Two-time Bassmaster Elite champion Takumi Ito has spent six years climbing onto the American tournament scene by quietly fishing Japanese baits and techniques the rest of the field had never seen. On the latest Mercer Podcast — the 261st edition — host Dave Mercer pushed the man Bob Cobb once nicknamed "Japanese Justin Bieber" on the secrets that have defined his career, and Ito conceded the well is running dry.
"Tu no more secret," Ito said, deadpan, as Mercer pressed him on the Nories Kuyaki — the long-haired, articulated Japanese soft bait that Ito had been fishing for four years before American anglers started buying it by the cartload. "Tu no more secret. Yeah. So for so like a 2020 2021 I have a already I have a many secrets. So even the Ko four years ago I already use that. So but now every every people know that. So Taku is sad."
The Kuyaki has become the breakout bait of the 2025–26 forward-facing-sonar era in American bass fishing. Ito said the lure has been on Japanese tackle shop walls for more than two decades but was misunderstood for most of that time. He explained that Hide-up's owner released the early Ko version around 2001 or 2002 priced at one dollar each, and that 95 per cent of Japanese anglers had no idea how to use it. Modern versions have grown to 70 millimetres and are fished on a Zekka rig or a Neko-weighted hook with a very light head.
Asked who he blamed for the secret leaking, Ito did not hesitate. "Koya, I think. Yeah, it's his fault. Yeah, I said I said so." Ito and fellow Japanese pro Kyoya Fujita are friendly, but Ito described their text-message relationship as "out to communication," with replies arriving four weeks late. "I think we six text one year. So you send a text and he doesn't get back for a month later. Yes. Yes."
Mercer asked whether the pressure of forward-facing sonar — and the field of young pros who have built their identity around it — has caught up with Ito. The Japanese veteran, who said he has been fishing live-imaging tools since he was 13 years old, agreed the gap has closed. "I already used in the riboscope every day so but now uh takus for the facing sona technique here but young guy every young guy the more so it's it's hard it's every year it's very very good fisherman making a read so every year the more harder to fish in a rich cities," he said.
Ito singled out 2024 Angler of the Year Trey McKinney as the standard. "I think uh he don't have a holiday. He fish every day," Ito said, contrasting the young Texan's schedule with his own and adding that he too is fishing every day, including in strong wind. He warned Mercer that another Japanese pro, Yui Aoki — who has been quietly grinding through the Bassmaster Opens — is bringing more secrets across. "He have a many secret too. Yeah. Will he share secrets with you? No. No. No. He I think everyone don't know that."
Asked about life after fishing, Ito said his goal is to take over Nories from his 68-year-old master in roughly a decade — a ten-year apprenticeship in lure design, hard bait construction and soft plastics, with a view to leading the company that has shaped his career.
The interview also turned to the next Japanese bait that anglers should watch. Ito told Mercer the 2025 release is a skeleton-style fish profile called Gira from Japan, and that he already has 300 packages stockpiled. "2025, so Japanese bass eating skeleton fish. Gira next time new techniques, new secret bait is a Gira."
Ito is heading into Lake Murray as the favourite of his fan base — Mercer noted that 50,000 to 70,000 viewers tune into his pre-tournament livestream, and that Ito himself believes the podcast brings him luck. "Hopefully I won't get win the Lake Mar. But so Ma's podcast right now I think is very good fishing Lake Mar guarantee."