Daiwa Samurai Jig R Review: The Pilot Jig I Tie On First
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Minagiman's Fishing Adventures in Japan
DUO Drag Metal Cast Explained: Every Shore Model and When to Use It
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DUO’s Drag Metal Cast is, after the budget Jigpara, the metal jig I tie on most. It is small and fat for its weight, so it casts a long way even for beginners, and it catches almost everything that swims past a Japanese beach or breakwater.
The problem is the range. There are well over a dozen versions – slim, slow, blade, tungsten, zinc, flounder colours, ribbonfish colours – and the packets do not explain the differences to anyone who cannot read Japanese. This is the shore range, explained in one place.
What all Drag Metal Casts have in common
- Compact, fat body – casts long and cuts through wind.
- Stable swimming on a straight retrieve.
- A level, sliding fall that looks natural and draws bites on the drop.
- Quick response to jerks and retrieves – straight retrieve, jerking, stop-and-go all work.
- Wide target list – yellowtail, flounder, rockfish, groupers from the rocks, and red sea bream from shore.
The shore lineup at a glance
| Model | Weights | What is different | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drag Metal Cast | 15-40 g | The original compact fat body | The all-rounder; start here |
| Cast Slim | 20-80 g | Slim, baitfish-shaped, centre balance; strong flash on the jerk | Shore jigging, sardine-shaped bait, pressured fish |
| Cast Slow | 15-40 g | Flat body, slow fluttering fall; tinsel assist hooks | Shore slow-jigging; flatfish and rockfish on the drop |
| Cast Shot | 15-40 g | Rear-weighted, flat sides, willow blade on the rear | Wind-and-catch searching with extra flash |
| Cast SSZ | 20-60 g | Super-slim zinc body, lighter so it rides higher | Pelagics feeding near the surface; Spanish mackerel |
| Cast TG | 30-60 g | Tungsten – about half the size of lead at the same weight | Tiny bait, fussy fish, fast current, steep beaches |
| Cast Slim TG | 30-60 g | Slim tungsten | Micro-bait and strong current with a slim profile |
| Cast SSBLADE | 28-80 g | Super-slim body with a Colorado blade | Easy cast-and-wind shore jigging |
| Hirame Selection (Cast / Slim) | 20-40 g | Flounder colours, blade hook fitted | Flounder and flathead on sand |
| Tachiuo Limited (Slim / Shot) | 20-40 g | Glow, zebra-glow and UV colours | Ribbonfish at dusk and night |
Prices (in Japan, tax included)
| Model | Price range |
|---|---|
| Drag Metal Cast | 770-935 yen |
| Cast Slim | 825-1,045 yen |
| Cast Shot | 880-1,045 yen |
| Cast SSZ | 935-1,100 yen |
| Cast SSBLADE | 1,045-1,210 yen |
| Hirame Selection | 880-990 yen |
| Cast TG / Slim TG | 1,980-2,420 yen |
The lead models are cheap enough that losing a few on the rocks does not hurt. The tungsten models cost more than twice as much, so save them for when a smaller silhouette really matters.
How to choose, by situation
| Situation | First choice | Back-up |
|---|---|---|
| First cast on an unknown beach | Drag Metal Cast | Cast Shot |
| Flounder on sand | Hirame Selection | Cast Slow |
| Yellowtail breaking on the surface | Cast SSZ | Cast Slim |
| Bait is tiny (whitebait, small sardine) | Cast TG | Cast Slim TG |
| Strong current or a steep, deep beach | Cast TG | Cast Slim |
| Fish follow but will not bite | Cast Slow (fall) | Cast Shot (blade) |
| Ribbonfish at dusk | Tachiuo Limited | Cast Slim in glow |
Notes from using them
- The original flies well even with an easy cast and holds a steady action in wind. The sliding fall gets real bites. It is the one I would hand a beginner.
- The Slim is light to work for hours thanks to its centre balance, and its flash on a jerk-and-fall is very effective on pelagics.
- The Slow fishes best when you slow everything down – lots of bites come as it flutters down.
- The Shot transmits the blade’s vibration up the line, so you always know it is working. Cast, wind, catch.
- The TG gets down fast in current and matches small bait when fish are pressured.
Offshore models, briefly
Beyond the “Cast” series, DUO also makes Drag Metal models for boat fishing – SLJ (super-light jigging), TG Heavy (80-150 g tungsten), TG Madai and the Force series. They are not shore lures, so I have left them out here.
Verdict
If you only buy one, buy the original Drag Metal Cast in 30 g and 40 g. Add the Hirame Selection if flounder are the target, the SSZ if the yellowtail are high in the water, and a couple of TG models for the days when the bait is tiny. That covers most of what a Japanese beach will throw at you.
For how to set up hooks, choose weights and work a jig, see my metal jig guide.
Read next
- Japanese metal jigs for shore fishing: 9 I actually use
- Daiwa Samurai Jig R review
- Japanese yellowtail from the beach
- Spanish mackerel (sawara) from the shore
- Ribbonfish (tachiuo) from the shore
ABOUT ME
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.
