2026.11.01

DUO Drag Metal Bletch: A Sawara Blade Jig With the Hook Fixed Facing Down

minagiman

Blade jigs have become standard for Spanish mackerel (sawara) and young sagoshi in autumn and winter. DUO has released one designed specifically for sawara: the Drag Metal Bletch. Its standout feature is a hook deliberately fixed to face downward. It is a small detail, but one that directly affects how fish get hooked.

The Bletch is part of DUO’s Drag Metal jig series and comes with a VANFOOK double hook as standard. DUO says it has caught fish not only in offshore blade jigging but also from the shore.

Contents

Specs
Key features
How to fish it
Compared with similar blade jigs
Suggested tackle
My take
Read next

Specs

Weight	Length	Hook	Price in Japan (inc. tax)
30 g	55 mm	#2	¥1,155
40 g	60 mm	#1	¥1,210
50 g	65 mm	#1	¥1,265

Item	Details
Maker	DUO
Material	Lead
Standard hook	VANFOOK Blade Works BG Double
Colours	8
Target	Spanish mackerel (sawara / sagoshi)
Release	September 2026 (heavier weights planned)

At around ¥1,100–1,300, it is affordable for a blade jig. Lead is much cheaper than tungsten, so losing one to a sawara bite-off hurts less.

Key features

1. A hook fixed facing down

The hook eye is turned sideways and joined to the jig with a split ring, so the hook always faces down. The blade and hook are bound together with glow green heat-shrink tube, so only the blade spins while the hook stays pointing down.

Sawara often strike upward from below, so a downward hook is more likely to catch the mouth
The two points of the double hook share the load, so it holds better than a single hook when fish thrash
The hook and blade do not spin together, so the hook is less likely to tangle on the blade

2. A small, front-weighted, low-centre body

If the body spins along with the blade, the line twists and the swim becomes unstable. The Bletch uses a small, front- and low-weighted body so it resists spinning even while the blade turns.

3. Easy to wind fast all day

Sawara blade fishing means fast, steady retrieves all day. The Bletch has low resistance even at high speed, so it is less tiring. DUO says it is easy to use for beginners, women and children.

4. Eight colours

Colour	When
UV Blue Pink Iwashi	Sunny days, sardine bait
Pink Iwashi	Dawn and dusk, or slightly stained water
UV Mido Kin (green gold)	Cloudy or stained water
UV Silver GB	Clear water, natural look
Aka Kin Zebra UV	Dawn or stained water, strong appeal
UV Silver Zebra Glow	Overcast, dawn and dusk; silhouette plus glow
Ore Kin Zebra Glow	Stained water and low light, strong appeal
Silver Pink Zebra Glow	Dawn and dusk appeal

Lots of zebra and glow patterns, as you would expect for a sawara blade jig. Start with one sardine colour and one zebra glow.

How to fish it

Method	Tips
Fast retrieve	The basic sawara method. Cast, sink to the bottom or target depth, then wind fast
Steady retrieve	Wind at a constant speed and let the blade do the work
Slow retrieve (“tero-tero”)	Wind slowly so the blade flutters. Said to work well around Ise Bay

“Cast, sink, wind” is all there is to it, so blade jigs suit anglers new to shore jigging. When sawara are not responding, change your retrieve speed first.

Compared with similar blade jigs

Lure	Weights	Hook	Notes
DUO Drag Metal Bletch	30/40/50 g	VANFOOK BG Double (fixed facing down)	Designed for sawara; small, front-weighted body
Daiwa Samurai Jig R Spin	—	Blade + hook	Daiwa’s standard blade jig, with a double-hook version
Major Craft Jigpara Highspin	30/40/60 g	Double hook	¥990–1,100 inc. tax, for fast retrieves
Aquawave Metal Magic Slim	30/40/50/60 g	Cultiva Blade Double #2	¥950–1,400 ex. tax, with a belly eye
Daiwa Saltiga Blade Jig SS	40/50/60/80 g	Single (S) / double (D)	¥1,300–1,500 ex. tax, more offshore-oriented

The Samurai Jig R Spin is more versatile; the Bletch focuses on hooking sawara. Jigpara Highspin is cheap and also uses a double hook, but the Bletch’s fixed downward hook is the key difference. The Metal Magic Slim goes up to 60 g, which helps for distance or deep water. The Saltiga SS goes to 80 g and leans offshore; from the shore, the lighter Bletch is easier to handle.

Suggested tackle

Item	Guide
Rod	A shore-jigging rod that casts 30–50 g
Reel	4000–5000 spinning; high gear makes fast retrieves easier
Line	PE about 1–1.5 (Japan no.)
Leader	Fluorocarbon about 5–6 (roughly 20–25 lb), on the heavy side for sawara teeth

My take

There are many similar-looking blade jigs. What makes the Bletch interesting is that it answers a small but important question: which way should the hook face? Sawara often follow and nip without getting hooked, and fixing the hook’s direction shows a real understanding of that. At around ¥1,100–1,300, you can cast it hard without worrying about losing it. It is one to keep in the box for the autumn and winter season.