Issei SS Jig: Haruhiko Murakami’s Shore Jigging Weapon for Bluefish
Updated: Sep 11
When you need to cover water from the shore, few lure types are as effective as a well-designed metal jig. Long casts, fast retrieves and the ability to reach different depths make them a natural choice when targeting powerful saltwater predators.
The Issei Umitao Speed Sardine Jig, commonly known as the SS Jig, is built specifically with that style of fishing in mind.
Designed by legendary Japanese lure designer Haruhiko Murakami, the SS Jig takes the basic concept of Issei’s Nekometal and pushes it toward a more specialized shore-casting application.
Built for the Shore
The SS Jig is part of the Speed Sardine series, a family of lures built around the idea of a fast-moving sardine.
Compared with the Nekometal, the SS Jig has a slimmer and thicker body, with a slightly forward-weighted balance. The result is a metal jig that is particularly well suited to casting from the bank, where distance and controlled swimming action can make all the difference.
The compact profile cuts through the air efficiently, helping the jig reach impressive distances without requiring excessive casting effort.
Once in the water, its streamlined body produces relatively little resistance while maintaining a fast, responsive action.
That combination makes the SS Jig particularly interesting for situations where predators are feeding aggressively and a fast-moving presentation is required.
A Reversible Metal Jig
One of the most distinctive characteristics of the SS Jig is its reversible design.
Like the Nekometal, it can be fished from either side, allowing anglers to experiment with different swimming characteristics simply by changing the orientation of the lure.
Rather than treating the SS Jig and Nekometal as interchangeable lures, Murakami recommends fishing them against one another and discovering how their different actions perform under changing conditions.
That makes the SS Jig more than simply another metal jig in the tackle box. Its balance gives anglers another presentation to work with when standard shore-jigging retrieves aren't producing.
Designed Around Two Different Baitfish
Murakami is known for paying close attention to the appearance of his lures, and the SS Jig is no exception.
The two sides of the lure feature different baitfish-inspired designs:
Kamasugo (sand eel)
Kibinago (silver-stripe round herring)
The idea continues a theme found throughout Murakami's lure designs, where the details of the lure are inspired by specific forage species.
The SS Jig also takes things a step further than the Nekometal. While the Nekometal uses printed facial details, the SS Jig incorporates three-dimensional sculpted features into its baitfish-inspired design.
An original hook configuration completes the package.
Five Weights for Different Shore-Jigging Situations
The Issei Speed Sardine Jig is available in five weights from 20 to 60 g, giving anglers plenty of room to adapt to different casting distances, depths and current conditions.
Weight | Body Length* |
20 g | 69 mm |
30 g | 80 mm |
40 g | 87 mm |
50 g | 95 mm |
60 g | 100 mm |
*Body length excludes the line-tie eye.
The range makes the SS Jig suitable for everything from lighter shore applications to heavier presentations where additional casting distance and depth are required.
Made for Fast Shore Retrieves
The SS Jig's geometry is particularly well suited to anglers who like to cast far and retrieve quickly. Its slim profile and forward-biased balance help it maintain a fast swimming action while reducing unnecessary drag through the water.
That makes it a natural choice when targeting fast-moving saltwater predators such as bluefish and other pelagic species from beaches, breakwaters, jetties and rocky shorelines.
When fish are spread over a large area, the combination of casting distance and rapid retrieval allows you to efficiently search the water column.
SS Jig vs. Nekometal
The SS Jig isn't intended to replace the Nekometal. Both are capable shore-jigging tools, but their different body shapes and balances give them distinct personalities in the water.
The SS Jig is the more shore-oriented, casting-focused design, with its slim profile, forward balance and emphasis on distance and fast swimming.
Rather than choosing one universally over the other, the better approach is to fish both and let the conditions tell you which action the fish prefer.
That philosophy is very much in keeping with Murakami's approach to lure design: small changes in shape and balance can create meaningful differences once the lure is in the water.
Eight Core Colors Plus Weight-Specific Options
The SS Jig is offered in a selection of colors shared across the different weights, along with additional colors available only in specific weights.
This gives anglers plenty of options for matching local forage, water clarity and light conditions.
For saltwater predators, having several finishes available can be particularly useful when fish become selective or when changing from bright daylight to low-light conditions.
Issei Speed Sardine Jig: Specifications
Brand: Issei / Umitao
Model: Speed Sardine Jig (SS Jig)
Type: Metal jig
Application: Shore jigging / shore casting
Weights: 20 g, 30 g, 40 g, 50 g, 60 g
Body lengths: 69–100 mm
Design: Reversible
Target applications: Saltwater predator fishing, bluefish and other pelagic species
A Purpose-Built JDM Shore Jig
The Issei SS Jig takes the proven concept of the Nekometal and gives it a distinctly shore-focused interpretation. Its slim, compact body, forward balance, long-casting capability and reversible design make it an interesting option for anglers who spend time chasing predators from the bank.
And, as with many of Haruhiko Murakami's designs, the details go beyond simple functionality. From the two-sided baitfish motifs to the sculpted facial details, the SS Jig has the kind of Japanese lure-design philosophy that makes it as interesting to examine as it is to fish.
For anglers looking for a compact metal jig capable of covering serious distance and maintaining a fast presentation, the Issei Speed Sardine Jig deserves a place in the shore-jigging box.
