YAMAI SUTEKI - FIGHTER ASSIST HOOK MAG-3 FISHING HOOK MADE IN JAPAN

Yamai Suteki Fighter Assist Hook MAG-3 — Made In Japan

The MAG-3 is Yamai Suteki's ready-tied assist rig for jigging, and the part that defines it is the assist line: fluorocarbon rather than braid, chosen for moderate tension so the stem holds its shape instead of collapsing against the jig body. That stiffness stops the classic assist failure — the hook folding back and wrapping the jig on a fast drop — and it is why one rig suits a wide variety of jig shapes. The assist length is set to 3 cm (1.2 in), short enough to keep the point close to the jig head, and the knot at the eye is protected by a Chimoto reinforced tube. The hook itself is the well-balanced Maboroshi pattern on heavy-duty steel. Yamai's own note is that the specification has been proven on targets in Japan and abroad, from inshore work to expedition trips, tuna included.

Within this range, read MAG-3 as the heavy single: one strong point on a stiff short stem, for offshore jigging and big fish. The HIKARI SN is a bare short-shank wide-gap hook for slow-pitch and light jigging; the MAW-1 is a twin plugging double for casting; the Maboroshi SN is a bare hook you tie yourself.

Key Features

• Ready-tied assist rig using a well-balanced Maboroshi (phantom) hook
• Fluorocarbon assist line at moderate tension, to reduce tangling on the jig
• Assist length set to 3 cm (1.2 in)
• Heavy-duty steel hook construction
• Chimoto reinforced protective tube at the knot
• Fits a wide variety of jig shapes and weights
• Two sizes, #3/0 and #4/0
• Proven on inshore, offshore and expedition targets, including tuna

How To Rig It

• Front mount as standard — Hang the MAG-3 at the head of the jig on a solid ring, joined with a heavy split ring. Jigging fish take a rising jig from below and in front, which is where a 3 cm stem puts the point.
• Keep the stem stiff — The fluorocarbon works only if it is not kinked. Straighten a stem coiled from the pack, and retire one that has taken a permanent set.
• Single, not twin, on foul ground — One point over rock, wreck and rope means fewer lost jigs and less time clearing tangles. Save twin assists for clean bottom.
• Match hook size to jig weight — #3/0 for lighter jigs and mixed-species work; #4/0 where the target is amberjack, kingfish or tuna and the jig is heavy.

Target Species By Region

• Southeast Asia — Gerepoh (giant trevally), tenggiri (Spanish mackerel), red snapper (ikan merah), grouper (kerapu) and amberjack on reef and wreck jigging trips.
• North America — Amberjack, grouper and snapper on Gulf and Atlantic wrecks; yellowtail, lingcod and rockfish on Pacific charters; tuna on offshore runs.
• Japan & East Asia — Buri, hiramasa and kanpachi on vertical and speed jigging, and tuna on offshore expedition trips.
• Australia, Middle East & Europe — Kingfish and samson fish on Australian reefs; queenfish and cobia in the Gulf; pollack, cod and bluefin on European grounds.

Specifications

Model MAG-3, Fighter Assist Hook series. Made in Japan.

Recommended Pairing

• #3/0 with jigs around 80–180 g on PE 2–4 tackle; #4/0 with 150–300 g jigs on PE 4–8
• A solid ring plus a heavy split ring at the jig nose so the assist never bears on a split-ring seam
• Heavy fluorocarbon leader, or a short wire trace where tenggiri and barracuda are present
• Overhead or spinning jigging rod matched to the jig weight, with a smooth, high-drag reel