S
ome of the most popular lure brands and the
latest cutting-edge techniques in America often
originate in one country: JAPAN. The Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) tackle scene
has long been a reliable way to find the next great lure or
technique. This phenomenon has been happening for years,
with more brands entering the North American market
yearly.
One of the latest to make the move is Valleyhill, a
premium Japanese lure brand now available to anglers
stateside. The company is well-established in Japan and
produces a host of different lures. It also collaborates with
several other leading brands to develop lures.
WHAT IS VALLEYHILL?
While it may be new to American anglers, Valleyhill and its sister company are well known in Japan. They have been developing fishing lures for decades, and you will surely hear much more about them in America in the coming months.
“Valleyhill is a Japanese lure brand, but not just any lure brand,” said Mr. Yu Kawano, the head of marketing. “The brand was started in 1990 and has survived in the competitive Japanese lure fishing market. We have been on the cutting edge with brands Valleyhill and Whiplash Factory.”
The fishing market has changed dramatically in 30 years, and Valleyhill has worked to stay innovative while also collaborating with other top Japanese brands.
“During the history of the company, the Japanese bass fishing industry has seen many ups and downs, but the brand has survived,” said Kawano. “One of the strengths of Valleyhill is collaboration with other top brands and anglers, along with a strong wholesale business.”
THE VALLEYHILL AND LUCKY CRAFT COLLABORATION
One unique pairing of two popular brands is the Valleyhill version of the popular Lucky Craft LV500 lipless crankbait. The two brands worked together to create a new spin on the famed lure, the result of a need from anglers fishing the world-famous Lake Biwa in Japan.
“The LV500 is a superb lipless crankbait that was developed by Japan in 1997,” said Kawano. “It earned a great reputation as a bait that casts very far, which is very important for anglers fishing on Lake Biwa since there are so many anglers that fish from the bank. This is the biggest lake in Japan, and to catch the big bass, you need to make very long casts to reach them.”
The original bait is well known, but the LV500 Valleyhill edition is unique, with a blade attached to the bait. “This collaboration adds a small blade to the chin of the lure,” said Kawano. “It creates additional water resistance and slows the sinking rate, giving the lure flashing and added vibration
®
Fall 2024
page 29