple more casts and another 1.5 lber. Hung up in some rocks on a rock wall and lost my pre-rigged Yamatanuki; couldn't find my new packs of Yamatanukis. Tied on every other fav plastic (Yama Senkos, Cowboys, Mermaids, Berkley Generals, Roboworms etc). Couldn't get bit. Brother had his own Yamatanukis and nailed 3 more 1 to 2 lbers. I refused to use his because I was upset I couldn't find mine. I guess I'm sayin' these baits work. Oh one other thing. Brother set the hook and missed and it came flying right at me and hit me on the ear. Luckily I was wearin' a beanie and even though i t thumped me pretty good, I was lucky it was rigged weightless and all that soft plastic was a blessing in disguise; lucky he didn't have a punch weight on that rig. My ear is still ringin'. Yamatanuki works and if it smacks you on the hookset, hopefully you'll have it rigged weightless as designed and recommended!!!
From: Nate: Folsom 6/7/23
Comments: I must say I didn't think this would work. I got one pack just to try. 5 packs later I'm a believer. I have gotten some nice bass up here in the north with the bait. Northerns like it also so I would consider using a 20# leader of some type if you have toothy fish in your water. Now for the part of this bait that I do not like. They are a 1 to 5 fish bait until it must be replaced. Have some Mendi-it with you and you can extend that to about 10 fish per bait. The plastic is wonderfully soft but that make it rip. I also switched to a 5/0 EWG Torkar MagWorm B.A.R.B. to pin the plastic more. Yes I do realize that will make the bait rip easier, but the bait fishes better and longer. Just use the Mend-it. Conclusion... I will keep these in the boat going forward and will try similar bait from other brands.
From: Major Smith: Oshkosh, WI 6/3/23
Comments: Odd shaped plastic that flat our catches them. Kind of a mix of power and finesse when rigged weightless - can easily flip into shallow bushes but has a slow horizontal fall. Great soft plastic!
From: Shane: 5/11/23
Comments: Impressed. These baits flat out catch fish and seemingly bigger bass than other finesse plastics. They do not hold up well, but they still are cost efficient because, fished weightless, they simply do not get hung up like other baits, so you only lose the plastic - not the terminal tackle like the others. I can walk these up rock ledges effortlessly where I would even fish with other weighted techniques. They sink, but slowly. You won't be able to cover water quickly, but they are super efficient at catching. Speed things up by Carolina rigging with 20lb mono leader.
From: Ron: Lakeway, TX 5/6/23
Comments: This thing is versatile and most def has a spot in pretty much anyone's arsenal. If you can get them, try them.
From: O'Billy Dudewright: 4/17/23
Comments: The bass absolutely hammer the yamatanuki. The only downside is you cannot catch but 2 or 3 fish before you have to get a new bait.
From: Hunter: 4/17/23
Comments: Holy cow I am amazed. I was skeptical when I first saw the bait, but after buying them and using them it changed my mind quickly. I rigged it weightless with at 5/0 EWG and it casts like a bullet and skips under docks super easy. This is now my new favorite bait. 5 star in my book.
From: JT: Joplin, MO 3/29/23