Trolling

We are continuing to build on our strengths by expanding styles, sizes and color line-ups in our best-selling series:  Mag Series, Hydro Series, 3D Inshore Series. 

Mag Pencil – 8 inch, 3-1/3 oz, $24.99 MSRP

A larger pencil was a missing part of our arsenal, especially for the Northeast Striped Bass market. The problem with current “Doc” style topwaters on the market is casting ability. They throw like a potato chip, especially in windy conditions.  The Mag Pencil features a sled weight transfer which creates tail first, long and accurate casts, even into a head wind.  



This casting system allows you to cover more water and makes it a great plug for long distance fisheries: Surf, Jetty, Pier. 
The Mag Pencil sits with a horizontal posture and features a wide walking action, that can be made with a tip up or tip down motion.  Extremely easy to walk for its size, making it easier on the angler to fish all day.  The single knock cadence rattle gives it a deep thud with each side to side movement.
Another key advantage to the Mag Pencil is the hardware. It comes out of the box, with triple strength treble hooks, 400lb split rings and through wire construction.  Unlike other brands on the market, there is no need to change out the terminal tackle for any inshore or offshore species.

  

Our top focus when developing the Mag Pencil was getting it right for the Striped Bass market.  We tested this product at several of the key fisheries including Raritan Bay, Block Island, Chesapeake Bay and the Cape Cod Canal over the last 18 months.  It showed the ability to excel in a wide range of situations – working structure like rock jetties/islands, pulling fish up off rock piles, casting to breaking fish, working the edges of bunker pods.  It walks extremely well at a slow speed, with a wide gliding action that Stripers can’t resist.



Pencils aren’t normally thought of when casting lures at Tuna but the Mag Pencil has proven to be deadly on both Yellowfin and Bluefin.  The magnetic weight transfer system allows you to be able to make the long, accurate casts needed when casting to foamers or working pods of porpoise.  The through wire construction  and heavy duty terminal can handle Tuna up to 73” with no problem.  The Mag Pencil has a wide speed range and performs well when walked very quickly, which has made it effective for Tuna chasing flyers, mackerel and sand eels.



Another group of fish that love the Mag Pencil are Trevallies.  Whether your chasing GT’s, Jack Crevalle or Roosterfish, this bait has the distance, action and terminal to put them on the deck.  It has the action range, where you can burn it to fire up the school and still have strong action when slowed down near the boat. 
This bait comes in 10 colors, with painted, pearl and metallic scaled patterns featured:  Bone, Bone Chartreuse, Black Back, Bronze Shiner, Pearl, Pearl Bunker, Pearl Candy, Pearl Red Head, Wacky Mack, Yellow

Mag Popper - 4 inch (100mm), 1oz, $14.99

Yo-Zuri is introducing a new compact size Mag Popper to go with current 5-1/4” & 6-1/4” sizes.  This new bite size Mag Popper features the patented magnetic sled weight transfer system for long, pinpoint casts, even into a head wind.




Other features include through wire construction, triple strength saltwater trebles and split rings and a deep cupped mouth to catch and push water. An obvious lure for chasing Jacks of all kinds, its also a great for smaller Tuna like Blackfin and Bonita, back bay and surf Striped Bass, Bluefish and bull Reds.  



Available in 11 colors, same color chart for all sizes.

Hydro Monster – 2-5/8” (65mm), 7/8oz (25g)

A new smaller size of the popular Hydro Monster Shot has been added to the line-up. This versatile bait can be fished several different ways: skipped on the surface, swam subsurface or vertical jigged. It’s the only hard bait on the market that can be used for targetting fish from the surface to the bottom, covering the entire water column. The “dying baitfish” side to side wobble on the fall triggers bites on the sink as it falls below bait schools. This new size comes with a single inline hook for easier releases and less danger to anglers. The inside of the body is solid lead, making this lure cast extremely well from the boat or shore.  Through wire construction ensures it can be used for big game targets that are feeding on small bait.





This lure is particularly deadly on Mackerel and small Tuna species. When chasing Spanish Mackerel, you can burn it for active feeding fish or fish it vertically along the bottom when they are spooky and hugging the bottom. 



Whether you call them Bonita, Little Tunny or Fall Albacore, chasing these small Tuna’s is becoming more popular worldwide.  Whether for sport or for bait, Bonita provide blistering runs and a great sport on light tackle. They can however, be extremely frustrating with how fast they move and how finicky they can become when keyed in on small bait. The new size Monster Shot is a small enough profile to mirror glass minnows, anchovies, spearing and other small prey, while providing the weight and casting distance needed to reach breaking fish. 



Available in all 11 colors in the series, including the new Silhouette Black pattern.

3D Inshore – 15 New Color Patterns

We are adding 15 new colors to the entire line-up of the massively successful 3D Inshore Series.  In addition, we are filling in the gaps, where some colors (ex. Bone) were previously only available in select styles and sizes, they are now available across entire series. There is something new for every saltwater fishery from the Gulf coast to the Northeast. These new colors are a combination of pearl, 3D and painted patterns. Check out all the new patterns and start catching more fish this fall.

3D Offshore Series – New color patterns

Yo-Zuri is adding multiple highly requested colors to the 3D Diver, 3D Magnum Sinking, 3D Magnum Deep Diver and 3D Squirt series. A series designed for nearshore and offshore trolling, all the new color patterns are 3D patterns that broadcast light in all directions. The series features through wire construction, triple strength saltwater grade hooks and split rings and true running action straight out of the box. Check out the new colors and see how they fit in your trolling spread this summer.







 

Rod: Cousins casting rod (SSW 79M-T) 7’9, 12-20 lb, extra fast tip; and Lamiglas Mark Wilson Striper Trolling rod (XCC 795) 7’9, 12-25 lb.

Reel: Diawa reel with a line counter when fishing with multiple people this helps coordinate each others distances behind the boat.

Fishing Line and Hardware: Yo-Zuri TopKnot Mainline fluorocarbon in 20lb test with a Owner 79 lb Hyper Crosslock Snap (a snap-swivel will rob the lure of its action)

Lures: Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnow 5 1/4″ in bone white, pink, chartreuse, blue, and others. This lure has a very tight fast wiggle and dives a few feet deeper than the Yo-Zuri Hydro Minnow LC. The Hydro LC is just as effective as the Crystal Minnow, however I use the Hydro LC when trolling in shallower water because it dives from 3-6 feet deep depending on how far behind the boat you are trolling it (130 ft versus 200 ft.) The Hydro LC also has a larger profile than the Crystal Minnow; I like to downsize the lure when the bite is tough. In the Crystal Minnow I prefer the colors: Bone, Florescent Pink, and Chartreuse. The Hydro Minnow LC I always have the best luck on Bone or Purple Black.

Fishing Technique/Application: Water in the river ranges from 48 degrees (winter/early spring) to 62 degrees (summer/fall, or further downriver). When I am fishing all of the above listed lures, I am trolling them upriver or downriver at speeds ranging from 2.5-3.5 mph, with my lure approximately 120-200 ft behind the boat depending on the depth of the hole I am trolling. Depending on what depth in the water column I am trying to fish, I will let out less line (i.e. 120 feet) to achieve a shallower depth, and more line (i.e. 200 feet) to achieve a deeper depth. Remember, you can also fish shallower or deeper in the water column by changing from the Crystal Minnow to the Hydro Minnow to the LC Minnow.

Another cool tip to note; to trigger reaction bites is to make the lures swim up or down in the water column by increasing or decreasing your troll speed. When using any floating lure, you can get it to swim down (or dive) by increasing your speed, and also get it to swim up by slowing down your troll speed. Sometimes doing this or trolling in a Z-pattern can trigger bites!!!

Matt George, one of the craziest but respected personalities to the Yo-Zuri family. Matt grew up in the northeast US, but has called Florida home for several years now. When not traveling for business all over the world, he spends his down time wisely fishing inshore and offshore.
“To me, I don’t care what I am catching as long as I am on the water. But lately the offshore bite has been really picking up. Following a strong pattern lately is turning into more success on the water. Let the birds help you find the bait, let the bait be your GPS, and bring on the exhilarating fight that lies before you.”

Recently, Matt is spending more time chasing the offshore bite as it is picking up. As winter is coming to a close in south Florida, the bait abundance is increasing and so is the bite.
“Right now I am hitting the water as early as possible and making a 8-12 mile run out. The key depth is anywhere between 100-200 feet. That may seem like a lot, but in your search for lurking Mahi it is easy to eliminate water quickly. Once you find that sweet spot, it is all easy pickings at that point.”

To duplicate what Matt is doing, you have to find the water that will most likely have bait, again Mahi have huge appetites and are predators. Once you find the bait you can find the fish. Along with the right amount of depth, Matt suggests looking for the temperature changes. This little subtlety could be key, but also the any irregularities in the water. Weed lines, cleaner water, dirties water, whatever may appear different out in the ocean could be the ticket. From there just find the bait which is usually accompanied by diving birds.
“The added bonus right now is on top of the Mahi I am catching, I am also finding a mix of Sailfish, again one of favorite species to target. Recent trips I am averaging 3-4 keeper Mahi and about the same number of sails. The days out there have been really fortunate and exciting!”

Matt is using a 2-way approach to targeting his catch. The traditional trolling method and topwater have paid off the best. For the trolling methods, he is rigging live bait on 30lb Yo-Zuri Blue SuperBraid with 30lb TopKnot Fluorocarbon Leader. The topwater he has been using is the Yo-Zuri Hydro Popper on a spinning outfit with the same line and leader. For the popper, Matt emphasizes to always use a loop knot when adjoining your leader to a topwater bait. This always creates the best action on the water.