Ninja Fishing

One of the best finesse fisherman on the planet is Elite Series Pro Kota Kiriyama, also know as "The Ninja". He helped make Japanese techniques like the drop-shot and the flick shake popular in the U.S. His success proves that he knows what he's doing, with an Elite win last year on Erie and five 2nd place over the years with B.A.S.S, he has proven that he can compete anywhere in the country. I see him as a favorite in a few weeks when the Elite Series hits Lake Oneida in New York. Anywhere that there are smallmouth, Kota seems to do well.

I had the opportuity to talk to him and ask him a few questions. Since he is on the Jackall Pro-Staff, my first question was about the flick shake. I asked him what his favorite color was and he said Sunburn Melon because it is a great all around color for all water clarity.

Next I wanted to ask him about his new swimbait he has coming out, appropriately named the Swimming Ninja, it's a six inch bait and has some great looking colors. I asked him "what makes it different than any other swimbait?" Kota said "The thing that makes this bait so great is that you can reel it very slow and still get the same action". He also pointed out to the stinger hook, that is already attached. This eliminates the need for customization. I can't wait to try it out.

It seems like techniques like the drop-shot, flick shake and others have been popular in Japan for years before they hit the states. I asked Kota which bait or technique is next in line to take America by storm. He said to look for things like small swimbaits to really become more popular. Interesting...we'll have to keep an eye on that.

You can learn more about Kota, see some cool videos and his blog at Ninjatacklebox.com. Thanks Kota!