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Minagiman's Fishing Adventures in Japan
Zipbaits ZBL Slide Swim Minnow 120 Enshu: A Beefed-Up Sinking Pencil for Meagre and Hirasuzuki
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Anyone who has fished the Enshu-nada surf will react to this name: the ZBL Slide Swim Minnow 120 Enshu. It takes Zipbaits’ classic sinking pencil, the Slide Swim Minnow 120 — first released about 20 years ago — and rebuilds its hooks and colours specifically to land oonibe (Japanese meagre) and hirasuzuki on the Enshu coast.
It is a 120 mm, 27 g sinking pencil with the standard 120’s action, plus hooks for big-fish fights and Enshu-only colours. Release: late October 2026 — just as big-fish season starts on Enshu-nada.
Specs
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Length | 120 mm |
| Weight | 27 g |
| Type | Sinking pencil |
| Hooks | Cultiva STX-50 BF-SP #2 |
| Rings | #5 |
| Weight transfer | Mag-Drive system |
| Eyes | Glow eyes (all colours) |
| Colours | 3 |
| Price | 3,608 yen (incl. tax) |
| Release | Late October 2026 |
#2 hooks and #5 rings on a 120 mm sinking pencil is a very strong setup — clearly built for heavy, hard-pulling fish.
Colours
| Colour | Character |
|---|---|
| 952 Testarossa | Red head; shows a clear silhouette |
| 953 Monster Black | Special colour for clear water and wary big fish |
| 954 See-Through Purple | Translucent body with chartreuse belly — natural yet visible |
All three have glow eyes — useful because oonibe chances peak before dawn, at dusk and in stained water.
Key features
- Mag-Drive. On the cast the weight moves back for distance; locked forward, it swims as a normal sinking pencil. It uses a magnetised stainless shaft.
- S-curve when slow, darts when jerked. A slow retrieve gives a snaking S-path with the current; jerks and twitches make it dart. When it hits a change in current it slides on its own — a built-in trigger around rips and seams.
- Cultiva STX-50 #2 hooks for rigidity and penetration against heavy meagre and hirasuzuki — no need to upgrade them yourself.
- Same action as the standard 120 — only hooks and colours changed.
Background
The model came from a proposal by a Zipbaits staff member, aimed at landing oonibe and hirasuzuki on the heavily fished Enshu surf. Enshu-nada has long, shallow beaches with frequent strong wind and waves; big fish there need distance, a good swim in current and strong hooks — this lure puts all three together.
Slide Swim Minnow family
| Model | Role |
|---|---|
| 85 | Standard surface model |
| 85MDS | Heavier; distance, mid-depths and river drifting |
| 85MDS Sagoshi Edition | For sawara and sagoshi |
| 120 | Drifts slowly just below the surface further out |
| 120 Enshu | 120 action + #2 hooks, #5 rings and Enshu colours for meagre and hirasuzuki |
How to fish it on Enshu-nada
- Slow, just under the surface, far out — cast long and let it snake in an S.
- Feed it into rips and seams where the current makes it slide.
- Jerk if nothing happens — twitches and jerks make it dart.
- Focus on dawn, dusk and pre-dawn — the glow eyes help in the dark.
| Target | Approach |
|---|---|
| Oonibe | Stained water or pre-dawn, slowly from the shorebreak out to the drop-off |
| Hirasuzuki | White water and breaking lines, especially over boulders and rock |
| Flounder / yellowtail | Often hit while working rips on days with bait |
Compared with other surf lures
| Lure | Size / weight | Type | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZBL Slide Swim Minnow 120 Enshu | 120 mm / 27 g | Sinking pencil | S-curve + dart, beefed-up #2 hooks |
| Shimano Hikage 125S | 125 mm / 40 g | Heavy sinking pencil | Up to 96 m (test conditions) |
| Bassday Hades 150F | 150 mm / 40 g | Floating minnow | For big bait, surface–40 cm |
| Jackson Athlete+ 16FVG | 160 mm / 39 g | Floating minnow | Meagre and big flounder, #1/0 hooks |
Strong headwind? Hikage. Want to show it slowly in current? 120 Enshu. Big bait around? Hades. Searching wide with a minnow for meagre? Athlete+ 16FVG.
Tackle
| Part | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Rod | 10–11 ft surf rod (M–MH) |
| Reel | 4000–5000 high-gear |
| Line | PE 1.2–1.5 with 25–30 lb leader |
Minagiman’s take
A lure named after Enshu means a lot to anyone who fishes there. It is not a flashy new mechanism — it keeps a proven action and gives it gear that will not lose to big fish, exactly what anglers in the field asked for. Drift it in the current, and land what you hook. With only three colours, I would start with Testarossa for stained water and Monster Black for clear water.
Read next
- Oonibe (Japanese meagre) on Enshu-nada
- Zipbaits ZBL System Minnow 15F
- Shimano Hikage 125S
- Bassday Hades 150F
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.
