What on Earth Is “The Buds”? 🤔
Okay, hear me out. You pick this thing up, stare at it for a solid 10 seconds, and think — “what in the world is this?” Six silicone spheres clustered together, compact enough to fit in your palm, with a carabiner dangling off it. It looks more like a stress toy than a piece of fishing gear.
But that’s exactly the kind of JDM magic we live for on this site.
This is the Jackson Selected “The Buds” (ザ・バッツ) — and once you understand what it does, you’re going to want five of them immediately. 😤
Meet Jackson’s “Selected” Brand — Japan’s Coolest Fishing Utility Sub-Brand
Before we dive into the product itself, let’s give some quick context for those who haven’t heard of this lineup.
Jackson — the legendary Japanese lure and tackle brand — launched a utility sub-brand called “Selected (セレクテッド)” back in 2020. Since then, they’ve been quietly dropping some of the most innovative, practical, and borderline genius fishing accessories the JDM market has ever seen. Stuff that solves real on-the-water problems in ways you never thought of.
The Buds is arguably the crown jewel of that lineup.
The Buds — Specs & Build Quality 🔩
Let’s get the numbers out of the way first:
- Material: Silicone (soft, grippy, durable)
- Size: W58mm × D28mm × H30mm
- Includes: Carabiner attachment
- Price: ¥1,200 (tax excluded)
At just over 58mm wide, this thing is absolutely pocket-sized. The silicone construction means it’s saltwater-safe, UV-resistant, and won’t scratch your rod blanks or guides — a detail that Japanese tackle designers always obsess over, and rightfully so.
Each of the six spheres also features a top slit (切れ込み) — a small but critically important design feature that unlocks one of its most useful functions (more on that below).
4 Ways to Use The Buds — Seriously, This Thing Is Insane 🤯
Use #1 — Rod Holder / Tip Rest
This is the primary function and it works brilliantly. The gaps between the silicone spheres create natural cradles that grip your rod tip or blank securely without any hard contact points.
You can use it:
- Mounted on a boat deck as a rod tip rest — perfect for offshore fishing when you need both hands free
- On an offshore charter boat as a quick-lean rod holder to temporarily park your rod upright
- Clipped to your game vest via the included carabiner — so when you’re doing a rig change mid-session, you’ve got an instant hands-free rod rest right on your body
- At home as a rod lean support against the wall — surprisingly handy for displaying or storing rods safely
For eging anglers (squid fishing from the shore or jetty), this is massive. How many times have you needed to swap egi lures and had nowhere safe to rest your rod? The Buds clips right onto your vest and solves that problem permanently.
Use #2 — Towel Holder
Clip it to your belt loop via the carabiner and thread your fishing towel through the sphere gaps. Instant hands-free towel access. It’s stupid simple and it works flawlessly. Japanese anglers have been doing this for years with bulky holders — The Buds compresses that solution into something the size of a golf ball cluster. 🏌️
Use #3 — Line & Rig Temporary Clip
Remember those top slits on each sphere? This is where they shine. When you’re fishing from a boat, kayak, or SUP (stand-up paddleboard), you can temporarily secure your line, rig, or leader into those slits to keep everything tangle-free while you move around the deck or switch spots.
Anyone who’s done kayak fishing or SUP fishing knows the nightmare of loose lines flapping around. The Buds just eliminates that problem with elegant Japanese simplicity. 🙌
Use #4 — Smartphone Selfie Holder
Mount it with a suction cup and use the sphere gaps to hold your smartphone for a hands-free selfie or fishing video shoot. In an era where content creation is part of the fishing culture, this is honestly a bonus feature that hits harder than expected.
Why This Is Pure JDM Philosophy at Its Best 🇯🇵
What I love about products like The Buds is that they represent the core of Japanese tackle design thinking — small, thoughtful, multi-functional, and obsessively practical. There’s no gimmick here. Every feature exists because a real angler identified a real problem on the water.
At ¥1,200, this thing is basically a no-brainer purchase. It’s the kind of item that you stick in your tackle bag and then wonder how you ever fished without it. The JDM fishing community in Japan has been sleeping on this gem for a while — and now it’s time for the rest of the world to catch up. 🌏
Where to Buy JDM Gear
If you’re overseas and want to get your hands on authentic JDM fishing accessories like the Jackson Selected The Buds, eBay is your best gateway to Japan’s tackle market. You’ll find Japanese sellers shipping directly from Japan — often with mint-condition and hard-to-find items that never make it to international retail. Don’t sleep on it. 🛒
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