The newer YM's don't seem to be as good as the one's made in the past 10/15 years or so. The rattle is a bit different but would that really make that much of a difference? I stripped two of them down today to add my own custom paint job. The older YM is clear plastic and the newer one is a yellowish/bone color plastic. For those of you that use them, do you notice a difference between the new and the old when it comes to the bite?

If its this color yellowish/bone color, no need to paint!

Yes, I do, but VERY SELDOM do I throw the Newer baits. MOST of the time I am throwing the discontinued 3/8w YM Plus 1 bait that makes a WORLD of difference. They discontinued this item about 12 to 15 years ago and it is CATCHer of all bass. They run about $17 to $20 on eBay and are well worth the money. I have over 20 of them and they just flat catch fish when the 1/4 and 1/2 oz. won't. BEST TOPWATER bait I own, Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck. OH, PAINT on the older owns last better than the paint on the newer ones. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains

PS, forgot to say, I have been throwing them since 2000

TR

I have two of the YM Plus 1's I bought years ago and haven't thrown either one. What color(s) do you throw? I throw a 1/2w Alewife I purchased 5/6 years ago and it is a killer! I have two (Alewife) that I have worn the paint off of and they are two of three I'm repainting. The 3'rd is a newer one and it won't catch a tree if you threw it in the middle of it. I guess I should tie a Plus 1 on and see what happens.

Thanks TR

I wouldn't touch the paint. One of my best crankbaits has 90% of the paint knocked off and still wears then out. I've bought countless baits the exact same model and color and they don't catch nearly as much.

not sure on the type of hard plastic used on YM's but I do know that when Bandit sold out they switched to an overseas plastic much thinner, more fragile and cheaper.

The plastics are different and so it the rattle.

sounds alike

Topwaater2,

I buy the colors that I can, mostly some type of white or baby bass or alewife. I even have a few red white and blues that I need to get to the painter and let him put the baby bass model on them. Get a customized painter and tell him what you want and you should be able to rack them up on them, If you want the name of a GREAT painter, I will get my friend that paints all of his baits for him, I can get the name and number if you want.. I have had more GREAT LUCK in the baby bass is but each his own, The alewife has been a good color as well, but I have caught more big fish off the baby bass. Hope this helps. Tight lines, keep safe and good luck.

Thad Rains