2026.10.07 2026.10.08

Yamashita Egi-Oh K: Japan’s Best-Known Squid Jig and How to Choose Colours

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If you have looked at squid fishing in Japan, you have seen the name: Yamashita’s Egi-Oh (“King of Egi”) is the best-known squid jig in the country, and the Egi-Oh K is the version most anglers carry. Popular colours sell out as soon as they hit the shelves.

Egi are the shrimp-shaped lures used for eging – casting for squid, mainly bigfin reef squid (aori-ika). This guide covers what makes the Egi-Oh K different, and how to choose colours instead of just throwing every one in the box.

Contents

What the Egi-Oh K is for
How it is built
Sizes
Choosing colours
How it fished
A basic eging retrieve
Season
Verdict
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What the Egi-Oh K is for

The K is designed for low-activity and pressured squid. A wary squid is put off by too much movement. The K is built to dart, but not to over-dart, and to fall slowly and steadily – giving the squid a long, calm moment to grab it. It is also designed to be less affected by wind and waves.

How it is built

Hydro Fin – fins that stabilise the fall and reduce wobble caused by current, wind and waves.
Hydro Body – the area behind the sinker is flat, which makes the fins work better and steadies the dart.
Hydro Sinker – shaped so the jig falls straight.
Combi Fine Hook – a jig hook designed to convert more touches into hooked squid.

Sizes

Egi are sized in Japanese gō numbers. Bigger numbers mean longer, heavier jigs.

Size	Weight	Typical use
2.5	11 g	Small autumn squid, shallow water
3.0	16 g	The autumn standard
3.5	22 g	The all-round size; spring squid
4.0	26 g	Big spring squid, deeper water, wind

The standard model sinks at roughly 3 seconds per metre in the 3.0-4.0 sizes. Slower and faster-sinking versions exist for shallow and deep water.

Choosing colours

Yamashita designs each colour with a situation in mind. Knowing the intention saves you from casting through the whole box.

Colour	When it works
Ultramarine	Low-activity squid; clear water such as the Japan Sea coast
Poison Purple	Silhouette plus glow – low light and night
Peacan Blue	Bright sun and clear water (“peacan” is Japanese slang for a cloudless sky); easy to see
Volcano Rock	Night, especially around weed beds – watch for snags
Tora Tora Pinky	High visibility for dawn and cloudy days
Oreno Olive	Based on the classic gold-horse-mackerel pattern; daytime with slightly stained water

Some colours also have a UV-reactive (keimura) eye or a glow edge for extra appeal in low light.

How it fished

The fall is the selling point. It is very stable, and the action really is “not too much” – you can see why squid are less suspicious of it.
Colour pairs work. I fish mostly in daylight in autumn, and switching between Oreno Olive and a classic gold horse mackerel shows the strengths of each.
Ultramarine is essential in clear water. On the Japan Sea side, I would not go without it.

A basic eging retrieve

Cast and let the jig sink to the bottom (count it down).
Two or three sharp upward jerks to make it dart.
Let it fall on a slightly slack line – this is when squid grab it.
Watch the line: a sudden tightening or movement on the fall is a bite. Set the hook firmly.

Season

Autumn is the numbers season, with many small squid. Spring is when the big ones – over a kilogram – come in to spawn. The Egi-Oh K works from autumn right through to spring.

Verdict

The Egi-Oh K’s reputation is earned: a very stable fall, a controlled dart, and a colour range designed around real conditions. If you are going to try squid fishing in Japan, start with a 3.0 and a 3.5, one natural colour and one bright one.