Shimano Nessa Liptus 80S: A Lipped 27 g Sinker That Casts Like a Jig and Swims Like a Minnow
Shimano’s Nessa Liptus 80S takes the best of a metal jig and a minnow. Most lures that cast far on the surf are heavy, so when you retrieve them slowly they swim close to the bottom. That is fine if you want to fish the bottom, but not when you want a slow presentation higher up. The Liptus is designed to cast far, stay in its range on a slow retrieve, and still swing with a big, minnow-like action. It is a flounder lure in Shimano’s Nessa surf range.
Key features
1. Long casts and stable flight
A fixed weight built around a through-wire keeps the centre of gravity very low. That stabilises it in flight and gives it plenty of distance on the surf. You can cover a wide area, slowly, and it still has action at low speed.
2. Strong appeal and range control
A small lip gives it a strong swinging action, like a minnow. The lip also stops it rising too much, so it holds the depth you want. It works on a slow retrieve and also when you wind fast.
3. Level posture and shimmy fall
It stays level while swimming and falling. Its shimmy fall creates a pause to trigger bites, and it stays stable even in fast, complex currents.
Specs
| Code | No. | Colour | Type | Length | Weight | Hooks | Price in Japan (ex. tax) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XG-R80Y | 001 | A Hirame Gold | Sinking | 80 mm | 27 g | #5 × 2 | ¥1,900 |
| XG-R80Y | 002 | S UV Hade Iwashi | Sinking | 80 mm | 27 g | #5 × 2 | ¥1,900 |
| XG-R80Y | 003 | A Aka Kin Glow | Sinking | 80 mm | 27 g | #5 × 2 | ¥1,900 |
| XG-R80Y | 004 | A Gold Punch | Sinking | 80 mm | 27 g | #5 × 2 | ¥1,900 |
| XG-R80Y | 005 | A Bubblegum Chart | Sinking | 80 mm | 27 g | #5 × 2 | ¥1,900 |
| XG-R80Y | 006 | A Rame Hirame Pink | Sinking | 80 mm | 27 g | #5 × 2 | ¥1,900 |
| XG-R80Y | 007 | S Sicilia Glow | Sinking | 80 mm | 27 g | #5 × 2 | ¥1,900 |
| XG-R80Y | 008 | Matte Pink Iwashi | Sinking | 80 mm | 27 g | #5 × 2 | ¥1,900 |
When to use it
With the durability to handle bigger fish, it works all year, but its compact 80 mm size makes it especially useful in spring, when bait in the surf tends to be small. Use it when a metal jig drops too fast, or a minnow will not reach the fish.
My take
More and more lures now combine the strengths of two types, or change their action depending on how you fish them. I like to travel light, so a lure that can replace two others in the box is welcome. If you want a surf lure that casts far but can still be fished slowly, the Liptus 80S is worth a look.
