From Passionable Fishing, our Japanese-language journal.

At both of these fishing spots, I use Grandmax for the leader.

At each spot, I change the leader size to suit the hook and soft lure. These have been my standard combinations:

Small hooks and slim lures

With a small Split Shotter #8 hook and a slim soft lure, I use No. 1 leader at Haiya Bridge and No. 0.8 at the other spot.

Larger hooks and thicker lures

With the larger Split Shotter #6 and a thicker soft lure, I use No. 1.2 leader at Haiya Bridge and No. 1 at the other spot.

Leader numbers are Japanese line sizes (gō), not breaking strains in pounds. The hook numbers refer to the separate hook-size system.

When the fish become wary

The reasons for those choices are the distance between me and the fish, and the brightness of the lights.

At Haiya Bridge, I seldom feel that the fish have become wary of the tackle, so I use a thicker leader.

Things vary much more at the other spot. Once the fish wise up, the number of bites suddenly drops. At their wariest, I can only catch them with a small hook and a small lure—Momoaji.

This year, I intend to go thinner still, to No. 0.6, as a response to that situation.

Now I almost look forward to the fish getting wary. That is the little experiment I have in mind.

Hmm… something to look forward to!

The lures and rods

The lures behind the spool in the photograph are Aji Adder Pro on the left and Aji Caro Swamp in Okiami, a krill colour, on the right.

Both swim extremely well. I particularly like the swimming action of the one on the right.

Fisit Nude also swims well, although its durability leaves me wanting more. Brilliant is not as strong on swimming action, so I work it with rod movements.

If I had to name something that catches well across different situations, perhaps it would be the Okiami range of Aji Caro Swamp.

At Haiya Bridge, I use longer rods—the HSR-73 and 82F—because I cast a Carolina-style rig a long way.

At the other spot, long casts are unnecessary and windy days are common. There I use rods of standard to shorter length: the Advancement 610 and 65TZ.

I am interested in other rods, too…

Later update: Since writing this, I have acquired quite a few high-end rods.

For a later inventory, see my 2021 ajing tackle list and subsequent notes.

Originally published on our Japanese-language site, Passionable Fishing, on 28 Jun 2020. Translated for Avantgarde Fishing. These are the author’s personal observations at the time of writing. Product availability and fishing conditions may have changed.
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