Two-time Bassmaster Elite champion Takumi Ito has used his return to the Mercer Podcast on the eve of the 2026 Lake Murray event to admit that the Japanese tackle edge that built his American career has finally collapsed. On the 261st edition of host Dave Mercer's "awkwardly honest fishing podcast," the man Bob Cobb dubbed "Japanese Justin Bieber" said the Nories Kuyaki secret is out, the next bait Gira is already sitting in 300 packages on his boat, and that fellow Japanese pro Yui Aoki is bringing a fresh wave of secrets through the Bassmaster Opens.
"Tu no more secret. Tu no more secret. Yeah. So for so like a 2020 2021 I have a already I have a many secrets. So even the Ko four years ago I already use that. So but now every every people know that. So Taku is sad," Ito said when Mercer pushed him on the long-haired articulated Japanese soft bait that has become the breakout lure of the 2025–26 forward-facing-sonar era.
Ito traced the Kuyaki's history. He explained that the original "Ko" version sat on Japanese tackle shop walls priced at one dollar each as far back as 2001 or 2002, and that 95 per cent of Japanese anglers had no idea how to fish it. The Hide-up creator continued to refine the profile until the modern 70-millimetre version, fished on a Zekka rig or a Neko-weighted hook with a very light head, became dominant on Live Scope in clear water.
The leak, according to Ito, came from the most predictable source. "Koya, I think. Yeah, it's his fault. Yeah, I said I said so." Ito said his text-message relationship with fellow Japanese pro Kyoya Fujita is "out to communication," with replies arriving four weeks late. "I think we six text one year. So you send a text and he doesn't get back for a month later. Yes. Yes."
The interview turned to the next generation of Japanese pros and the technique gap they are closing. Ito pointed to 2024 Angler of the Year Trey McKinney as the standard. "I think uh he don't have a holiday. He fish every day," Ito said, contrasting McKinney's schedule with his own and adding that he too is fishing every day, including in strong wind. He warned that Yui Aoki, who has been grinding through the Bassmaster Opens, is bringing more Japanese secrets that he refuses to share. "He have a many secret too. Yeah. Will he share secrets with you? No. No. No. He I think everyone don't know that."
Ito said the next bait American bass anglers should track is Gira — a skeleton-fish profile from Japan that he started using two years ago. "2025, so Japanese bass eating skeleton fish. Gira next time new techniques, new secret bait is a Gira." He has 300 packages stockpiled and described the profile as a bone-style imitation that fish have not seen before in the United States.
The Mercer interview also dug into Ito's long-term plans. Ito said his goal is to take over Nories from his 68-year-old master in roughly a decade, training in lure design, hard-bait construction and soft plastics. The 39-year-old Bassmaster Classic veteran told Mercer he hopes to lead the company that has shaped his career. He also disclosed a September 2025 wrist surgery, the right-to-left handle switch that followed, and the punching obsession he was forced to dial back during recovery.
Ito heads into Lake Murray as a fan favourite, with Mercer noting that 50,000 to 70,000 viewers tune into the pre-tournament livestream. Ito's tournament superstition is now public — the podcast brings him luck. "Hopefully I won't get win the Lake Mar. But so Ma's podcast right now I think is very good fishing Lake Mar guarantee."