Few soft plastics have caught more bass than the Yamamoto Senko and Shad Shape Worm, and for the first time ever, Yamamoto has produced exclusive colors of both, designed by tournament pro Matt Becker and sold only at FishUSA. One is a natural, flake-loaded drop shot color built for Great Lakes smallmouth bass; the other is a flashier take on the classic black and blue Senko for largemouth in stained water, around cover, and in low light.

Shop Becker's Yamamoto Baits & Drop Shot Gear

Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm Yamamoto Senko Worms Trokar Octopus Drop Shot Hooks Epic Tungsten Drop Shot Weights Seaguar Tatsu Fluorocarbon Seaguar Smackdown Braid

The First Exclusive Yamamoto Colors Ever Made

Yamamoto Baits is responsible for several soft plastic baits that will go down in history as some of the most effective ever made. You'd be hard pressed to find a bass angler who doesn't have a pack of Yamamoto Baits in their boat or tackle bag. That's why FishUSA is honored to be the FIRST to have exclusive color baits in the Yamamoto lineup.

FishUSA Pro Staffer and 2023 MLF Bass Pro Tour AOY Matt Becker designed two colors of Yamamoto Baits that have taken the bass fishing world by storm: one in the legendary Senko and another in Matt's personal favorite, the Shad Shape Worm. Let's dive into these baits and look at what makes each one unique.

"Becker's Magic Juice" Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm

The Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm is a legendary drop shot bait, and Matt Becker has quite a history with it and Great Lakes smallmouth bass. He has won multiple Lake Erie tournaments with this particular bait, a Toyota Series tournament on the 1000 Islands, and, most recently, Major League Fishing Stage Seven at Saginaw Bay. Who better to design a unique color of this bait?

Becker describes his custom creation as a combo of a few of his favorite colors. The bait is characterized by a dark Green Pumpkin back and a Natural Shad belly with black, silver, and gold flake mixed in. Smallmouth candy! Becker says this color "is super natural and imitates a bunch of different forages," and it was designed to excel in cloudy, rainy, and dark conditions.

Ironically, the most important day of Becker's career mirrored these EXACT conditions and took place on Saginaw Bay, one of the more challenging Great Lakes smallmouth playing fields. Matt used his FishUSA exclusive Shad Shape Worm color to put over 22 lbs of smallmouth in the boat on the final day. That not only won him the tournament, it gave him enough points to secure the title of Angler of the Year for the 2023 Bass Pro Tour season. Read the full story in Matt Becker Wins MLF Stage Seven and 2023 Bass Pro Tour AOY. Safe to say Becker trusted his color when it mattered most!

Close-up of Becker's Magic Juice Yamamoto Shad Shape Worms showing the green pumpkin back, natural shad belly, and black, silver, and gold flake
A close-up look at the "Becker's Magic Juice" Shad Shape Worms.

How To Rig the Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm

The Shad Shape Worm can be effective rigged a number of ways. It's deadly on a jighead as a Damiki rig, or on a ned head or shaky head dragged along the bottom. However, a drop shot is by far the most effective way to fish this bait.

As you can see in the photo below, the Shad Shape Worm is simply nose hooked on a size 4 Trokar Octopus Drop Shot Hook, similar to how you'd hook a live minnow. A 1/2 oz Epic Tungsten Drop Shot Weight is tied onto the line about a foot below the bait. 10 lb Seaguar Tatsu Fluorocarbon is tied to 15 lb Seaguar Smackdown Braid. This simple rig will put a lot of smallmouth in your boat! For rod, reel, and line recommendations to match, see our best drop shot setup for bass fishing.

Becker's Magic Juice Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm nose hooked on a drop shot rig, resting on Matt Becker's MLF Stage Seven trophy

Becker's Drop Shot Rig at a Glance

  • Hook: Size 4 Trokar Octopus Drop Shot Hook, nose hooked
  • Weight: 1/2 oz Epic Tungsten Drop Shot Weight, about 12 inches below the bait
  • Leader: 10 lb Seaguar Tatsu Fluorocarbon
  • Main line: 15 lb Seaguar Smackdown Braid
Gary Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm
Drop Shot Soft Plastic Gary Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm Becker's Magic Juice | Green Pumpkin Back, Natural Shad Belly | Black, Silver & Gold Flake
Shop Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm

Bait Specifications

  • "Becker's Magic Juice" pictured: dark Green Pumpkin back, Natural Shad belly, with black, silver, and gold flake
  • Ideal drop shot bait
  • Soft yet durable plastic construction
  • Natural baitfish presentation

"Becker's Black Magic" Yamamoto Senko

The Yamamoto Senko is arguably the most effective bass lure of all time. There's hardly a time or place the Senko can't get a bite, and Matt Becker found a way to make it even deadlier. Matt's FishUSA exclusive Senko is called "Becker's Black Magic," and one look at it tells you why.

"It's your classic black and blue flake standard fish catcher, but I added some silver flake in there so whenever this bait is falling or you're working it around, that silver flake flashes and it really triggers some bites," said Becker of his custom creation. Becker may not have won $200,000 with this one yet like he did with his Shad Shape Worm, but we have a good feeling it's only a matter of time. To see how Black Magic stacks up against other proven options, check out our best Senko colors for bass.

Gary Yamamoto Original Senko Worms
Stick Bait Gary Yamamoto Original Senko Worms Becker's Black Magic | Black & Blue Flake With Silver Flake | Salt Impregnated
Shop Yamamoto Senko Worms

Bait Specifications

  • "Becker's Black Magic" pictured: classic black and blue fish catcher with silver flake mixed in
  • One of the most proven fish catchers of all time
  • Ribbed worm body
  • Stuffed with salt
  • Extremely versatile

When to Throw Each Color

Both colors catch fish in a wide range of conditions, but each one has a sweet spot. Use this as a starting point for choosing between them.

Condition Becker's Magic Juice (Shad Shape Worm) Becker's Black Magic (Senko)
Water clarity Clear to lightly stained; natural baitfish look Stained to dirty; dark silhouette stands out
Light Cloudy, rainy, and dark days; the flake catches what light there is Low light and overcast; silver flake flashes on the fall
Species Smallmouth bass, especially on the Great Lakes Largemouth and smallmouth
Best presentation Drop shot, nose hooked Weightless, Texas rig, or wacky rig
Where it shines Open water rock, flats, and schools found on forward-facing sonar Shallow cover, docks, and grass

For a full breakdown of Senko colors by water clarity and season, including both Becker colors, see our guide to the best Senko colors for bass.

More To Come!

"Becker's Magic Juice" and "Becker's Black Magic" have been such a huge hit that we've asked Becker to design a few more colors for us. We think you're REALLY gonna like what's coming soon, so stay tuned...

In the meantime, if you're building out a finesse box for big smallmouth, check out our guide to Great Lakes finesse baits for trophy smallmouth bass and our roundup of the best drop shot baits.

FAQs About Matt Becker's Yamamoto Colors

Matt Becker designed two FishUSA exclusive Yamamoto colors: Becker's Magic Juice in the Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm and Becker's Black Magic in the Yamamoto Senko. They were the first exclusive colors Yamamoto ever made for a retailer, and they are only available at FishUSA.

Becker's Magic Juice has a dark green pumpkin back and a natural shad belly with black, silver, and gold flake mixed in. Becker designed it to look natural and imitate a range of forage, and it is especially strong in cloudy, rainy, and dark conditions.

Matt Becker used a Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm in his FishUSA exclusive Becker's Magic Juice color, fished on a drop shot, to catch over 22 pounds of smallmouth bass on the final day of MLF Bass Pro Tour Stage Seven at Saginaw Bay. The win also clinched the 2023 Bass Pro Tour Angler of the Year title.

Nose hook the Shad Shape Worm on a size 4 Trokar Octopus Drop Shot Hook, the same way you would lip hook a live minnow. Tie a 1/2 oz Epic Tungsten Drop Shot Weight about a foot below the bait. Matt Becker uses 10 lb Seaguar Tatsu Fluorocarbon as a leader tied to 15 lb Seaguar Smackdown Braid as his main line.

Becker's Black Magic is a classic black and blue flake Yamamoto Senko with silver flake added. The silver flake flashes as the bait falls or is worked, which Matt Becker says triggers extra bites compared to a standard black and blue Senko.

Becker's Magic Juice and Becker's Black Magic are FishUSA exclusives, so they are only sold at FishUSA.com. Choose the color from the Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm and Yamamoto Senko product pages.

Yes. The Yamamoto Shad Shape Worm also works on a jighead as a Damiki rig, or on a ned head or shaky head dragged along the bottom. Matt Becker considers the drop shot the most effective way to fish it, especially for Great Lakes smallmouth bass.

Final Thoughts

Becker's Magic Juice and Becker's Black Magic aren't just new paint jobs. They're colors a top-level pro designed around the conditions and forage he actually fishes, and the Magic Juice Shad Shape Worm has already proven itself on the biggest stage, winning MLF Stage Seven and a Bass Pro Tour AOY title. Rig the Shad Shape Worm on a drop shot for smallmouth, keep a pack of Black Magic Senkos ready for largemouth around cover, and you'll be fishing the same colors Becker trusts when it matters most.