Hover Strolling vs. Mid-Strolling: Tips From the Pro Who Named It

Basser Editorial Staff — Tue, 10 Nov 2026 09:25:18 GMT

Hover strolling slows the bait's horizontal travel way down compared with mid-strolling (swimming a jig-headed minnow bait through midwater while shaking the rod so it rolls), so the bait looks like it's drifting in place. The man who named it is Kazufumi Yamaoka, the ultimate local on Lake Ikehara and Lake Nanairo (neighboring reservoirs in western Japan) and a living legend who competes on the JB TOP50 (Japan's top pro tour). He explains how it differs from mid-strolling, how to set up a hover rig (here, a PDL Super Hovering Fish on a Ryugi Hover Shot hook with a 0.3 g nail weight), how to keep the right amount of slack in your line, and how to shake the rod.

Explained by Kazufumi Yamaoka
Photos and text by the Basser editorial staff

The ultimate local on Lake Ikehara and Lake Nanairo, and a living legend who competes on the JB TOP50. He gave hover strolling its name.

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How to Fish the Deps Sakamata Shad, From the Man Who Designed It

Basser Editorial Staff — Tue, 10 Nov 2026 07:49:23 GMT

On Lake Biwa, on small lakes, in tournaments, and in the United States... Mid-strolling the Sakamata Shad has been fooling big bass around the world. We asked four anglers, starting with its designer Kazumasa Okumura, how the bait was born and how they fish it on a mid-strolling jig head.

Compiled by the Basser editorial staff

The editorial team of Basser, founded in 1986 as Japan's first magazine dedicated to bass fishing. Beyond techniques, it has covered the tournament scene and trends both in Japan and in the U.S., the home of bass fishing.

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つり人オンライン

Hover Strolling vs. Mid-Strolling: Tips From the Pro Who Named It

How to Fish the Deps Sakamata Shad, From the Man Who Designed It