A Brief Guide to JDM Bass Lure Brands

JDM (Japan Domestic Model) Lures are getting popular more and more.

This is an article for those who want an overview of Japanese lure brands who produce bass fishing lures.

(All in the alphabetical order)

Adusta

This brand produces lures for the monster fish all over the world. Located in Kobe, Hyogo. They are targeting to apply the technology of real hand-made lures into their lure products, to achieve the world’s top quality. The famous model is Silent Blaster.

Bassday

Located Toyokawa, Aichi, this company has produced a lot of bass fishing lures. Their developments are focusing on fishing performance. They consider their design ideas to come only from the actual fishing. Their minnow is called Mogulminnow.

Bait Breath

This company’s soft lures are produced by Mr. Morizo Shimizu, who is taking part in B.A.S.S. in the United States. His experience is reflected in the BYS series products. Located in Koshigaya, Saitama. Established in 1997.

Bottom Up

The president of this company, Mr. Kotaro Kawamura is one of the famous bass anglers in Japan. He became famous for bass fishing from the shore, and he is developing lures to catch bass from the shore. His main area of fishing is Lake Kasumigaura. This company was established in 2016, in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, while his activity as an angler had started much earlier.

Daiwa

There is not much to mention about this brand. As a total tackle manufacturer, Daiwa does not only have reels and rods but also has a lot of lure products for bass fishing. It is headquartered in Higashikurume, Tokyo, and there are sales offices worldwide. One of the well known bass lures is TD (Team Daiwa) Vibration.

DEPS

Located in Kyoto, which is not so far from the lake Biwa, it has developed their lures since 1996. Mr. Kazumasa Okumura, CEO of the company, is one of the best anglers in Japan. His fishing style is to target big fish and his lure design is driven by his motivation, the big bass. The famous lure is the big bait lure, such as Silent Killer. Many of Deps lures are suitable for reservoirs and the lake Biwa. 

DRT

This relatively new brand is focusing on products for bass fishing, and is not only boasting its big bait lures, but also dedicates itself to rod developments. Many of the rods are so popular that it is not easy to get. For many Japanese anglers who target the big bass, tackles of DRT are unmissable. Located in Otsu, Shiga, near the lake Biwa. Founded in 2007.

DUO International (English page available)

“Crafted, the Artisan Way” is the concept of their lures. They are proud of their quality of lures, “Nippon Quality” that is achieved by their total control of design and manufacturing processes. It was established in 1995, and it is currently located in Yaizu, Shizuoka, 

Engine

The brand name stands for the target of the company, to produce products which are to derive anglers. It offers lures, rods, apparels etc. Located in Koto-ku, Tokyo. Established as a spin-off of one wholesaler company, Tsunemi.

Evergreen

Established in 1988 in Nishi-ku, Osaka, it is one of the oldest lure fishing brands in Japan. It is well known for the rod “Combatstick,” introduced in Japan in 1990. It has been launching bass fishing lures since its beginning. The well known lures are Inspire Custom Lures, designed by Mr. Katsutaka Imae, and MoDo designed by Mr. Morizo Shimizu. Its products are evaluated as the lures to win, developed by the tournament anglers.

Gan Craft (English page available)

This brand became well known by the joint swim bait, Jointed Claw 178. The company was founded in 2004, and is located in Tanabe, Wakayama. Starting from bass fishing lures, it has its own rods and reels. The Jointed Claw was designed by the president of this company, Mr. Takanori Hiraiwa. Many of his bass fishing lures have been inspired by Ayu sweetfish which is famous in the area where the company is located.

Geecrack

After it was established in 2014, it has launched a lot of products with unique designs and products for achieving better results. Located in Gifu, it earned a good reputation in the Tokai and Kansai region (the areas in western Japan), at its first products. And now its products are spreading nationwide. 

Hardcore / Duel / Yo-zuri (English page available)

Duel, the company located in Fukuoka, Kyushu, holds its house brands, Duel, Hardcore and Yo-zuri. It started operation in 1967 to produce lure products in Kyushu. In 1997, the company changed its name from Yo-zuri to Duel. Their bass fishing lures are under the Yo-zuri and Hardcore brands. Boasting all of their products are made in their own facilities, we can see their lures carrying the Japanese quality.

Issei

One of the top bass pros in Japan, Mr. Haruhiko Murakami, is developing the lures of this brand. He is well known for his attitude to enjoy fully in the accessible places, such as small ponds or rivers, approaching target bass from the shore. For this, the products of this brand are must see items for those who enjoy bass fishing in shallower waters or from shores. Located in Otsu, Shiga, near the lake Biwa. The brand, Issei, was established in 2013 by Mr. Murakami after his long years of involvement with Tsunekichi.

Jackall

Substantially, as one of the top bass lure brands in Japan, Jackall had been in the Japanese market since 1999. It was established by Mr. Seiji Kato, who is said to be the genius of lure design. (The is an English interview article on this bassfan.com page.) Currently the company is led by Mr. Toshiro Ono. Both were the top competitors in bass fishing tournaments in Japan. This tradition of activities in tournaments is reflected in the lure developments. Located in Otsu, Shiga.

Keitech (English page available)

Some of you may wonder why this brand is in this list. Though most tournament lure pro shops have Keitech, you cannot miss that this brand is from Japan. It is located by Kawaguchiko Lake, Yamanashi. This lake is one of the most active bass fishing lakes in Japan. Taking advantage of this location, active research and development of their lures is done by Mr.Hisashi Maji, designer and tournament angler. In addition to the current chief of the brand, we must not forget the founder of this company, Mr. Keiichi Hayashi. He was a pioneer of bass fishing in Japan and known as a legendary tournament angler and a superb inventor. He was the first person who launched the squid flavored soft lure in the market.

Lucky Craft (English page available)

Originating the lure manufacturer, after the brand was launched, it brushed up the performance with the lure designer Mr. Seiji Kato, who was to start his own company Jackall later. After it gained enough reputation in the Japanese market, this company established the Lucky Craft U.S.A. in the middle of 1990’s. One of the significant figures in relation to this brand is Mr. Takahiro Omori. Along with the wins of Mr. Omori and other tournament anglers, this relationship had brought a good position in the US market. The Japanese headquarters is located in Otsu, Shiga.

Megabass (English page available)

Known for its unique and advanced product designs, Megabass has been a shining star in the history of bass fishing in Japan. The company was established in 1989, in Hamakita, Shizuoka. Since then, it has released a lot of famous lures, Griffon, Dog-X, V-Flat, Oneten, Pop-X etc. In 1993, it started operations in the US, founding Megabass USA. Their lure were not only designed by the founder of the brand, Mr. Yuki Ito (you can find tackletour.com’s interview article here.), but also brushed up by many top tournament anglers, such as Mr. Shinichi Fukae and Mr. Tsuguhiko Omori. Its designs have received the Good Design Award, organized by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion.

Nishine Lure Works (English page available)

While this company is located in Ontario, Canada, the core of the brand is from Japan. The founder and the lure designer, Mr. Hiroshi Nishine, is enthusiastically producing lures in Canada, after he had spent 21 years designing lures in Japan. The design concept is “Voice from the Water,” pursuing the best design solution in the water and making the shapes based on the practical performance. Mr. Nishine is trying to provide the lures, which allow users to go back to their house smiling.

Nories

Mr. Norio Tanabe is the representative angler in this brand. He is the first non-US angler who won the B.A.S.S. Kentucky Invitational in 1993. Also, he had plenty of winning streaks in 1990’s and on. In 1995, he established the brand by collaborating with Marukyu (the powder bait company). His experience has been put into the products of this brand, as he continues his competitive path in the US and in Japan. Company is located in Okegawa, Saitama.

O.S.P. (English page available)

O.S.P. (Osprey Spiritual Performer) was founded by Mr. Toshinari Namiki (link to his own page, in Japanese), in 2000. He is one of the most famous Japanese anglers, globally. Since he started to join the first Japanese bass pro tournament, in 1991, he had kept sharpening his competitive edge and he sat down in his throne of champions many times. Then he took part in B.A.S.S. from 1995. Then he became the first foreigner to join the BassMaster Classic in 1996. Since then, he nurtured his position as Namiki as a globally famous angler with multiple global activities with his O.S.P. brand. His lures are developed to serve anglers for 10 years, employing Namiki’s and team angler’s creativities. Located in Hachioji, Tokyo.

Raid (English page available)

This brand is known as a producer of many bass fishing lures with unique ideas. It is established by a tournament angler, Mr. Takashi Kanamori, in 2011. While he is listed as a bass pro, much of his activity is around shore fishing. This adds the characteristics into his products targeting bass fishing from the shore, as well as from the boat. Located in Okayama city.

Shimano (Link to the bass lure page)

Shimano is widely known as reel and rod brands, but it has a lot of lure products in Japan. Backed up by the long experience of manufacturing, from its establishment in 1921, it excels in the market by strong marketing and innovative power. Despite its long history, it has a lot of new technologies, such as a weight oscillation system for longer casting and flash boost to emit the special reflection of light in the lure. Located in Sakai, Osaka.

Smith 

It is a company established in 1971, in Setagaya, Tokyo, and known as one of the pioneering companies in the Japanese bass fishing scene. It targets not only bass fishing but also other species such as trout, catfish etc. The concept of development is to produce practical and performing lures, and to bring enjoyment in your fishing.  It is distributing American brands, Pradco, Gary Yamamoto and so on.

Valleyhill

While having a wide variety of lure related products, bass fishing products are receiving a good reputation as they are easy to use and earning good results. It was established in 1990, with the concept to develop tackles which you want to bring to fishing trips and which allow you to do your ideal fishing. Though there are no outstanding figures to boast around this brand, the developers’ enjoyment to produce lures are reflected onto their products. Located in Nishinomiya, Hyogo.

Whiplash Factory

Led by an enthusiastic angler and an designer, Mr. Kunitsugu Niinomi, this brand gained a lot of reputation for snakehead related tackles. But now it has expanded lure products to more versatile usage, including bass fishing. Notable point is that each lure is carefully designed to achieve the ideal actions, with the finishing details of fine Japanese quality. Lures are collaboratively developed with Valleyhill.

Have you found something new in this article? Every brand has its own stories, and a lot to tell! If you want to know more about specific brands, please let me know. I will introduce it in a separate article in the future.