SHIMANO Bantam Jigil Prop 67SS #006 ST Wakasagi

Prop equipped for inviting a slow presentation. The essence of the Jijil Prop lies not in its "swisher" appearance.
Based on the highly successful Jijil, which has brought explosive catches from various locations, a prop bait has been introduced using the Jiggle as its design base.
While the addition of the prop may make it seem like a more appealing "swisher," the true aim of this lure is to achieve an "extremely slow retrieve."
The J-shaped lure has high fish-attracting power, often leading to bass chasing it down. There are several ways to manipulate the fish trailing behind the lure to bite.
For instance, abruptly increase reeling speed, simulating the escape of bait that has caught the bass's attention.
On the other hand, what the Jijil Prop aimed for was to slow down the movement speed to the extreme for bass that cautiously and nervously track at a consistent distance, delivering the lure right to their noses.
Since the J-shaped lure is literally swum in a straight line, it has few parts that create resistance against itself. Even when attempting to move the lure slowly to the extreme by lowering reel speed, phenomena such as line weight, wind, and waves often cause the lure to self-propel.
The prop installed on the Jijil Prop aims to eliminate these issues. By acting as a brake to prevent the lure from self-propelling towards the angler and adding resistance during retrieval, it enhances control performance in the extreme slow zone.

Even in its straight path, there's a sway. The unique Wag Lock Joint found in Jiggle.
Also equipped on the Jijil is the feeding mechanism known as the "Wag Lock Joint."
The Wag Lock Joint features a unique head joint structure that allows the lure to swim with no action in a straight line during normal retrieval. However, when the lure is stopped or twitched, the head of the lure bends and flexes, serving as a mechanism to trigger bass strikes.

The Wag Lock Joint is necessary for the Jijil Prop because it allows the lure to fully demonstrate its original capabilities by maintaining a consistent retrieval speed. So, why is this joint needed? It's because of the subtle "sway" that occurs during action. The prop generates water flow and vibration that the body absorbs, resulting in slight vibrations.
During prototyping, we tested various shapes, including one-piece bodies without joints and those with altered joint structures. However, it was ultimately the body with the "Wag Lock Joint" structure that allowed us to glean the most insights from bass.

Dedicated design prop and meticulously crafted body shape
The prop desig

ned specifically for the Jijil Prop is set to be extremely thin to enhance rotational performance. It's designed to rotate responsively even during a dead slow retrieve, taking into account water resistance. The prop is a single design located only at the head. Because the nature of the lure often leads to strikes from fish trailing from behind, we prioritize hooking performance and do not install a prop at the rear. Additionally, being a single prop reduces air resistance during casting compared to double props, ensuring stable casting distances.

The body is equipped with fins to stabilize its posture. These fins prevent the lure from rising upwards during retrieval, maintaining a stable posture. Furthermore, with single-prop lures, the body tends to rotate easily due to the force of the propeller's rotation. The presence of these fins allows for control of the lure's posture relative to its rotational direction.

Development began with tuning the Jijil 70.

We prototyped various versions with considerations for hooking performance, casting distance, and, most importantly, bass response. Testing was conducted repeatedly in the field over several years of development, resulting in dozens of prototype iterations. The development process is driven by a thorough field-oriented approach, which is a consistent philosophy in Shimano's craftsmanship.