2026.10.28

Jackson Metal Effect Sagoshi Tune DH: A Double-Hook Blade Jig for Spanish Mackerel

minagiman

Autumn into winter is peak season for Spanish mackerel (sawara) and their younger stage, sagoshi. Jackson’s popular blade jig, the Metal Effect Sagoshi Tune, now has a double-hook version: the Metal Effect Sagoshi Tune DH. It comes in four weights (30, 40, 50 and 60 g) and six colours, all designed together with charter-boat captains from around Japan.

Contents

The base model
Why a double hook?
Six colours from charter captains
Replacement hook sets
How to fish it
Suggested tackle
Tips to lose fewer sawara
My take
Read next

The base model

The original Sagoshi Tune was supervised by the captain of the guide boat Unlimited. It was built to find sagoshi, sawara and other fast fish scattered over a wide area.

The eye position and weight balance are tuned for a stable fall and straight running at high speed
A rear fin stabilises it further
A single hook, stronger than a treble, for fast fish that hit hard
A “secret lure” for days when there are no surface busts and fish stay deep

Weight	Length	Hook	Standard model price (inc. tax)
30 g	53 mm	L	¥880
40 g	53 mm	L	¥924
50 g	63 mm	LL	¥968
60 g	63 mm	LL	¥1,012

These are the official specs for the standard model. DH prices vary by retailer.

Why a double hook?

Sawara have sharp teeth and often do not engulf the lure. Instead they nip at it with a shallow bite. The DH gives you two hook points for more chances to connect on those quick bites, then holds better during the fight, at the side of the boat and when you lift the fish out.

Sawara casting is not a game of many bites. A single bite can be the most important fish of the day, and the DH is designed to land it.

	Standard	Double hook (DH)
Hook	Single	Double
Strength	Very strong for a power fight	Two points that pick up shallow bites
Best when	Fish are active and eating properly	Fish are only nipping, or you cannot afford to lose a chance

Six colours from charter captains

Colour	Designed with
FELLOW SHIP Rasta Iwashi	FELLOW SHIP, Nishinomiya, Hyogo
Subaru Maru Pink Head	Subaru Maru, Yokkaichi, Mie
Kawasemi Tokimeki Blue	Kawasemi, Nagoya, Aichi
Chart Glow	A charter boat in Tsu, Mie
Onion Purple Onion	Onion, Hirado, Nagasaki
Unlimited Blue Diamond UV	Unlimited, Yokohama, Kanagawa

Every colour has glow and UV (keimura) finishes, and each one has its own blade colour, so you can match the water colour, current and weather.

Dawn, cloud, murky water: bright colours such as Chart Glow and Pink Head
Sun and clear water: natural sardine and blue colours
When bites stop: something different from everyone else, such as purple

Replacement hook sets

The DH hooks are also sold as a set with the blade attached. Sawara teeth wear out blades and hooks, so it is worth carrying a few. As a guide, use L for the 30 and 40 g and LL for the 50 and 60 g, based on the standard model’s official specs.

How to fish it

Fast straight retrieve: use its straight running to trigger fish that follow
Bottom and burn: let it hit bottom, then wind fast to cover the whole water column
Add a fall: stop partway through the retrieve and let its stable fall give fish a chance to eat
Count down: match the depth of the school or boat by counting the same number each cast

Where	Weight	Notes
Pier or surf (shore)	30–40 g	Cast long to cover water, for sagoshi in harbours and river mouths
Boat (offshore)	40–60 g	Choose by depth and current, and follow the captain’s advice

Suggested tackle

Item	Guide
Rod	Shore: a 9–10 ft light shore jigging rod. Boat: a sawara casting rod
Reel	3000–4000 size, high gear recommended
Line	PE about 1–1.5 (Japan no.)
Leader	Fluorocarbon about 20–30 lb. Check it often for tooth damage

Tips to lose fewer sawara

Treat hooks and blades as consumables and replace them as soon as teeth damage them
Check your leader for nicks during the trip
Set the drag before fishing and do not tighten it suddenly in the fight
Use a net or gaff at the boat or at your feet instead of swinging fish up
With two hooks, take care not to hook your hand after landing a fish

My take

The most frustrating thing in sawara fishing is a big hit that does not stick. The DH is a direct answer to that. The colours worked out with charter captains who see sawara every day are also a useful starting point when you are unsure what to tie on. Carrying both the standard and DH versions is a good plan for the late-season big fish.