One of the most reliable styles of pond fishing bait is the stick bait. However, there are lots of variations of this bait. It can be tough to know what the right choice is. The Yamamoto Senko is the most popular option, albeit the best in most cases. But today, we’ll be talking about a sleeper pick in the stick bait category: the YUM Dinger.

As far as stick baits go, I prefer this one to the more popular Senko. The Senko has a better sinking action and will catch more fish, but the Dinger is far cheaper, lasts longer, and sinks slower which can be preferable for ponds. Today I’ll be giving my honest review. Let’s dive in.

Description and Price

A stick bait is a soft plastic worm: but it’s not like other worms. This one is shaped like its name: a straight, featureless rod. But in the water, when rigged correctly, the sinking, wiggling action mimics a dying baitfish. Because of its subtle yet realistic action, it is one of the best baits for triggering a reactionary strike in bass. It is perhaps the most reliable fishing lures I throw. When the fishing is tough, I tie on a stick bait.

The YUM Dinger is unique in that it is made with a stiffer plastic than other stick baits on the market. This causes it to fall slower and with an even more subtle action. While the stiffer action may cause less bites amongst finnicky fish, it makes no noticeable difference when fish are active.

One of the most attractive factors about these baits is how cheap they are: you can find a pack of 30 worms for just about $11 dollars, and a standard pack costs around 4$. This is phenomenal  considering each worm lasts about 5 fish: you can catch over 100 fish for under 15 dollars. Senkos, on the other hand, cost about 7 dollars for a standard pack: and last half as long.

Strike Factor

The Yum Dinger has one job, and it does it well. This bait shines when targeting strike zones. The way you should be fishing it leaves it sinking in the water column for a good couple of seconds, giving any fish time to approach it, observe it, and commit to the bite. With a good well-placed cast, you are almost guaranteed to pull any fish out of their haunt.

On top of this, when rigged Texas style the Dinger is completely weedless. That means you can make risky casts without worrying about getting hung up. And what’s more, it is a decent bait for skipping. Don’t be afraid to throw this thing into trees, log pilings, grass and wherever else a fish may be hiding.

Gear and Technique Recommendations

The most important part of fishing with the Dinger is your line choice. Detecting bites with this bait can sometimes be challenging, and missing fish can be common if you aren’t using this trick. My #1 recommendation is to fish with BRAID. Between 8-20 pound braid is preferable: I typically lean heavier so I can fish with less fear of breaking off, but if you’re in a clearer pond or deal with line-scared fish size down.

Braid is important because it floats and doesn’t coil like flourocarbon. When fishing the Dinger, let it sink, then pop it a few times and let it sink again. Most of the time, the fish will strike on the first cast if placed correctly. While the bait is sinking, pay close attention to your line on the surface. It should be moving slowly. If you see it suddenly jump and start running, wait for a second and set the hook. You have a fish. When the line stops falling, you’ve hit bottom. Pop it up and let it sink again.

Fishing the Dinger is all about targeting a specific area you think a fish is located and putting the bait right in front of them. This can mean grass edges, under trees, on top of a log piling or off a point. It is NOT meant for covering water: in fact, most times if you don’t get hit after the initial sink or two, it’s probably best to bring it all the way back and cast again.

As far as gear goes, a 7’0” medium heavy or medium combo will do the trick. It can be a spinning combo or a baitcasting combo. This bait isn’t too specific about the type of gear you’re throwing it on, so don’t worry about the specifics.

Final ratings

The Dinger is my first choice when I pick up a stick bait, and stick baits are in my opinion the absolute best bait for catching bass in ponds. They may not be the most fun, but they are the most flexible, the most reliable and the easiest to fish. When the going gets tough, I tie on a Dinger and find success.

It is fishable in almost all seasons, all conditions, and will get you success on a bad day. The only setback this bait has is high wind, which can make it difficult to cast and detect bites, but other than that there’s just something magical about the little wobble as it falls that drives fish wild. It’s cheap, it’s weedless, and it’s a fish catching machine. For that reason, I rate this bait a solid 10/10 for pond fishermen. It was my first ever bait, and I truly believe you will catch a pond bass if you tie this bait on.

For more lure reviews just like this, check out the Lure Reviews category of the blog. I hope this review answered any questions you had or helped you in some way! Happy fishing!