Hots Big Fin Inchiku 120g
Boat-shaped winged head, replaceable octopus skirt, no head spin — a working Japanese inchiku that earns its place through consistency, not novelty.
Editorial
The Big Fin is Hots Japan's take on the inchiku — a metal-head, soft-skirted hybrid worked slowly near the bottom. The 120 g sits in the middle of a nine-weight series that runs from 80 g to 350 g.
The head is unusual. A boat-shaped profile with shoulder wings keeps the jig from rotating at speed, so the action stays as a side-to-side wobble rather than a corkscrew. The assist wire runs inside the head — no front or back bumps to catch line.
The octopus skirt swaps out on a split ring in seconds. Twelve colourways including three UV abalone finishes.
Why It Matters
Inchikus are one of the under-translated Japanese lure categories. They sit between metal jigs and tairaba rigs, work bottom-feeding species (snapper, pearl perch, mulloway, coral trout, emperors), and reward slow patient presentation rather than aggressive jigging. The Big Fin is a working version of the format — not boutique, not mass-produced, just a well-engineered piece that production-tier reef and snapper anglers in Japan and Australia have used long enough that its quirks are known.
Best For
- Snapper, pearl perch, mulloway on the AU east coast
- Coral trout, emperors, nannygai on light reef gear
- Anglers wanting an inchiku that holds posture on a fast lift
- Slow-pitch drift fishing where the swell does the work
Technical Snapshot
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Jig length | 75 mm |
| Total length (with skirt) | 180 mm |
| Weight (this size) | 120 g |
| Other weights available | 80, 100, 150, 180, 210, 250, 300, 350 g |
| Rig | Pre-rigged double assist hooks + replaceable tako bait |
| Head | Boat-shaped with shoulder wings; internal wire |
| Country of origin | Japan |
| Colourways | 12 base finishes including 3 UV R.G.B. abalone |
Collector / Field Notes
The UV R.G.B. abalone variants are worth flagging — Hots paints ultraviolet-reactive pigment onto a zebra-pattern abalone sheet, intended to remain visible at depth where standard pigments wash out. JPY ¥1,600 ex-tax in the base finish at retail, JPY ¥2,200 ex-tax for the UV abalone tune. Replacement rigs and skirts are sold separately in two-pack (assist hooks) and five-pack (tako baits) formats. Fished standard for snapper, it pairs cleanly with the Daiwa Saltiga 12 Braid on light overhead gear.
FAQ
Frequently Asked
- What's an inchiku?
- A Japanese hybrid lure — a metal jig head paired with a soft octopus-style skirt. Designed for slow vertical work near the bottom rather than fast jigging.
- What makes the Big Fin different from other inchikus?
- Hots engineered a boat-shaped winged head that resists rotation at speed, so the jig wobbles side-to-side rather than spinning. The head also carries the assist wire internally — no protrusions front or back.
- Is the skirt replaceable?
- Yes. The tako bait sits on a split ring and changes out in seconds. Hots sells replacement skirts in nine colourways and two-pack replacement assist rigs.
- What technique does it suit?
- Slow constant retrieve off the bottom, or a leave-it-in-the-rod-holder drift with the swell working the lure. Light jerks add response without breaking the wobble pattern.
