Mainly targeting rockfish, the slow pitch jerk has spread across various regions.
Naturally, the hooks are designed to reliably hook even the slightest bites during the fall, as well as during ultra-high-speed body attacks.
The core shape features a wide gape, which is essential for these situations.

However, when using this hook for bluefish, there are many bites, but the fish often get off...
Hooks marketed for bluefish are mainly thick-shank, large-sized hooks for big catches, which are mismatched with line gauges...
So, what exactly is the ideal hook for bluefish in slow pitch jerk fishing!?
The answer, derived from many years of experience by top angler Yasuo Nishimoto, is the small sea bream hook.
It embodies a basic shape that can be called "the aesthetics of subtraction."

**Blue Fish Technique Commitment**

The hooks are entrusted to "Hariyoshi Co., Ltd.," which has a long history in Hyogo Prefecture and produces small hooks by hand bending, maintaining consistent quality.
Moreover, these are not just off-the-shelf products from the manufacturer; they were developed exclusively for STUDIO OceanMark.
The design, including shank length, point length, point taping, and ear angle, was carefully crafted based on Nishimoto’s insights, communicated through fishing experiences to young hook craftsmen.

**Target Assumptions**

A size 20 hook was developed, imagining PE #2 line, 10kg yellowtail, and 5kg amberjack/kanpachi, with a hardness just enough to bend without breaking.
Depending on where the hook catches, the thin-shank design may open slightly, but during development testing, even a 30kg class yellowfin tuna, which clearly exceeds the size, was caught.
Hooks that securely lock into the jaw or mouth area, with only slight opening, demonstrate excellent performance.

**Trade-off: More bites or reliable hooking and fighting...?**

Many wide-gape models have the hook point nearly parallel to the assist line.
This allows catching small bites from less active bluefish that cling to the bait.
However, this high hooking efficiency can cause the fish to snag on the body or around the mouth, and the hook point, aligned with the assist line, may not penetrate deeply.
During fights with large fish, deformation or line breakage can occur.

Blue Fish Technique (Ao Technique) slightly reduces the number of bites but ensures the hook reliably reaches the mouth.
Because the hook point faces the assist line tip, it maximizes hooking performance and ensures a secure catch.
The pilot hook uses a wide-gape hook to identify the pattern, aiming to target the "big one" within schools with the "Ao Technique"!