Gear Review: VMC Tokyo Rig

What is it?

VMC Tokyo Rig

What sets it apart?

Combine the brute force technique of punching with the precision of dropshotting and you have the Tokyo Rig’s inspiration — punch-shotting. Think of it as heavy-duty drop-shotting through thick vegetation, and unlike the heavy Texas rig used for punching, the Tokyo rig keeps the bait and weight separated. This offers a couple of distinct advantages: 1) your bait holds horizontally, rather than nose-down on the bottom; 2) the weight won’t pop the fish’s mouth open on the hook set — a common bite-wasting issue with heavy punch rigs.

How do I use it?

The Tokyo Rig features a VMC Heavy Duty Wide Gap Hook fitted with welded O-ring, which holds a barrel-swivel and a rigid 2 1/2-inch wire dropper arm to which anglers can attach one or more weights. A single bullet weight sized according to depth or vegetation thickness is standard, but some may chose a football head for dragging presentations or two back-to-back bullet weights, which slip in and out of cover easily and create fish-tempting clicking sounds. With any weight choice, you simply bend a crook in the end of the wire dropper arm.

How much?

$3.79 (2)

More Information:

Rapala.com

Angler’s insight:

The Tokyo rig opens up a diversity of presentation opportunities. One of the most obvious techniques is fishing this rig like a short leader dropshot, however, the wire stem holding your weight(s) eliminates the common vexation of line-damaging zebra mussels or other harsh habitat features. Similarly, you can drag the Tokyo rig like a football head jig, but with the line tie riding higher, you won’t risk knot or line damage.