2026.10.09

DUO Beach Walker Wedge 80S: The Smallest Wedge for Micro-Bait Days

minagiman

Ask a Japanese surf angler to name a sinking pencil and the first answer is usually DUO’s Beach Walker Wedge. Now the Wedge is getting its smallest size yet: the Wedge 80S.

Autumn on a surf beach brings a lot of days when there is bait everywhere, but it is so small that the fish ignore your lure. The 95S is still too big, and a jig-head soft plastic will not cast far enough. If you have ever thought “I just need a Wedge one size smaller”, this is exactly that lure.

This article is based on DUO’s published specifications: how it differs from the existing Wedges, and where it fits.

Contents

Wedge 80S specification
The four Wedge sizes compared
Features
When to use the Wedge 80S
It works on light tackle too
How it compares with other small surf lures
Things to watch
Colours
Summary
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Wedge 80S specification


Length	80 mm
Weight	23 g
Type	Fixed weight, sinking
Hook	#6
Split ring	#2
Price	2,200 yen (incl. tax)
Colours	13, including two new 2026 colours
Release	Planned for October 2026

The concept is to shrink the 95S, keeping its performance and ease of use. Think of it less as a new lure and more as the Wedge you know, made smaller.

The four Wedge sizes compared

Model	Length	Weight	Role
Wedge 80S	80 mm	23 g	Smallest size; a “bite-trigger” lure that also suits light tackle
Wedge 95S	95 mm	30 g	The go-anywhere all-rounder
Wedge 120S	120 mm	38 g	Distance, and three hooks for better hook-ups
Wedge 140S	140 mm	40 g	The big one: a hovering action and strong appeal

The interesting number is the weight. It is 15 mm shorter than the 95S, but drops only from 30 g to 23 g. For a small sinking pencil, 80 mm and 23 g is a dense combination – clearly designed so that “small” does not mean “cannot cast”.

Features

1. Rear weight for distance and a back-sliding fall

The series’ rear-weighted design is unchanged. The weight stabilises it in flight, and after landing it sinks tail-first in a back-sliding fall.

The clear “tock” you feel through the rod when it touches bottom is still there too. That easy-to-read bottom contact is one of the reasons the Wedge is so easy to recommend to beginners, so it matters that the 80S keeps it.

2. A sharper, higher-pitch roll

The action is a very high-pitch roll with a narrow swing. With the smaller body, the pitch is reportedly faster and crisper than the 95S. It is not a lure that draws fish with big movement; it shivers small and fast to trigger bites – useful for pressured fish, or days when tiny bait makes fish reject big actions.

3. Rides up well – usable in 1-2 m of water

It keeps the series’ tendency to rise easily, and DUO says it can be retrieved slowly over 1-2 m of water without scraping bottom. That makes it usable on shallow, gently sloping beaches and when the tide has dropped.

When to use the Wedge 80S

Micro-bait days

This is its main job. When whitebait or anchovy around 5 cm are in, fish often respond noticeably less to the 95S and 120S. At 80 mm, the Wedge 80S is very close to the size of small anchovy. On those autumn days when there are boils but nothing will eat, it is the first lure I would rotate to. (More on reading bait in matching the bait on a surf beach.)

A follow-up when the bigger lures are refused

Run the 95S through an area; if nothing happens, go back over it with the 80S. It gives fish that rejected the larger lure a second chance.

Searching close-in and mid-range carefully

DUO describes it as effective for carefully searching near and mid-range water with precise control. That suits spots where you know exactly what you are targeting – the inside of a drop-off, or the swirls beside a rip. (See how to read a surf beach.)

It works on light tackle too

At 23 g it is promoted as castable not only on surf rods but also on seabass and eging rods. If you do not own dedicated surf tackle, or you already use a seabass rod in harbours and estuaries, you can use it as is.

Always check your rod’s lure rating, though. Many eging rods, even M class, top out around 20 g – go easy on full-power casts.

How it compares with other small surf lures

Lure	Size	Strength
Wedge 80S	80 mm / 23 g	Natural, sinking-pencil “eat-me” action; can be fished slowly in shallow water
Flipper MB22	49 mm / 22 g	Strong flash from the blade; an even smaller silhouette
Flipper iTMB33	59 mm / 33 g	Tungsten plus blade; for rough days and long casts

The blade lures are about appeal; the Wedge 80S is about getting the bite. On micro-bait days, carrying one of each type makes the rotation much easier. (See also the Flipper iTMB33.)

Things to watch

At 80 mm it will not cast as far as the 95S or 120S. On days when you need to reach a distant drop-off, the bigger sizes have the advantage.
In big waves or strong current, a small lure may lose its posture more easily.
The #6 hook is small. If a big yellowtail or a large flounder takes it, do not crank the drag down.

These are points I want to confirm once I have actually fished it.

Colours

Thirteen colours: the familiar Beach Walker range plus two new 2026 colours. They include Kira Kira Pink Candy, Hirame Gold, Peach Glow, Gold Pink Head, UV Pink Fake Bait, Hirame Pink II, Kataboshi Iwashi (spotted sardine), UV Sparkle Kisu, Fake Bait, UV Pink Shiny Blue, Gira Mazume Iwashi, Matt Pink and Matt Chart.

If unsure: Hirame Gold or Matt Chart for dawn and stained water, and naturals such as Kataboshi Iwashi or Fake Bait for clear water in daylight.

Summary

The Wedge 80S is the smallest in the series: 80 mm, 23 g, planned for October 2026.
It is the 95S scaled down – rear weight, back-sliding fall and clear bottom feel are all kept.
Its main jobs: micro-bait days, and a follow-up when larger lures are refused.
Castable on seabass and eging rods (check the rating).
For long casts and rough days, switch to the 95S or 120S.

If you already use the Wedge, you will probably recognise the days when you wanted exactly this size. It arrives just in time for the autumn micro-bait season.