The Lure That Already Had Everything — Just Got Softer
If you know JDM bass fishing, you know the Gancraft Jointed Claw. It’s not just a lure — it’s a cultural icon. That seductive, almost supernatural S-curve swimming action has been responsible for destroying countless giant bass across Japan and beyond. It’s the kind of bait that makes you feel guilty for how well it works.
So when Gancraft’s own founder and representative, Takanori Hiraiwa (@gancraft_taka), casually dropped a prototype image on Instagram without any major announcement fanfare — the JDM fishing community collectively lost its mind. 🤯
And honestly? Same.
What Is the Jointed Claw Soft?
The JOINTED CLAW soft is a brand-new prototype — a floating model built from elastomer material. But before you think “oh, it’s just a soft version,” let me stop you right there. This is not a lazy rebrand. Hiraiwa-san has been obsessing over this concept for years, and what’s been revealed is the result of deep, painstaking R&D that goes way beyond simply swapping hard plastic for rubber.
The core philosophy here is not just to make it soft — it’s to preserve the iconic Jointed Claw action while unlocking entirely new capabilities that only a soft body can deliver.
The Engineering Deep Dive: 70% Soft Body 🛠️
Here’s where it gets seriously geeky, and I am absolutely here for it.
The prototype features a wire insert in the front section only. The critical stat? Over 70% of the entire body is soft and fully flexible. This is a massive departure from previous attempts at a similar concept.
Previous test models — ones Gancraft experimented with years ago — used a hard foam core inside to maintain buoyancy. The result? The surface felt soft to the touch, but the body itself couldn’t actually bend and flex as a whole unit. That was deemed insufficient. Not good enough. Sent back to the drawing board.
This new proto solves that fundamental problem. With 70% of the body in true elastomer flex, the lure doesn’t just look alive — it is alive in the water in a way that hard-bodied jointed baits simply cannot replicate.
Why Does 70% Flex Matter So Much?
Two massive practical advantages come from this design:
1. Enhanced Action: The swimming motion becomes even more fluid and organic. If the original Jointed Claw action was seductive, imagine that same DNA expressed through a body that genuinely undulates. For heavily pressured bass — fish that have seen every hard-body swimbait in the tackle box — this soft, living-flex action could be the trigger that finally gets them to commit. 🎣
2. Better Hook-Up on the Bite: When a bass strikes and the lure bends to conform to the inside of the fish’s mouth, your hook-up rate improves dramatically. The lure doesn’t fight the fish’s bite geometry — it accommodates it. This is next-level thinking.
The Hook Setup: Seriously Clever 🪝
The hook configuration on this proto is just as thoughtful as the body engineering.
According to Hiraiwa-san, bass tend to attack the Jointed Claw Soft head-first — which is different from how they typically eat the original hard-body version. This means a front hook alone could theoretically be sufficient in many situations.
However — and this is the nuanced part — when water temperatures drop, bass become more lethargic and their strikes get shorter and less committed. In cold water, they’ll nip at the tail and barely hold on. A rear hook becomes essential.
The solution? The rear hook is configured as an external assist hook, specifically designed so it doesn’t interfere with the natural jointed swimming action. Clean, functional, and smart. This is the kind of obsessive detail that separates genuine JDM engineering from everything else on the market.
A Note for Anglers in the Southern Hemisphere 🌏
For our readers in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa — the “cold water = rear hook needed” principle translates perfectly to your winter bass and estuary fishing scenarios. When your water temps drop below approximately 15°C (59°F), fish metabolism slows significantly. Strikes become tentative and short. That’s exactly the condition where having a rear assist hook rigged will save you fish. Keep this in mind as your autumn rolls in (March–June in the Southern Hemisphere) and adjust your hook configuration accordingly.
How Close Is It to Release?
According to the Instagram post, development is well advanced — the prototype is described as being in a highly refined state. This isn’t early-stage concept art. This is nearly there. Exactly when it drops for retail is still unknown, but the fact that Hiraiwa-san is sharing this publicly suggests the finish line is within sight.
Stay tuned. This one is going to be a sell-out the moment pre-orders open. Mark my words. 🔥
Where to Buy JDM Gear
When the Jointed Claw Soft eventually hits the market, you already know it’ll be near-impossible to grab outside Japan without the right connections. The smartest move right now? Set up your eBay alerts for Gancraft Jointed Claw and get ahead of the hype. eBay’s JDM seller network is genuinely the most reliable pipeline for authentic Japanese tackle shipped directly from Japan — including rare protos and limited colourways that never make it to international retail shelves.
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