Influenced by the wood lure designs of Heddon and Creek Chub in the U.S., he began making lures on his own. When he got a copy of the magazine “All About Black Bass,” he learned about domestic manufacturers such as Endo Minnow, Architect, and Dream Rush (now NISHINE LUREWORKS), and was impressed by the beauty of their minnows and topwater plugs modeled after native Japanese species.
From the 1990s to 2000, Japanese handmade wood plugs were further subdivided into minnows, crankbaits, topwater plugs, etc., and many handmade lure makers were established.
Among them, topwater plugs were outstandingly interesting, sophisticated lures that perfectly imitated fish, playful lures filled with American culture that was greatly influenced by the Heddon Company, and among them, the WILDWALKER by Taizo Shimazaki, the representative of “HandSome” company in Aichi Prefecture, a local company. When I held the WILDWALKER Jr. by Taizo Shimazaki, a representative of “HandSome”, a local company in Aichi Prefecture, I was impressed by its outstanding painting technique despite its abstract design that does not resemble a fish.
The interesting thing about lure fishing is that the lure does not look like a living thing, but when you start to move it, it seems to come to life. The sight of fish jumping and preying like crazy on that child’s toy-like shape is what can truly be called game fishing, combining fishing with the joke of playfulness.
The wooden lures were especially striking for their uniqueness of shape, and despite being fishing tackle, the design was also important, and I was struck by the way they aged with the angler over time, reminding me that this was how my game fishing all began.
During my study abroad period as a student, I had my first overseas black bass fishing experience in San Diego, California. I still vividly remember how excited I was to see old Heddon and Creek Chub lures and old tackle on a direct reel displayed in a boathouse I met there.
After returning to Japan and graduating from college he established “abdeal” company in 2004 as a domestic handmade lure manufacturer. Currently, he has business with 30 surface game specialty stores in Japan. I started this business because I admire Japanese surface plugs, which have developed uniquely in Japan, and I admire the people who make these plugs.
There are people all over Japan who make lures for a living, and they all have their own unique personalities. Even when fishing for the same black bass, it is fascinating to see the personality, style, and story behind each lure. In 2016, he released “munch it”, an independently produced book featuring Japanese handmade lure makers and anglers.
Each company has its own unique production process when it comes to wood lures, and our company is no exception.