Jake's field report "Imakatsu Javallon Gill" Sep 14, 2017

Overview

Not very often you come across a lure with the amount of realistic and action as the imakatsu Javalon gill. These new baits have recently hit the US market and I got a good chance to test and experiment this bluegill style swimbait.

Inside the javalon gill is a weight balance foam insert that makes the lure swim true every single cast. If the foam insert falls out and is missing which has happened to me, you can insert a nail weight at the belly of the bait which will make the lure also swim true always.

 The Javallon gill comes in many great colors for what every forge you are trying to imitate and also two 3D printed bluegill colors that match a natural bluegill perfect. It brings a new meaning to match the hatch.  After all my testing, I found out this is a very versatile bait.  The action on these swimbaits are a natural almost snake “s” swim. There is so many different ways to fish this bait in different water types conditions, and cover. The Javallon gill can be worked in endless ways and is a bait that should be in every avid angler's tackle box.

  Rigging

there are more ways to rig this bait than just a weightless Texas rig. There are two spots on the baits body for hook placement. The main hook placement for a EWG hook is directly under the side fin. This hook position gives the lure the most natural swim. The other hook placement spot is just under the weight balance foam, there is a dashed line in the center of the bait.

  Another great way to rig this bait which I have seen on many Japanese websites is modifying the lure itself to be a line through swimbait. The best way to make this modification is by using a thin coffee stirrer and stick it through the nose of the bait out to the belly and cut off the excess ends. Then feed your main line through the bait and tie a treble hook at the other end. What this does is make for a better hook up ratio as there is an open treble hook instead of a weed less Texas rig hook. Also, it will help preserve the bait itself. Since it is a line through style now when the bass hit the lure only the hook will be in the fish’s mouth and the lure would slide up the line protecting it from getting ripped. The javalon gill on a weightless rig usually stays between 0-1 foot under the surface or wakes on the surface. If you want a deeper presentation you can slide a nail weight in the belly of the bait which will cause a fast sink rate and swim deeper in the water column.

 Testing

I have been doing testing at local ponds and the bass in these ponds have seen nothing like this lure and hit it more than any other lure I would throw. When I Texas rigged this lure, I found it came through cover great. I fished around scattered grass and never got hung up or bunches of grass on the lure it slid through very nicely. I also was fishing around tree laydowns and never got hung up. It would slide over any tree or brush o brought it through. What I like most of this bait is that I can get it to spots I couldn’t get any other lures. There were many low hanging trees and I could skip the Javallon gill farther in tighter spots because how well it skips. The flats sides make the Javallon gill like a perfect skipping stone and is unlike any other lure. 

Equipment

Every fisherman is different how they fish, I myself don’t always set the hook very hard so I found I had a better hookup ratio on a heavier rod. My favorite set up for this lure right now is a 7’2” heavy fast action Killer heat rod. My reel of choice is a Daiwa Zillion HD in a 7:3:1 gear ratio. I like the littler heavier reel that can hold up pulling fish out of cover. I also like the faster gear ratio for when I fish my target area and I do not get a strike I can reel it in faster and make my next cast quicker.  My line of choice is 16 LB Tooray exthrerad. I like the heavy line for when I do fish the lure around cover.           

-Jake Gaston