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Half a Century of the Japanese lure maker, SMITH CO., LTD

Half a Century of the Japanese lure maker, SMITH CO., LTD | The Fishermans Hut

One of Japan's most established premium fishing tackle brands, SMITH CO., LTD, completes half a century in December of this year 2020 with many reasons to celebrate.

SMITH CO., LTD, was founded in Japan in December 1970 as a manufacturer of lures and fly fishing products and in 1977 signed a distribution contract for the American brand Heddon Lures. The Heddon/Smith lures were made by Heddon for the Smith Co., Ltd in Japan, but then the Smith company made a request that Heddon specially make them the Original Zara Spook, Magumum Torpedo, Baby Zara, Wounded Spook, Lucky 13 and the Zara II lures in the colors that were used when they were first released. The Heddon/Smith lures were only available by the Smith Company in Japan and were not sold in the United States. Heddon made these lures for the Smith Company until 1983. On November 11, 1983, the Edwin B. Stevens Company purchased the Heddon Company and made it a division of PRADCO, then they moved the entire operation to Ft. Smith, Arkansas.

*Heddon/Smith

Smith Co., LTD, started exporting its products to all of Europe and the United States in 1979.

In 1999 Smith created the famous and innovative lure SARUNA, a saltwater fishing minnow with a weight transfer system. The name SARUNA comes from Saltation, Rummage, Navigation. They aimed to develop a hard-core saltwater minnow for serious anglers to support this concept. As a result, they succeeded in making a new type of saltwater lure with a roll-and-wobble action and long casts thanks to its weight transfer system.

saruna

*Saruna

*Among so many awards already received, Saruna received the award for best lure sold in Brazil in 2012

In 2003 they released "D-Contact", a heavy sinking minnow for fishing on brook water. After that, Smith released many legendary lures including Cherry Blood and Haluca, and rods for saltwater and trout fishing.

Currently, the Smith Company sells through local distributors to many countries including Russia, most European countries, China, southeast Asia, UAE, Israel, Kuwait, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, and the USA.

In the USA you can find Smith fishing tackle at THE FISHERMAN’S HUT, in Tampa Bay, Florida!

*Diogo Yamada, The Fisherman's Hut Ceo and Mr Kazuo Tamakoshi from Smith, in Setagaya, Tokyo

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