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FEATURE<br />
A LIFETIME IN<br />
LURE DESIGN<br />
Coming up with ideas for lures can be challenging at the best of times. When<br />
it has been your life’s work, new concepts can be harder to come by but for<br />
Japanese brand Sea Falcon’s CEO and chief designer Mr Tetsuo Itou it’s all<br />
about ensuring performance and design work in perfect harmony.<br />
TTW: WhaT goT you sTarTed In<br />
lure desIgn?<br />
TETSUO ITOU: I have always been interested<br />
making things, from a young age. In the<br />
beginning it was toys but, as my interest<br />
in fishing grew, I started to design my<br />
own lures. Initially it was mainly out of<br />
necessity since the availability of products<br />
was so limited.<br />
WhIch areas are your maIn<br />
focus When makIng a neW<br />
producT?<br />
My main focus is always the target,<br />
what technique is being used for fishing<br />
and what baitfish they feed on. Just<br />
32 www.tackletradeworld.com<br />
as important, though, naturally is the<br />
design of the lure but I never sacrifice<br />
performance for design or vice versa –<br />
the two parts need to exist in harmony.<br />
We always try to go the extra mile and<br />
be true to the handmade approach and<br />
detailed production.<br />
I also try to consider the angler<br />
and make products as user-friendly<br />
as possible; products which would be<br />
widely able to communicate the fun and<br />
enjoyment which fishing brings.<br />
WhIch of your desIgns are<br />
you mosT proud of?<br />
“Z Slow” has been in many ways at<br />
the beginning of the slow pitch jigging<br />
movement and has become a strong icon<br />
for us, so I would certainly rank it very<br />
highly.<br />
Another one I would pick is our “Slow<br />
Squid” – the combination of lead insert<br />
and squid skin makes it applicable for<br />
a variety of species and I think there is<br />
much more potential in it still.<br />
hoW has The IndusTry<br />
changed In your 25 years of<br />
experIence?<br />
The biggest difference would be the<br />
number of brands out there now. Back<br />
when I started, there was really only a
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