Deps B Custom Head Blade Jig: A Bass Maker’s Answer for Spanish Mackerel

Deps is one of Japan’s best-known bass lure makers, so a Spanish mackerel blade jig from them is a surprise. The B Custom Head Blade Jig borrows its head from Deps’ famous B Custom spinnerbait — and the idea makes a lot of sense. It was developed with Takuya Kai, captain of the Tokyo Bay guide boat BASE and a Deps pro staffer, and at the time of writing every colour and weight was sold out on Deps’ web shop.

Specs

Six colours: Orange Gold, Green Gold, Purple Silver, Pink Silver, Blue Silver and White Silver. Every weight is the same price, so the 60 g is the best value. The swivel-mounted #2 Colorado blade grabs a lot of water for strong vibration and flash.

Five key features

1. Low-centre-of-gravity head from the B Custom spinnerbait. A spinnerbait’s whole job is to track straight at one depth without rising or rolling; that know-how is applied here.
2. Stays down at very high speed. Fast retrieves usually make blade jigs rise or spin — this one holds its depth and attitude.
3. Compact head that “reads” the current. You feel resistance change as you cross current seams, which is often where sawara pin bait.
4. Double flash. The flat sides of the head flicker while the Colorado blade flashes.
5. Heavy-wire single hook that resists bending and pins sawara’s hard mouth.

Why bass technology works on sawara

A blade jig and a spinnerbait do the same thing: a spinning blade draws fish while the lure tracks straight at a set depth. The only big differences are salt versus fresh water and retrieve speed. Spinnerbaits have had decades of refinement to stop them rising — bringing that into a blade jig is logical. If anything I wonder why nobody did it sooner.

How it compares

• Need to reach far or fish deep? The Saltiga’s 80 g option wins.
• Bigger bait or tight budget? Metal Magic Slim.
• Want to show a bigger silhouette? A jig-plus-blade type like the Samurai Jig R Spin.
• Want speed without the lure blowing out? The B Custom Head.

How to fish it

1. Sink, then burn it. Sawara react to speed — retrieve faster than feels necessary.
2. Count down 5, 10, 15 seconds to find the depth, then repeat the count that got bites.
3. Focus on seams: when the resistance changes, run it through that spot several times.
4. Stop-and-go when fish follow without eating — the flutter on the pause triggers strikes.

Suggested tackle

Things to keep in mind

• Hard to get hold of — it has been selling out.
• No 80 g size, so it is less suited to deep water or very strong current.
• Single hook only; double-hook fans may prefer other jigs.
• Check your leader often — sawara teeth.

Minagiman’s take

Blade jigs are often treated as all the same, but this one is clearly built for one thing: not breaking down at high speed. My first two would be Blue Silver and, for murky water, Orange Gold.

Overseas availability is limited; you will usually need a Japanese retailer or proxy service.

Read next

• Daiwa Saltiga Blade Jig SS
• Aquawave Metal Magic Slim
• Major Craft Jigpara Highspin
• Spanish mackerel (sawara / sagoshi) in Japan

MINAGIMAN

JAPAN ANGLER

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Born in 1994. Originally from Hyogo Prefecture, I moved to Iwata City in Shizuoka Prefecture in search of the sea. I am an Enshunada surf angler who enjoys surf fishing. I am also active on YouTube, and my fishing grounds range from Irago to Iwata.