Why Haifukugata Catches Squid
The Bite Feel of Foamed Urethane
The hard foamed-urethane body gives a natural bite feel when a squid sinks its beak in, arousing no suspicion. As it gradually wears away, the squid actually finds it harder to let go. Fishermen speak of its astonishing durability: "you can keep using it until it's as thin as a pencil."
Freedom to Fine-Tune the Balance
The square sinker can be trimmed with nippers to suit the conditions. Fine-tune it to the weight of your bait, the speed of the current, and the depth to keep an ideal fall balance at all times. Now you, too, can make the "utterly logical, quantitative, and engineering-minded" adjustments that fishermen perform every day.
A Distinctive Form and Fall Posture
A form that inherits the traditional bait-wrapping sutte handed down in northern Kyushu. The secret to its results lies in this distinctive silhouette and its fall (sink) rate and posture. From 30 m to 100 m, you can dial in the perfect setting for the depth of your target.
Overwhelming Luminosity
"Can't you make it glow more?" That request from fishermen during testing led us to rethink our paints and coating methods from scratch, and the result is today's full-glow type. It delivers overwhelming fish-attracting power in night fishing. For dealing with pufferfish, the spot-glow type is effective.
Catch Results Proven by Fishermen
Since 2009, at wholesale markets in northern Kyushu, boats run by fishermen using Haifukugata have kept posting the top landings. 100 kg (about 350 squid) in seven daytime hours; 120 kg (about 400) at night. An astonishing record achieved with just a handful of Haifukugata.
Color Variations
Haifukugata's Fall Balance and Posture
The distinctive form, sink rate, and posture are the secret to its results
The Difference Between "Full-Glow" and "Spot-Glow"
Full-glow offers overwhelming luminosity; spot-glow is effective against pufferfish
How to Adjust the Balance
Why is the sinker on the bait-wrapping egi "Haifukugata" square? Because it is designed so that fishermen, obsessive about balance, can change that balance to match the conditions of each fishing spot.
Trim the corner of the sinker nearer the center of the egi with nippers or the like. Cut the sinker's corners according to the type of bait and the speed of the current. As you catch 100 or 300 squid on a single Haifukugata, the body wears down and its buoyancy gradually drops, so cut the sinker to fine-tune the balance.
Caution: If you cut too much, it will float and your catch will be halved. Cut a little at a time and check at your feet that it falls straight down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a bait-wrapping egi really work?
Yes. Even in conditions where ordinary eging catches nothing, the scent and taste of the bait lower the squid's wariness and keep it holding on longer. In the landings of northern Kyushu's fishermen, boats using Haifukugata sometimes out-catch those that don't by more than tenfold.
What bait should I use?
Kibinago (silver-stripe round herring) and chicken tenderloin are the top recommendations. Chicken tenderloin is high in protein and favored by squid, resists falling apart, is highly durable, and can be cut to any size you like. However, under tough conditions such as the spawning season, kibinago is the most effective. Horse mackerel (aji) or mahi-mahi flesh will also catch squid, so it's best to use whatever bait is in season at the time.
How do I choose between full-glow and spot-glow?
Full-Glow White is versatile day or night, and is especially effective used on its own in the daytime. At night, mixing full-glow with other colors adds contrast. Spot-glow is effective against pufferfish when water temperatures are high; because its glow is weak and shines only in points, pufferfish are less likely to gather.
How do I adjust the sinker?
Trim the corner of the sinker nearer the center of the egi with nippers. Fine-tune it according to the type of bait, the speed of the current, and how much the body has worn down with use. Be careful: cut too much and it will float, halving your catch.
Can I use it from a breakwater?
Yes, it performs well from a breakwater too. It was originally designed for boat dropper (dozuki) rigs, but its excellent overall balance makes it effective from breakwaters as well. You can use the egi on its own, but because its sink rate is slow, many anglers fish it with a lighted-float rig.
Can beginners use it?
Yes, everyone from beginners to veterans can enjoy it. It's especially recommended for beginners who think, "I just have to land at least one squid." That said, the squid biting the bait doesn't mean it hooks itself automatically, a firm hook-set is essential.
Why does Haifukugata catch so well?
Its foamed-urethane body gives a natural bite feel when a squid sinks its beak in, arousing no suspicion. The square sinker lets you adjust the balance to the conditions. The distinctive form and fall balance, refined over more than ten years together with fishermen, are the secret to its results.
How durable is Haifukugata?
It boasts astonishing durability. Among fishermen it's said that "you can keep using it until it's as thin as a pencil," and a single Haifukugata can keep catching 100 or even 300 squid. Even when a squid bites into the hard foamed-urethane body, it merely wears down little by little, which actually makes it harder for the squid to let go.
How deep can I fish it?
It works effectively at depths of 30 m to 100 m. By adjusting the sinker balance, you can dial in the perfect setting for the depth of your target. From shallow to deep, you can pursue swordtip squid (kensaki-ika), spear squid (yari-ika), and Japanese common squid (surume-ika) across a wide range of depths.
Which color do you recommend?
The first one to get is Full-Glow White. Its greatest appeal is a versatility that delivers steady results day and night, but used on its own as a daytime pilot color, it produces remarkable results.
At night, an effective strategy is to blend Full-Glow All Yellow and Full-Glow Blue Sardine into White's reliable performance. This "contrast of colors" becomes the decisive factor that stirs the target's appetite.
Countering situations with many unwanted bycatch strikes matters too. When pufferfish and the like are abundant, switch to the spot-glow series (Pink, Orange, Purple, Red). It still appeals strongly to your target while making it easier to dodge needless strikes, which also helps you stay focused.
That Full-Glow White is produced in numbers that dwarf every other color is unmistakable proof of its on-the-water track record and the trust it has earned. Build a strategic rotation around this absolute standard color.
Thanks to its overwhelming results and reliability, our Full-Glow White boasts production figures on an entirely different order throughout the year. Answering strong demand from the market, we gear up each year to produce it on a scale incomparable to any other add-on color, our No.1 proven standard.
Product Specifications
| Product Name | Haifukugata® |
|---|---|
| Size | Size M |
| Weight | 17g |
| Material | Hard foamed-urethane resin |
| Target Species | Swordtip squid (kensaki-ika), spear squid (yari-ika), Japanese common squid (surume-ika) |
| Color Lineup | 9 colors (4 full-glow / 4 spot-glow / 1 other) |
| Price | Open price |
| Developed In | Haifuku, Hirado City, Nagasaki |
| Features | Foamed-urethane body, adjustable balance, durable enough to use until as thin as a pencil |
Try Haifukugata® Now
A bait-wrapping egi with a 25-year track record, created together with the fishermen of Haifuku, Hirado
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