THE ANGLAR - KAIRYO SOI TIN 4505 FISHING HOOK

The Anglar Kairyo Soi Tin 4505

In Japanese hook language soi is the rockfish and grouper-type bottom dwellers of reef and rubble, and a soi pattern is built for them: strong wire, a deep bend and a shape that holds while a fish dives back into cover. Kairyo means “improved”. The 4505 is that pattern in a live-bait build: fully forged, with a chemically sharpened needle point, a pronounced barb, a straight shank and a solid ringed eye. Tin plating gives a bright silver surface that resists corrosion and shows a little flash beside a live bait in deep or coloured water.

Key Features

• Bright tin plating for corrosion resistance, with visible flash on the bait
• Fully forged — the wire is flattened through the bend so it resists opening under load
• Kirbed-in point: it sits slightly off the shank centreline, so a fish taking side-on meets the point rather than the shank
• Pronounced retaining barb, and a straight shank that pulls the point in directly
• Solid ringed eye — knot or snell direct to heavy mono, and strong enough for a crimped wire trace

How To Rig It

• Live bait beside structure — Pin a small live baitfish through the nose, or through the back just behind the dorsal, and drop it tight against reef, wreck or pilings. Set the drag firm; a hooked fish runs for cover immediately.
• Running sinker rig — Slide an egg sinker above a swivel and run a heavy leader to the ring eye. Bait with squid strip, cut fish or a whole prawn, let the fish take briefly, then load the rod.
• Two-hook dropper rig — Snell hooks onto droppers above the sinker and work rubble edges and reef margins. Lift the rod smoothly rather than striking.
• Watch for bait spin on a drift — A kirbed point improves contact but can make a whole bait rotate in current. When drifting, thread the bait straight along the shank or add a swivel above the leader.

Target Species By Region

• Southeast Asia — Grouper (kerapu) and snapper (merah) on nearshore reef and wreck, sweetlips (kaci) and threadfin (senangin) on bottom rigs, barramundi (siakap) on live bait at jetty pilings, and croaker (gelama) in the smaller sizes.
• North America — Lingcod, rockfish and cabezon on Pacific reef; black sea bass, tautog and grouper on Atlantic structure.
• Japan & East Asia — The original soi targets, kurosoi and other rockfish, plus kasago and ainame on boat bottom rigs and breakwater root fishing (ne-zakana).
• Australia, Middle East & Europe — Snapper and coral trout in Australia; hamour and sheri on Gulf reef; conger, pollack and ling on European wrecks.

Specifications

Sizes follow the Japanese gō (号) system: the number rises as the hook gets larger, the reverse of Western numbering. #16 is the smallest here and #26 the largest.

Recommended Pairing

• Boat bottom or jigging-class rod with a loading tip; overhead or spinning reel, 30–80 lb braid
• Heavy mono or fluorocarbon tied straight to the ring eye; step up around sharp reef
• Enough lead to hold bottom in current; a wire trace only where toothy species are present
• Smaller sizes for croaker; #22 and above for grouper and snapper