Fall 2024
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as it falls. Since a heavy bait is needed to make a long cast, the bait retains the weight for casting but has a more natural fall because the blade slows it down, which helps to call fish in from a long way.”
Valleyhill is located close to Lake Biwa, roughly an hour away, so this version was used extensively and passed the test. “This is more than just a bladed lipless crankbait; it has an irregular movement during the retrieve,” added Kawano. “Normal lipless crankbaits will swim evenly with constant vibration, but this version has much more irregular movement to trigger pressured fish. Fish act instinctively to irregular actions.”
FISHING THE LV500 VALLEYHILL EDITION
This version of the LV500 can
be fished just like you have always
fished a lipless crankbait, and there
really isn’t a wrong way to fish it.
However, the Valleyhill version
gives the fish a different look and
opens up more situations for
fishing this type of lure, according
to Mr. Kawano. The blade does
many things besides just adding
flash, as it changes the direction of
the bait and helps keep it lower in
the water.
“Our LV500 can be fished
with a steady speed retrieve and it will vibrate like a conventional lipless crankbait,” he said. “The added blade rotating gives it a different look when swimming in the water. It is affected by any change
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