DUO Photo Works

Playing around with some DUO lures...

Lure Photo 30: DUO Tide Minnow 90

Details here

DUO joins Twitter

After conquering Facebook, DUO has decided to join another important social network: Twitter.
From now on we can follow DUO on twitter, and I am sure we will receive many twits about amazing lures and exciting news!!  You can join the page here.

DUO Contest : You, your catch, and DUO

Another contest from DUO is on!

This one is pretty straightforward: You just have to be a fan of DUO Facebook and send photos of your catches taken with DUO lures to duocontest@gmail.com until 28th April 5PM.

I have seen many photos of nice fishes taken on these great lures. I am sure the inbox of DUO email will be full of amazing catches.

This is a type of photo that I expect to be dropped in the gmail inbox of DUO.

My friend TheUrbancastman with a bonito on a Saira.

Anyway, good luck to everybody!! Three lucky winners will get this nice package:

You Ask Mr. Adachi (DUO Contest)

In my previous post I wrote about the interview made to Mr. Adachi, the chief designer and general manager of DUO.
Well, I was jealous of Rusty for doing the interview but now DUO gives to all the facebook fans the chance to ask a question to Mr. Adachi. A very good initiative indeed.
It is, as usual, easy: Just be a fan of DUO facebook page and send your question to duocontest@gmail.com. The deadline is 30th March, 5PM.  I think this is a great opportunity to directly ask what you have in mind to a very special lure designer.
The questions will be collected and answered on DUO's blog at the end of the contest.  Three lucky winner will again get a nice prize package.

Good luck :)

Interview to Mr. Adachi

Usually behind successful brands there is a lot of teamwork but also a spark of genius. Creativity and ingenious ideas are needed especially when we talk about designing fishing lures.
DUO is one of the lure companies that keeps introducing amazing products in the market. Its lures are a success and  products like the tide minnow series have become a major success throughout the World.
Behind this brand there is, indeed a figure who designs all the DUO lures in the past 17 years.
Mr. Masahiro Adachi.

He transforms his ideas in beautifully crafted lures that we can enjoy so much during our fishing trips.

Our friend Rusty had the very luck to interview Mr. Adachi in Japan. He asked him questions on lure development, design, marketing, testing and evaluation and his view of the lure fishing market.
It is a very fine and enjoyable read.

You can find the interview (both in English and Italian) here.  

Source: Capitan Rusty Hook

Lure Photo 17: DUO Tetra Work Yurameki

Details here

Bonito loves the Press Bait

This morning I got a nice surprise in my mailbox. Our friend TheUrbanCastMan has landed another great Bonito (Sarda Sarda) with the DUO Press Bait Saira. 
This lure is on my wish list and I will get it soon. With 50g. you can cast it a mile and pelagic fishes like  bonitos love it.

News from Japan: DUO and Major Craft

This morning I spent my time reading the newspaper and browsing my favorite fishing sites.
I found two news worth sharing on my blog.
First of all, DUO is working on a very ambitious project right now. They are about to introduce the Realis Jerkbait 120 to the worldwide market. I say ambitious because this lure will be available in different setting to meet the expectations and demands of angler worldwide. There will be floating, sinking models, bigger stronger hooks, tungsten weights and so on. Basically they are making a lure that will work in all the waters around the world.Hats off to DUO for such a great design and idea. Meanwhile check this link and the photo below. Looks promising.

Great design, colors and craftsmanship: DUO

The other news comes from Major Craft's official blog.
The busy staff of MC is testing a new rod for scabbard fish angling. It is still in development phase but the blog has posted a photo of a all black rod with identification label on it. It is impressive the number of rod models they keep designing. Worth keeping an eye on them.

DUO Tetra Works Eye Candy

Duo Tetra Works Toto 42

Just Share it!

So, we are in March and DUO couldn't wait another day for their next contest.
This one is pretty straightforward and fun!


All you have to do is be a DUO fan on Facebook, post a link to DUO's FB page(http://www.facebook.com/DUOJPN) on your profile wall and send DUO a message to duocontest@gmail.com 
The subject of the mail is not important – you can even send an empty mail.


As usual DUO will pick a winner who will get these awesome lures, boxes, stickers and hats.


The contest will end on March 14th, 5 PM.


Good luck!! 

DUO Goes To NA

So, I have already wrote about what I think of DUO strategy in the international market. They are one of the first  Japanese companies to came up with a good marketing plan in order to expand their market on an international levels. I admire their lures as much as their effort to promote them worldwide. They make good use of the website (the English pages are great), facebook and keep in touch with key bloggers around the world.
Now they made a big step by entering one of the biggest markets available : North America.

Indeed the NA market is a big one but also very competitive. The are hundreds of companies already involved in the market and it might take some time for DUO to gain some share. On the other hand the products are excellent so is the team that DUO has setup on the other side of the pond.
I heard that the first biggest step will be in the freshwater market, with products of the Realis range.The Realis  lures dedicated to bass fishing, a big thing in the US.
I am sure they will be successful with this new and ambitious project. I believe it will be all easy when you have a winner in your hand and a well executed sales/marketing effort.
They already have a new Facebook Page. Give it a look.

I wish DUO North America good luck!!!

Some of the lures that will be available in North American stores soon:

Realis Minnow80SP

Realis Spin Bait 60

Realis Vibration 62

Realis Pencil 110

DUO Press Bait Kamuy

This is an interesting lure by DUO. It is basically a jig minnow from the Press Bait series. They have the look of a minnow but they are castsand have an action like a jig.

I heard good things about the Press bait series and especially the Saira. My friend UrbanCastman takes nice fishes in Italy with the Saira.
The Kamuy model was designed for salmon trout fishing in the Hokkaido. It has a slim body that mimics bait-fish and comes with a single salmon hook (Owner s-61 1/0 single hook) that give a solid hold.
My friend told me that has an amazing fluttering movement during the drop. It just flutters attracting the fishes.
When searching over Google I have found pictures of bonitos and garfishes taken with the kamuy.
I have been impressed also by the special assist cord of the hook. It is a short loop that is formed by a very short assist cord. It gives flexibility to the whole hook.

Specs
Length : 110mm
Weight: 25g
Type: Sinking


I definitely need to try it soon.
In the meantime please check these amazing photos of the Kamuy taken by my friend Kaywox. He is a fine angler and photographer. You can see the Press Bait Kamuy in its complete beauty.

DUO Tide Minnow 135 Surf B&W

It is a very busy period for me. Spending lots of time at the office and meetings. I came home late tonight but I wanted to share something on my blog. A quick camera work with my precious Duo Tide Minnow Surf and here is a black & white photo.

DUO's new contest is up!

DUO comes out with another contest for February.

This time they want to know our favorite fish target. This question looks interesting as well!

To participate you have to be a fan of DUO facebook page and send your answer to duocontest@gmail.com. Don't forget to add "My favorite fishing target" in the subject line.

Again, three lucky winners will get some very cool DUO lures, stickers and lure boxes. See below:

By the way, my favorite target fishes are european seabass and bluefish.

DUO contest is over

Another cool contest made by DUO is over. Again, three lucky anglers will get their hands on some great lures and promo material from the Japanese lure maker.

Duo asked the facebook fans their "favorite lure size" and yesterday it published the results.

The undisputed winner has been size 175mm, followed by 140mm and 120mm. These are all sizes of the famous "tide minnow" series, a minnow that has made the difference for many anglers all over the world.

It is now time to congratulate the winners and wait for the next contest that will be come out very soon!

News from DUO: Realis Minnow 80SP

I am a fan of saltwater lures because I "love" fishing in the salt. However sometimes I use lures that are designed for freshwater fishing but that are excellent on the fishes that I catch. In Europe, anglers usually say that the seabass can be caught with almost everything that is used for freshwater bass. Small minnows or soft lures always got the interest of the European seabass.

Realis is the name of  lures for freshwater bass made by DUO. They keep expanding this line with new models and 2012 looks like an interesting year.
There is a lure that caught my attenton the Minnow 80SP. I like it a lot. 80mm for 4.8g and many colors to choose from. This lure is a suspending model ideal for twitch and jerk technique.
The price is good (1.100YEN) and I am very interested in the D-62 and D-77 colors. The D-62 especially for some murky waters.
It looks like a terrific lure for some seabass fishing in port area or calm estuary waters. Oh, also I am sure it will be terrific for catching some freshwater bass as well.
Check it here

DUO Lures Painting Process

I like to see how my favorite fishing tackle are made. I have already posted some nice links on how Maria lures (see here) and fishing rods are made (see here). This time I have found a very interesting post on DUO's facebook page that shows how these amazing lures are painted. After reading about the painting process I understood why those lures looks so great. There is an incredible craftsmanship behind it. Many hours and skilled hands that transform a transparent plastic item in a real looking minnow.

The lures are painted with an airbrush. No wonder they look so great.

Hand made airbrushing, 5-6 coats of paints, paint masks and curing time. A DUO lures takes almost 25 minutes to get through all the painting process. Everything is done with the utmost care and dedication. About 5000 lures are painted every day. Check the whole painting process at DUO's official blog. Worth a reading.

One coat is done. Time for the paint to cure and start the second coat.

Lure Photo 12: DUO Tetra Works

More info here

New Year, New Contest by DUO

Here we are in 2012, a new year where I wish everybody will be happy and catch (& release) many fishes.

What a better way to start 2012 with another contest by Japanese lure maker DUO.


This time Duo is asking all its facebook fans a simple question :
"What is your favorite size of lure?"


To participate you have to be a fan of DUO facebook page, pick your preferred size, put "my favorite lure size" in the subject line and email it to duocontest@gmail.com 

Deadline is 28th January, 5PM.

The winner will get a set of great lures and promotional items.


GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! 


More details here