Japan’s Hottest New Soft Plastic Bass Lure
Two of the most popular soft plastic baits in recent memories are the Senko, which looks like a Bic Pen, and the TRD, which looks and sounds like, well….spell it out. Now our friends in Japan have taken the craziness one step further with a lure that’s harder to get than some of the most desired swimbaits: The Deps Cover Scat.
Does “Scat” refer to what you say to a pet who’s crowding the dinner table?
Does it refer to the song stylings of Ella Fitzgerald?
No, in this case it refers to poop. Indeed, there is competing lure on the market from Fish Arrow which makes that clear. It’s called “Heavy Poop” and is now available in the US after a long wait. I first learned of this style of plastic through a video from The Hook Up Tackle in Arizona and later managed to obtain a single pack of the 2.5-inch version from them at list price (currently approximately $10-12). They were sold out of the larger 3.5-inch and 4-inch sizes. It’s heavier and denser than most comparable plastics, but beyond that I couldn’t learn much about the technique. From several YouTube videos in a variety of languages, I learned that it’s mean to fall horizontally when Texas rigged.
In order to learn more about them while waiting for a greater supply in the U.S., I decided to reach out to my longtime friend Matt Paino of Optimum Swimbaits, who also happens to be the U.S. importer of Deps products. Matt has been integral in bringing a number of key Japanese brands (DEPS, Ima, and others) techniques (like jighead wacky) and lures to American anglers and he’s always on top of the latest trends at the intersection of bass fishing in Japan and he United States. He spent a number of years living in Japan, so he’s also fluent in the language. I sent a list of questions, he sent them back to the Deps crew in Japan, and here are their translated answers about the Cover Scat:
How, when and where did this technique get started?
This technique started with professional guides on Lake Biwa -- specifically with TAKERU TOMIMOTO, the person who really helped start and push the technique used with the Scats. We started selling the 3.5” in August 2018. [Editor’s Note: Check out his Submarine Guide Service if you’re interested in fishing Biwa]
Was the original intention to look like “scat” or was that a later realization? This bait was designed with a horizontal fall in mind, but when it was completed, it looked like "SCAT", so Okumura-san named it so.
How do you fish it?
It’s primarily used for creeping or dragging along the bottom, with periods of long stays. After a few soft jerks with an upwards motion of the arm, make a long stay and then wind up the slack line. You don't want move it too much at one time.
How does it differ from a Senko or Ned Rig?
I can't say for sure but Scats have a higher specific density than those types of soft plastics. Also, the posture is capable of keeping a horizontal balance and remains near the bottom easily.
What makes it so effective?
The way it moves back and forth almost like walking the dog near the bottom of the ground structure. Bass have never seen this action before, the movement that is like frog fishing on the bottom.
Do you recommend specific brand/size hooks?
They usually use a 4/0 or 5/0 narrow gap hook on the 3.5” Scat. See our product page for other sizes.
What is the scent?
It’s the flavor of crustaceans.
Has it been responsible for any big tournament wins or giant fish in Japan?
Someone is always using it at the Lake Biwa tournaments and is always in the pattern of the top three finishers. The Cover Scat is the number one used soft plastic worm right now and we are always hearing about big fish being caught on it from Lake Biwa.
Are any U.S. pros (or Japanese pros fishing in the U.S.) having success with it?
Yes we have heard some anglers use the Scat as their secret lure. I can’t really say who here, because It will not be a secret any longer if I did.
We’ve seen them going for exorbitant sums on eBay and they sell out from retailers as soon as they get in stock. Why the limited quantities and when might that change?
Production and shipment volume is increasing monthly. I think it’s going to be better soon cause some copy products have come out.
Any plans for new sizes or additional colors?
We don’t have those plans right now. We have the 2.5”, 3” and 4” right now, but we’re always watching the market.
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It’s up to you whether you’ll want to pay eBay prices to get in on the action. As noted above, I got a single pack of the smallest size from The Hook Up a while back. More recently, I purchased some 3.5” Cover Scats from Three Rivers Tackle in Washington. Owner Shannon Johnston limited purchases to two packs per person, and required phone-in orders to prevent people from hoarding and/or flipping them, which was much appreciated. It appears that Tackle Warehouse now has them in regularly.
As noted above, if you’d like to try a similar bait, there’s also the descriptively-named Fish Arrow “Heavy Poop.” [August 2022 Update: TW now has two different sizes of the Fish Arrow product in quite an array of colors.]
I don’t believe in magic baits but I do believe in specialized tools. I find it hard to believe that any soft plastic will ever produce more fish for me than a Senko has, but I’m willing to be proven wrong.
[March 2023 Update: At this year’s Bassmaster Classic, Yamamoto introduced the Yamatanuki to the American market. It’s their version of this style, weighing 5/8 of an ounce, and already very popular in Japan — check out the pic, immediately below)
Deps has substantially updated their Cover Scat color selection since this article initially ran — Check out some of the more offbeat offerings.
In 2024, they also introduced the Slender Scat.
Here’s a great video from Lake Biwa showing the Cover Scat in action (sorry I can’t help with the translations):
And to see how the lure works in rock cover, go to the 3:50 mark on this video:
