Tattoo of the Week – The King of Beers Becomes the King of Bass
I recently came across the tattoo pictured above of Heddon’s vintage “Big Bud Lure” from Blue Dragon Tattoo Brighton. To Americans, it might seem like an ironic or snarky or nostalgic choice, but to many Japanese anglers it is serious effing business – the novelty lure has more than even a cult following there, so it’s shouldn’t necessarily be a surprise that someone committed to it forever.
This simple and inadvertent discovery sent me down a rabbit hole. To learn more about this lure and its followers, check out the following links:
Ad courtesy of Bass Fishing Archives
For those who didn’t like the King of Beers, it also came branded with Coors, as well as some tobacco versions.
In the JDM market, there have been numerous collaborations and special runs producing additional colors – both standard bass patterns and some wild alternatives. Even Megabass produced a series of co-branded options:
One similar lure that was popular for a while was the Jackall Bunny. It seems to have been discontinued in the US, but you can still find them on some auction sites and Japanese used tackle sites.
One really cool option that is still available is the Deps MT Wakebait. They’re remarkably reasonable for a JDM big bait.
If you don’t believe that this seemingly gimmicky lure can be effective, check out the following videos:
