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Nah....it will be a pike first! LOL 😆

There's 2 different lines. The "Fine" version up to 1/4oz and the "regular" version 3/8 th + The "Fine" version has a slightly smaller profile and blade vs the regular. I like the 1/4oz, personally.

Japan. Perhaps eBay. I have seen them in the US though...don't recall where.

Let your JDM obsessed friend help! There's a few different kind of these and with the ceramic insert, the weight slides fast! This is the open clip style..so you can use any weight. These are very tiny BTW.

Apparently that means nothing at TW. I bought some "hot" items in stock. Paid for them, got a receipt. Then 2 days later got an email saying they couldn't fulfill my order and would be refunding me. I have little doubt they took my order to fulfill the order/backorder of a bigger/better customer who was too slow on the limited stock.

I had done something similar for Japanese bait colours at one time. Much of the time the colors are just numbers (#45) or names that are meaningless (Kawasemi Impact). And some of the JDM sites I frequented didn't have images...so you HAD to know exactly what number/name was what color. So I had a cheat sheet.

I won't comment on hard baits since the sky's the limit on pricing. But for a plastic bait? Probably the Coike Shrimp. They were about $5 each (pack of 4) when they first came out. An individual Coike 17 or 13 is about $20 ea. At the time, these were new so nothing was "better" per se. They were unique to the market. The same could be said when the original dice came out as well

They also remind me of thread guides from a sewing machine...

At first blush I thought they were Ryugi Glide Hanger...but there's too many loops.

I've added a split ring and also fished it using a snap. I haven't been able to really tell a difference, personally.

I've done the hard work for you! I weighed the hooks for my Karashi to maintain the same sink rate. As pointed out, #10 size. I'm using the ST26. The ST36 is a heavier wire. I've also made my own tail hooks. Top 3 Karashi are my tails (red thread), bottom one OEM.

This is a good observation and a great point. Due to the tail-up posture, sometimes the bass don't get the hook..just the tail. You'll feel the tug, miss the fish, and say "How did I miss that one?!? " You didn't miss...the fish did! LOL 😆 Ditto Bluegills who occasionally grab the bait and swim away...while never getting the hook in their mouth. And as far drag goes...I have mine set to 2.5lbs (about 30 percent of line test) and I've never had an issue...ever...hooking fish on a Neko or DS. Again...finesse technique, finesse hookset.

There really isn't a hookset in the true sense...certainly not a jigging swing-for-the-fences type hookset. This is a finesse technique and that includes the hookset. If you're using a rod with a suitable action (xfast), the fish can't feel the tip so you have all the time in the world. I can literally say without rushing "Here's a fish" and still have plenty of time for the "hookset". Watch some of the pros...they just sort of reel into it. 1 second they're fishing, the next the rod is fully loaded with a fish on...all without swinging for the fences.

Probably my favorite tackle brand, though I use something from everyone. The Infini hook is superb as is the Hobbit. Virtually every hook I've used from them have been very high quality.

Owner Range Roller.

Brilliant! Truly. The words in and of themselves mean zero. But upon my fisherman brain seeing the technique, doodle sockin' absolutely makes sense. Tell me I'm wrong. LOL 😆

You'd be wrong. It's a legit technique to cast over a tree limb and then dip the lure in and out of the water (or just above)...like a tea bag. I think the translation is "lantern technique" Also, I have no idea why I have multiple quote windows nor does it seem possible to remove them.

I mean...do rods count? I'm fond of grotesquely priced JDM rods and have broke a couple.

I think there's another aspect to this, perhaps harder to pin down and make sense of, and that is some techniques just resonate and are more enjoyable to fish FOR YOU personally. I love poop baits, the Free Rig and Neko and bladed jig. I just really like fishing those. No doubt other technique can work, or work equally or even better. But I just flat out enjoy fishing those methods, so I do. I even enjoy them when I'm not catching anything. Many of us use fishing as a mindfulness exercise, a distraction or to put us in our "happy place". So fish what you like and what makes you happy..numbers be damned! If you feel you want to or must branch out further, try a technique that's "close". For example, the T-Rig people would have little trouble figuring out a Free Rig. Fish what you love!

From Keitech's website: 2" - #4 3" - #2 or #1 3.5" - #1 or #1/0 4" - #2/0 4.5" - #3/0 5" - #4/0 or #5/0 8" - #8/0 or #10/0

A nice bonus with the Spunk Shad and Zako is these can be fished as individual baits. Spunk Shad works well strolling, weightless, on a Neko. It's extremely versatile and is far more than just a trailer. And I use the Zako Neko rigged sideways.

Or Zako.

Pretty much this.

No Canadian distributor and shipping costs make it prohibitive. I am extremely grateful to a fellow member here who sent me some. This is a really great little bait!

I live in Canada and these are basically unobtanium here! LOL 😆 I have an easier time getting JDM baits.