Large wake-type lure that draws out large sea bass Mangrove Studio Strike Pro “Walker

A lure that walks slowly on the surface of the water

Mangrove Studio released a 200mm model last year in 2023 and an additional 160mm model in 2024, the Strike Pro Magnum Minnow Seabass Edition Walker. One lure that is now familiar to anyone who enjoys big-bait seabass games is the Strike Pro Big Bandit, weight-tuned for Japan by Mangrove Studios. The Big Bandit is a weight-tuned version of Strike Pro’s Big Bandit from Taiwan for the Japanese seabass market. However, there are times and situations that are difficult to exploit with the Big Bandit. Mangrove Studio created the Walker as an item to overcome such situations. The performance of the Walker is that it moves while keeping its body perfectly on the surface of the water, swinging its body from side to side and shaking the surface of the water. It appeals with its strong wave motion.
In this issue, we interviewed the developer, Takashi Ueyashiki, the head of Mangrove Studio, to learn more about this walker.
Before the release of the Walker, there were two versions of the Magnum Minnow: the Bevel Swimmer (200mm & 160mm, sinking and floating with 2 hooks), ideal for GT and tuna fishing, and the Seabass Edition (200mm), a floating model with 3 hooks. The Seabass Edition is a floating 3-hook model. The Seabass Edition produces a strong wobble-and-roll action at depths of 80 cm or less when pulled in a free reeling motion. This model has been proven on night seabass and redfish. Based on the Seabass Edition, the Walker was created with a different motion appeal.
Mr. Kamiyashiki was searching for the next item in the Big Bandit lineup that would attract large sea bass. And he had an idea that he wanted a large wake-type lure.

Based on the Seabass Edition of the Magnum Minnow, the Walker was created with a modified lip.

Background to the birth of the Walker

The year before 2023, when we launched the 200mm, we wanted a large minnow that would produce strong movement in the top range, so we put the Seabass Edition’s lip up for a test. I had felt that the previous models swam briskly but dove a little too deep. First, we tried angling the lip by searing the base of the lip with a fire. This produced a strong movement, and when I tried it out in the field, I was able to catch fish with that movement. From there, we thought that if we further refined the performance of the lure, we could make it more appealing on the surface. So we added more area to the lip. We tried making it thinner, more angular, more rounded, changing the material, and so on. As a result, we found that making the lip thinner and wider would produce an interesting movement on the surface layer, so we consulted with Strike Pro in Taiwan about modifying the lip, and we were able to bring it to market.
The wide lip on the buoyant body created a large 200mm (86g) wake minnow that moved on the surface of the water while producing strong waves, something that had never been seen before in Japan. The fixed weight of the seabass edtion was used for the wake minnow, but the center-of-gravity weight was used for the wake minnow in order to stabilize its distance from the water.
The fixed weight with a wide lip often tangled the leader when the lure landed on the water. To solve this problem, we added a ball of lead that moves. As a result, the distance was stabilized by the shift of the center of gravity. Furthermore, when it is moving, this lead ball makes a clunking sound that appeals to the angler. There were small wake lures in Japan, but none of them were large, and 200 mm was the largest size available. The final test was conducted at night at a point in a river, where we compared it with other popular wake lures, but we were able to beat them in fishing and decided to release it.
The big-bait sea bass game, which is so popular these days, is less successful than the small minnow game. However, when they are caught, they are often large in size. Furthermore, topwater fishing is more powerful when a fish hits. The satisfaction of catching a fish is great. The 200mm Walker is a lure created for this type of sea bass game.
The 200mm Walker is a lure created for this type of seabass fishing. I want people who are targeting large sea bass to use this lure when the time is right.

The Walker 200 was created after repeated trial and error, changing the angle of the lip, the thinness, and the shape, until a satisfying swimming action was achieved.

Walker 200 Action Movie ①

Walker 200 Action Movie ②

Available in 10 colors.

Why we added 160 and where to put the wake.

However….
We have received requests from customers that the 200mm size would be too limited in terms of situations in which it could be used. They wanted a size that could be used anytime, whether in the shore or on a boat. So we decided to release the Walker 160 (45g) in 2024 with a 160mm body, which was already in our Magnum Minnow lineup, with a 3-hook design and a new lip.
The movement is the same as that of the 200mm model, a waking motion with the body swinging from side to side while creating a ripple on the surface of the water. So when is the best time to use both sizes?
The wake type is good in the dark, but it is especially effective in the early morning when it is still quite dark. The way to move them is to just reel them in at a slow speed. When dawn breaks, I often find that anglers respond to the irregular action I give them. This is a movement such as stopping slightly in the middle of a reeling motion.
He also says that the big-bait seabass fishing season is more effective in late fall and winter, when the water temperature is cooler.
The trick is to reel the bait in slowly,” he said. For this reason, we recommend using a reel with a low gear ratio.

Walker’s lineup consists of 200mm and 160mm lures, with the 200mm lure’s size and large wave action making it very appealing. The 200mm lure appeals greatly with its size and large wave action, while the 160mm has outstanding appeal. The 160mm is also very appealing, and is a size that is effective for land-based sea bass as well.

Walker 160 Action Movie

Line and hook used

PE line can be used, but Mr. Kamiyashiki uses low-stretch nylon Baribus Absolut BBM Big Bait Monster Nylon 35lb and 30lb. If he were to use PE line, he would recommend No. 4 or No. 5 for 200mm, and No. 3 for 160mm. He said the line is adjusted for use with this line.

As for the reel, he feels the Shimano Conquest MD300 is the best reel for him. It has a solid handle, can be moved slowly, and can be reeled in when it bites.
And what about hook balance?
The split ring is #5 for both sizes. For the 200mm hook, I recommend BKK SPEAR 21-UA #1/0, and for the 160mm hook, I recommend Fangs 62-UA #2.

The big bait boat sea bass season will continue, although the peak season is in the fall. Why not add the Walker, which produces a different motion from the lures you have been bringing, to your box of friends?

Product details: Mangrove Studio
https://www.mangrove-studio.com/mangrove_s/products/ocean/ocp-sp_sb.html

Summary: Angler’s Time Editorial Department