GROOVE – Gravitation

Supervised by Makoto Kato

A new-concept Tai Rubber (Tai-rubber jig) rod developed under the guidance of Makoto Kato, captain of the charter boat GROOVE in the Kanmon Straits. Designed for fast-current environments where traditional approaches struggled, this rod was born from discarding conventional ideas to fully master the Tai-rubber game. The result is GRAVITATION, a radically innovative Tai-rubber rod that challenges all previous conventions.

Specifications

• Construction: Grip-joint 2-piece rod (1-piece blank)
• Blanks:
  • GRVC-LCT60ML: Tubular blank, 24t graphite
  • GRVC-TRS69M & GRVS-VAS64M: Full solid carbon blank, 24t graphite
• Guides: Fuji K-Guides with SiC rings
  • Top guide: T-KTSG titanium frame
  • Tip to belly section: Titanium frame SiC-S
  • Butt section: Stainless frame SiC-S

GRVS-VAS64M – Spinning Tai-Rubber Rod

When it comes to spinning tackle for Tai-rubber (Tai-rubber jig) fishing, it is well known that casting lighter jigs long distances into shallow areas and targeting fish laterally or diagonally allows anglers to cover a wide range.

The “Vertical Angle” spinning model is designed for a pure free-fall approach without any summing, taking full advantage of the spinning reel’s characteristics. This allows highly efficient targeting of low-activity red sea bream. The rod can handle Tai-rubber weights up to 250g, and is suitable for both extremely heavy and lighter setups.

Unlike baitcasting setups, this rod allows a pure free-fall: depending on the jig weight, it can fall in a high-speed straight drop or flutter and flash as it descends. By combining vertical and lateral movements—dropping the jig directly in front of fish that are not actively chasing—this rod enables a “chase-and-strike” style where the bait subtly attracts attention before being brought deeper.

The rod’s angle, as the name suggests, is Vertical Angle: both during free-fall and retrieval, the tip is held in line with the Tai-rubber, allowing precise control and maximizing reaction strikes from the fish.

This is a new-concept rod for efficiently enticing non-active red sea bream with minimal horizontal movement.