Tokyo Bay Sawara Casting
Blade Jig Comparison — 5 Picks and How to Choose
Sawara (Japanese Spanish mackerel) casting on Tokyo Bay means hunting for bird piles and boils, throwing a blade jig, and cranking it back as fast as you can. On Aug 23, 2026, I went out from Shin-Yamashita in Yokohama and finished with 2 hits and 1 fish. The target sawara took a Metal Magic TG 50g but came off, and I lost the lure too. Meanwhile, the other angler on the same boat got 6 hits with a TG Bait 40g tuned with a bladed single hook. This guide sorts out how to choose a blade jig for sawara, based on what that trip taught me and the editor's star ratings of the products reviewed on this site.
※Star ratings are by the editor (INU48). Parts marked "Editor's log" come from the editor's fishing reports and hands-on notes; everything else is an editorial summary based on manufacturer specs and general trends in online reviews. Check the latest prices and review counts on Rakuten via each link.
Start Here: 4 Points for Choosing a Sawara Blade Jig
① Weight: 40–60g is the core range
On Tokyo Bay, jigs of around 40–60g are commonly used for casting. Choosing the lightest weight that still reaches bottom keeps the jig from riding up even on a slower retrieve. When throwing heavier jigs, always check your rod's maximum casting weight (MAX rating).
② Tungsten or lead?
Tungsten (TG) jigs are smaller at the same weight, so they cast far and sink fast. They also cost more, and losing one to a sawara's teeth or the bottom hurts more. Lead blade jigs are cheap enough to buy in numbers, so carrying both and switching between them is the practical approach.
③ Ready-made, or tune the jigs you already have?
A ready-made jig with the blade already fitted (such as the TG Bait BLJ) can be used straight out of the package. If you already own jigs, simply adding a bladed hook part turns them into blade jigs. The rig that produced 6 hits for the other angler on my trip was exactly this kind of home-made tune.
④ Carry spares of the hit color, and rethink your line
On my trip, I lost the silver glow that the sawara hit and had no replacement, which stopped me in my tracks. Looking back, I suspect the difference from the angler with 6 hits was the line (I was using PE #1.5). If you go thinner, check your rod's line rating as well.
5 Recommended Picks
DAIWA TG Bait BLJ 60g
★ 4.5A blade-jigging version of the classic tungsten TG Bait, with a blade on a ball-bearing swivel and assist hook fitted from the start. Tungsten is denser than lead, so the silhouette is smaller at the same weight and it combines long casts with a fast sink. Available in five weights: 30, 45, 60, 80 and 100g. The 6 hits on my trip came from a home-made "TG Bait 40g + bladed single hook" tune, and the BLJ is essentially that setup ready to fish the day you buy it. The downsides are a higher price than lead blade jigs and the sting of losing one.
Editor's log The editor names the Metal Magic TG and the TG Bait BLJ as the jigs to choose for sawara (from the hands-on notes on the Real Blade TG review).
Aqua Wave Metal Magic TG 50g
★ 3.0A tungsten tail-spin jig with a bladed single hook at the rear. Five weights from 20 to 60g, with 40g as the standard size for sawara casting. It is compact and sinks fast, so it suits days when the baitfish are small. Genuine spare bladed hooks are also sold.
Editor's log My main lure (40g and 50g) on the Aug 23, 2026 Tokyo Bay sawara trip. The sawara hit the 50g in silver glow, but it came off and I lost the lure. With no replacement I was stuck, so the lesson is to bring spares of the hit color.
Shout Blade Shotel 50g
★ 3.0A lead blade jig with a blade fitted as standard, made by the jigging brand Shout. Weights: 30, 50 and 80g. The blade starts spinning quickly, so it attracts fish from the moment you start cranking after splashdown. Cheaper than tungsten and easy to buy in numbers, so you can throw it without worry in a game where teeth and snags cost lures. If you mix TG and lead jigs, make this your lead option.
Hayabusa Jack Eye Sawara Spin 2 50g
★ 3.0The second generation of Hayabusa's sawara blade jig. The flash and vibration of the spinning rear blade let you search wide water with a straight retrieve. Weights: 30, 40 and 50g. Some anglers say the blade and hooks wear quickly from sawara teeth, so carrying spares keeps you fishing efficiently. The first-generation Sawara Spin (40, 50 and 60g) is also reviewed.
Vanfook Blade Works BWS-S / BWSD-S
★ 4.0 / 3.0System parts that turn a metal jig into a bladed-hook jig just by attaching them to the rear. The hook, split ring and blade come pre-assembled. The single-hook BWS-S (#1 to #3/0, 2 per pack) tangles less and causes fewer problems, while the double-hook BWSD-S (#4 to #1) prioritizes hook-ups. You can try blades with jigs you already own, such as a TG Bait, without buying new blade jigs.
Editor's log I used the BWSD-S on the rear of a TG Bait 60g on the Aug 23 sawara trip, and on a TG Bait 100g off Uraga on Oct 10. My impression: "the blade spins well."
What the Editor Doesn't Recommend This Time
DAIWA Real Blade TG 40g
★ 3.0A blade jig that pairs a tungsten body with a rear blade, designed to combine casting distance with appeal. However, when I used it for sawara, I got chases but no hits, and "other jigs caught more". For sawara, I would pick the Metal Magic TG or the TG Bait BLJ above.
Comparison at a Glance
← Scroll the table sideways →
| Product | Type | Weights | Editor's rating | Editor's log |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TG Bait BLJ | TG, blade fitted | 30–100g | ★4.5 | The one to pick for sawara |
| Metal Magic TG | TG, tail-spin | 20–60g | ★3.0 | Main lure on 8/23. Hooked a sawara (came off) |
| Blade Shotel | Lead, blade fitted | 30–80g | ★3.0 | — |
| Sawara Spin 2 | Sawara blade jig | 30–50g | ★3.0 | — |
| BWS-S / BWSD-S | Add-on bladed hook | Size to match your jig | ★4.0 / 3.0 | Used the BWSD-S on 8/23 and 10/10 |
| Real Blade TG | TG, blade | 30g, 40g | ★3.0 | Chases only. Not recommended |
The Tackle I Used for Sawara
The rod and reel from the Aug 23 trip. Since you keep cranking fast all day, a reel with a fast retrieve really helps. The rod is rated for PE MAX #1.5, so with this combination the line can't go any thinner.
The Fishing Reports Behind This Guide
Endless fast cranking in overcast skies and swell for 2 hits and 1 fish — an honest record, including the lost sawara and the gap with the angler who got 6 hits.
▶ Read: Tokyo Bay Sawara Casting — Two Hits After Endless Cranking, and the One That Got Away▶ Read: Rental Boat Trip off Uraga, Tokyo Bay — A 40cm Mackerel on My First Time at the Helm in a While
Summary
If you pick just one, go with the TG Bait BLJ, which comes with blade and hook fitted. If you already own jigs such as the TG Bait, Vanfook's bladed hooks turn them into blade jigs. Teeth and snags cost a lot of lures in this game, so if you throw a lot, add the lead Blade Shotel too. And always bring spares of the color that's working. You can also check how sawara are biting in Sagami Bay on the daily-updated Sagami Bay Catch Watch.