This time, we would like to introduce a technique from Koudai Hayashi, one of the most popular smallmouth bass guides on Lake Nojiri in Nagano, Japan.

Lake Nojiri is one of Japan’s most famous smallmouth bass fisheries. Many Japanese anglers visit this lake to target clear-water smallmouth bass with technical lure presentations.

The lure featured in this technique is the O.S.P Nichika 167F.

Hayashi uses the Nichika 167F with the included 2g weight attached.

With this setup, he retrieves the lure extremely slowly around 2 meters below the surface.

The key point is the dead-slow retrieve.

This is not a technique where the angler gives the lure strong action with the rod. Instead, the lure is retrieved slowly and naturally through the water, making smallmouth bass come up from below to bite.

According to Hayashi, this approach is especially effective for smallmouth bass.

Recommended setup:

Lure: O.S.P Nichika 167F
Weight: Included 2g weight
Range: Around 2 meters below the surface
Retrieve: Dead-slow retrieve
Target: Smallmouth bass

Guide: Koudai Hayashi
Field: Lake Nojiri, Nagano, Japan

This is a real clear-water smallmouth technique from one of Lake Nojiri’s top guides.