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YUM Samurai Shad Deadly For Redfish, Speckled Trout

Fishing Gear

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Professional guide and tournament fisherman Andy Mnichowski of Marrero, La., is having a hard time keeping it to himself - the YUM Samurai Shad is the hottest bait in his boat. "There's nothing like it for redfish," Mnichowski said. "This bait is huge down here." With 2nd-place finishes in both the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Cup and IFA Redfish Tour Championship, Mnichowski knows how important a realistic bait can be to an angler's success.

"The main species I target with the YUM Samurai Shad are redfish and speckled trout," Mnichowski said. "I like the bait because it's the size of a small fingerling - maybe a mullet - and of course the scent. The scent makes all the difference in the world."

The Live Prey Technology (LPT) behind YUM simulates the release of live baitfish enzymes, which trigger feeding habits of fish. University research studies show that injured or distressed baitfish give off recognizable enzymes that trigger the feeding habits of predator gamefish.

Mnichowski says the design of the Samurai Shad is what really made him a believer in the bait.

The four-inch Samurai Shad features unbelievable detail with textured body graphics, gill plates and eye sockets. This realistic design, along with the latest color combinations, makes the Samurai Shad the hottest saltwater bait available.

"The big paddle tail it has puts out just a whole lot of vibration," Mnichowski said. "Probably 50 percent of the time we're doing a steady retrieve in and that tail just vibrates. Then we jig it on the bottom and that's where the scent really comes in - when you're working the bait a lot slower.

"I use the Samurai Shad in 10 to 12 feet of water on the bottom, or I'll use it in one foot of water because it's just that versatile of a bait," Mnichowski said.

Just as versatile as the action of the Samurai Shad is the color selection. The Samurai Shad is available in 19 colors, including eight new colors for 2005.

"My favorite color is Black Chartreuse," Mnichowski said. "I use it 90 percent of the year. It's a great clean water and dirty water bait, so you don't have to keep switching baits.

"Now in really clean water, I like to use the Avocado Red Flake Chartreuse and the Strawberry White with that white tail," Mnichowski continued. "Those two colors are mainly a fall color for us."

For more information on the YUM Samurai Shad, go to www.lurenet.com.