In this interview Diogo tells us a little bit about his story, how he was introduced to vertical jigging and also gives some tips for those starting out in this sport:
1) Diogo, after all are you Brazilian or Japanese?
A: I am Brazilian son of Japaneses. I was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the largest city in the country. I grew up following the traditions of a typical Japanese family.
2) And did you live in Japan? How was that?
A: Yes. At the age of 15 I went with my mother to live and work in the Suzuka Region, Mie province. I lived in Japan for about 5 years. I made friends and learned a lot about local fishing techniques. Every day I got off work by bicycle and went fishing before returning home. It was a period of great growth for me. Japan is a beautiful place with a lot of culture.
3) How old were you when you started fishing? Tell us a little bit.
A: It is difficult to remember. Lol. The whole Japanese family fishes and I think when I was just a little baby I already accompanied my family on small fishing trips. Fishing has always been part of our family life. Whenever we could we traveled and camped in different fishing destinations. I have memories of fishing as a child in the Pantanal of Mato Grosso.
4) How many years have you been working with JDM Fishing Tackle and Gear?
A: When I was born, in 1975, my father founded Ebis Comercial, an importer that represented in Brazil the famous Japanese brands, Shimano, NFT and Olimpic and since I was 12 years old I already helped him in the store. At this age I would leave school and go to my father's store to help him. Japanese family and very demanding. If I wasn't studying I had to be working. Helped to serve customers, make packages and deliveries. At about 30 years old, in 2004, I opened my own fishing products importer and distributor, Everquest Sports, and for a few years my company and my father's worked together until his death in 2010. Until today Everquest Sport exists in Brazil representing brands such as Decoy, Smith, Meiho and Varivas and continues to grow. And a great pride for me.
4) How did you start vertical jigging?
A: It was more than 20 years ago. At that time we used jiggs like Owner's Metal Jack, Saurus Hilla and Smith's Jacknife R. These last two are jigs still on the market and I am proud to be the developer and distributor of the renowned Saurus brand for saltwater products. At that time, we used long rods because we had to compensate for the elasticity of the nylon lines and the multifilament lines were still developing and the vertical jigging required a lot of physical conditioning. I had a Smith VJ-80 stick.
When the multifilament lines were launched on the market, everything became much easier. With it came the shortest rods and the most efficient actions making the vertical jigging finally popularized all over the world.
5) What about slow pitch jigging?
A: it was a natural sequence for me. When I started with vertical jigging and being a representative of the brands that produced the jigs and equipment for this technique, as soon as the slow pitch jigging was created in Japan I was introduced to the techniques and products by my supplier Katsuichi Dekoy.
In 2018 I took a slow pitch jigging course with Deep Liner, taught by Capt Tsutsumo Shintaru, and conducted by Capt Higashimura, SEO of Deep Liner. That course made all the difference for me.
6) What is your personal slow pitch jigging equipment that you love the most? The one who is your pride
A: very difficult to choose since each condition requires different equipment. But I have an Evergreen Poseidon Slow Jerker stick, developed by Mr Sato, which is a jewel for me. It was my first Slow Pitch Jigging stick.
7) What tip do you give to those who are starting in slow pitch jigging?
A: Slow Pitch Jigging is not difficult. My 10 year old daughter practices. Don't be alarmed by the amount of information. It is an easy and fun modality.
Use correct material. Everything can be adapted but when adapting it is no longer slow pitch jigging. Don't spend too much on your first combo. Go shopping little by little and improving your equipment as you acquire knowledge. That way you will be able to better identify what suits you. There is no better rod or better reel. There is the best one for your taste and your budget. But look for trusted brands and stay away from illegal copying.
Use multifilament PE lines with low elasticity, fluorocarbon shockleader (Varivas, YGK, Yo-Suri among other brands), assist hooks compatible with the size of the jigs (Vanfook, Decoy, Owner, Gamakatsu, Nature Boys, Shout, among others), reels with faster collection and good line capacity and drag systems (Shimano, Studio Ocean Mark, Maxel, Marfix among others).
Thank you Diogo Yamada
And if you want to meet Diogo Yamada and learn more, visit The Fisherman`s Hut in Bradenton, FL. He`s always ready to talk about fishing.