JDM Tackle Guide

What are you fishing for?

Know the model? Search by name or size code › Not sure what to buy? Pick how you fish below › Still not sure? Try the rod picker ›

Japanese rods and lures are built for a named style of fishing, and the maker says which one. These shelves use those published categories — nothing here is our guess about what a rod is for.

21 fishing styles · 1,208 rod series filed under a style by their maker.

Fished worldwide

Bass 40 rod series Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass Seabass & surf 51 rod series Japanese seabass, Flounder, Flathead Offshore jigging & casting 148 rod series Amberjack, Tuna, Grouper Trout 55 rod series Trout, Char Light saltwater (aji & mebaru) 30 rod series Horse mackerel, Rockfish Tairaba (red seabream) 18 rod series Red seabream Eging (squid) 36 rod series Squid All-round saltwater 38 rod series Shore jigging & casting 29 rod series Amberjack, Tuna, Bonito Ika metal (squid) 14 rod series Squid Surfcasting 26 rod series Flounder, Whiting Black seabream (chinu) 8 rod series Black seabream Hard rock fish 10 rod series Rockfish, Grouper Reels 296 reel series Spinning, baitcasting & conventional, electric

Japan-only styles

These are the biggest part of the Japanese rod market and almost unknown elsewhere. The tackle is real and buyable — it is just built for a game you may not have seen.

Japanese boat fishing 409 rod series Japan's party-boat ("funa") fishing. Each target fish has its own dedicated rod, and the styles are specific to Japan. This is the largest group in our catalog. Rock shore & breakwater 105 rod series Long telescopic rods fished with a float from rocks and harbour walls. Common in Japan and Korea, rare elsewhere. Herabuna & carp 41 rod series Herabuna is a catch-and-release crucian carp game fished with very long, delicate poles. Note that these are not European carp rods. Mountain stream (keiryu) 49 rod series Short rods for small mountain streams. Many are telescopic and have no reel seat at all. Ayu (sweetfish) 52 rod series Ayu are caught with a live decoy on rods up to 10 m long. Almost unknown outside Japan, and among the most expensive rods here. Sea pond, raft & kase 22 rod series Fishing from a moored raft ("ikada"), a small boat ("kase") or a stocked sea pond. Mostly a Japanese pastime. Wakasagi (pond smelt) 5 rod series Tiny rods, often under 40 cm, used through a hole in the ice or from a covered boat. Other 22 rod series Items the makers file under "other", or under a label that is not a fishing style.
Numbers at a glance
SeriesSizesLength / weightJapan list price
Bass405351.68–2.90 m¥11,800–¥106,900
Seabass & surf513971.55–4.57 m¥13,800–¥185,000
Offshore jigging & casting1488871.52–3.35 m¥11,000–¥125,000
Trout553911.12–4.57 m¥7,800–¥135,700
Light saltwater (aji & mebaru)301621.25–2.59 m¥12,800–¥89,800
Tairaba (red seabream)181291.68–2.19 m¥16,000–¥79,800
Eging (squid)362401.65–2.83 m¥14,500–¥107,100
All-round saltwater372580.75–7.99 m¥8,600–¥106,000
Shore jigging & casting291962.13–3.96 m¥12,900–¥115,000
Ika metal (squid)141011.47–2.19 m¥16,000–¥107,100
Surfcasting262342.40–5.30 m¥15,000–¥248,400
Black seabream (chinu)8362.16–2.69 m¥13,500–¥75,000
Hard rock fish10682.03–3.16 m¥16,000–¥58,000
Japanese boat fishing40813461.20–4.80 m¥9,500–¥170,000
Rock shore & breakwater1055481.11–7.00 m¥7,600–¥240,000
Herabuna & carp403580.85–9.60 m¥10,400–¥210,000
Mountain stream (keiryu)491602.43–10.50 m¥10,500–¥195,000
Ayu (sweetfish)522132.74–12.20 m¥21,000–¥500,000
Sea pond, raft & kase22841.27–4.50 m¥15,600–¥76,500
Wakasagi (pond smelt)5200.28–0.65 m¥6,800–¥16,400
Other222961.10–9.02 m¥10,000–¥216,000

Total to your door (for the list price range above, with ¥5,000 shipping and estimated duty & tax): United States $82–$3,632 · United Kingdom £68–£2,967 · Germany €84–€3,492 · Australia A$117–A$5,000.

From the makers’ published specs and Japan list prices (before tax), converted at this month’s rates. Not eBay prices — the model pages show what is on eBay now.