OSP Yamato Topwater Bait Product Review

Lure Review

OSPs Transformational Yamato Walking Bait (continued)

Ease of Actuation : But of course, any cigar-bait worth its weight is an easy bait to cast for distance. Where they prove their worth is in how easy they are to actually walk. This is where things get complicated with the Yamato. The two line ties at the front of the bait enable two different actions. If your goal is to fish this bait like a typical topwater walking bait, the lower line tie is what you want to use. Tied to this loop, the Yamato easily kicks from side to side and will even spit a little like a pencil popper. In fact, this bait is somewhat reminiscent of a pencil popper at times.

This bait really kicks side to side!

Switch things up and tie your line to the upper loop, and the Yamato goes subsurface darting from side to side at the twitch of your rod almost like a jerk bait. Fished in this manner, I was able to get the Yamato down to about a foot of water on ten pound nylon monofilament (Sunline Super Natural). It dances just under the surface when fished in this manner.

The hook ties are rotated ninety degrees for increased hook up ratios.

Position at Rest : The Yamato sits in a neutral position perfectly parallel with the surface of the water when at rest. This explains its ease of actuation when fishing it on top and perhaps how it so easily dives under the water when using the alternate line tie. Given the bait's overall weight, I actually expected to see the tail dip in the water when at rest, but that is not the case.

The bait's head features these flared cheekbones.

Design/Ergonomics: Back to the bait's design, while that clear plastic chin is somewhat reminiscent of Rick Grimes's ax sticking out of the head of a walker, its purpose on the Yamato is actually to help steer the bait like a rudder. The only real way to prove or disprove its effectiveness is to cut it off the bait, but really, there's nothing to gain from an investigation of this sort. It's not as if OSP claims this is the only way a walking bait should be designed.

In profile, the bait looks normal.

Another design feature of this bait we found intriguing was the positioning of the hook loops at the bottom of the bait. Instead of the loops oriented in line with the length of the bait, the Yamato's hook loops are rotated ninety degrees and run perpendicular to the bait's length. This feature is actually not all that uncommon on baits of this style as it affords the hooks a little better lateral movement for a higher percentage of hookups but also limits their front and back movement to help reduce the chances of fouling during the cast or while working the bait.

Another look at that clear plastic chin that resembles some kind of weapon impaled into the bait.

Price & Application: At a little over twenty two dollars ($22), OSP's Yamato is not a bait for the faint of wallet. It's priced like a JDM product but if you consider you're almost getting two baits in one, well, its price is not that out of line. Ever run into the situation where you have a lot of chases and lookers but no takers while you're working the bait on top? With the Yamato, you can retie the bait to have it work subsurface and get those topwater wary fish to actually strike!

Ratings:

OSP Yamato Ratings (?/10)
Construction/Quality	OSP makes some very fine products	9
Performance	Easy to cast and work	9
Price	Priced like a JDM product	6
Features	Two line ties for two different actions, sharp hooks, internal rattles	8
Design (Ergonomics)	As detailed a cigar bait you will find	8.5
Application	Good on top or just under the surface - very versatile bait	8.5
Total Score		8.17
Ratings Key: 1 = terrible : 2 = poor : 3 = lacking : 4 = sub par : 5 = mediocre : 6 = fair : 7 = good : 8 = great : 9 = excellent : 10 = unbelievable! For More Details of the updated rating system visit our explanation here

Pluses and Minuses:

Plus	Minus
+ Two baits in one	- Pricey bait
+ Extra weight means extra-castability	- The actions associated with the top or bottom line time are easily mixed up
+ Intriguing detailing around the bait's head
+ Easy to work

OSP's Yamato is an intriguing bait that takes time to truly understand but once you do, it can be deadly.

Conclusion: OSP's Yamato has been and under the radar, bottom of the tackle box product for us for quite some time. I just know striped bass will go nuts over this bait if we can just get to the right areas on the Delta at the right time of year. Unfortunately, that wait has been far too long, so instead I took this bait out the past year to test it out against some good ole bucket mouths and perform it did. I especially like the option to retie the bait and work it subsurface during those times the fish are just a tad bit wary of striking something right on top. Looking for a bait your fishing partner is not likely to have or understand? OSP's Yamato belongs near the top of that list.

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