The Klash9

The Division Rebel Tackles’ Klash9 is made entirely in Japan of an ABS type plastic ( Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene thermoplastic polymer) and is available in two versions, the 3.3oz. (93.6g) Hi Float and 4oz. (113.4g) Low Float. Both models measure 9 inches (228.6mm) in length with the stock tail installed, and are identical with the front segments measuring 4.7 inches (119.4mm) in length, and the rear segments measuring 2.68 inches (68.6mm), with a 0.14 inch (3.6mm) gap between the front and rear segments at the joint. It has a maximum height of 1.91 inches (48.3mm), a minimum height of 0.64 inches (16.3mm), a maximum width of 1.1 inches (27.9mm), and a minimum width of 0.4 inches (10.2mm).

The Klash9 Hi Float front segment weighs 2.6oz (73.7), and the rear segment weighs 0.7 oz (19.8g), with a weight distribution of 78.8/21.2 front to back. The Klash9 Low Float front segment weighs 3.3oz (93.6g), the rear segment weighs 0.7oz (19.8g), for a weight distribution of 82.5/17.5 front to back. This disparity in segment weight distribution between the Hi Float and Low Float versions of the Klash9 can be attributed to the way each version has been tuned via the use of tuning weights in the form of lead balls.

The Hi Float has 3 tuning lead weights/balls in the front segment, plus 1 lead rattle/knocker ball in the front segment located behind and slightly above the lip slot, and 1 tuning lead weight/ball in the tail segment. The Low Float has 5 tuning weights/balls in the front segment, two more than the Hi Float, but no knocker ball, and is identical to the Hi Float with 1 tuning lead weight/ball in the tail segment.

The end result of the differences in number and location of the tuning weights/balls is that the Hi Float version floats on the surface close to horizontal, the Low Float version sits lower in the water, almost but not quite submerged with a 16 degree from horizontal nose down orientation,a purposefully designed “ass up, head down” orientation that helps it come through cover and grind the bottom much easier. Though they utilize the same ABS body shell, the difference in number and location of the lead tuning balls between the Hi Float and Low Float versions means each version demonstrates its own swim characteristics right out of the package with the identical stock lip and tail configuration. In addition each version can be further tuned to swim with very diverse actions and depths depending on which lip and tail combination and configuration is selected, and the speed of retrieve plus the reel cadence used.

The Stealth Flash was far from his vision of a bait with strong, unique action, but it was the seed that would eventually lead to the Klash9. An innovator with an aversion to imitation, Tomoya Shirakawa was searching for a signature action with a wobble and roll that would separate his bait from the ones already on the market, and give the highly pressured world record sized bass at Lake Biwa where DRT is headquartered something unique that they had not seen before. Rather than get discouraged with the Stealth Flash or let it remain as it was, he redoubled his efforts to bring to life a true and worthy representation of his dream.

He worked and reworked the shape of the body, and the positions of the weights. He tested and retested these numerous variations and with different lips and eye placements, studying the changes to the action, getting frustrated with his lack of progress in trying to create what was in his mind’s eye. It is always darkest before the dawn, and after feeling like he had got things somewhat figured out, Tomoya made a resin version of his bait got a real shock. It had no life, no personality! It was a real eye opener and a huge disappointment after all his design and testing work. Once again, Tomoya did not give up on his dream. He knew he had to think outside the box, to push his limits as a designer, and his belief in his vision. He experimented with a Colorado blade of a spinnerbait as the tail, and it gave it action, just not enough. But he was on the right track. Progress! He then mounted it on the rear hook hanger and found what he had been searching for, the bait’s action had come alive! He ran to the nearest tackle shop and bought all sizes of spinnerbait blades. He found that as he increased the size of the blade, the bait decreased its roll and increased it’s wobble and kick. After all the frustration of testing and designing and testing again with no progress, it was the tail that was the missing piece! He was inspired and reinvigorated, and knew that he was on the right track to finally bringing his dream to life.

Tomoya: “When I was designing the bait if I used a normal vertical tail the bait would not track straight at high speed and would lift off the bottom at normal speed. So I took the concept from a Formula One car and designed the tail like the rear spoiler to create down force on the lure while at retrieve speed. The second benefit of the horizontal tail was the ability to flip it over and create a totally different action (Mode B). In this mode the lure will track very straight and stable almost like a spy bait and also it will let the user manipulate the action of the lure with his own rod work. Kind of like a underwater walk the dog presentation.”

The detachable lips that make Division Rebel Tackles’ Klash9 such a multifaceted bait evolved from a simple FRP (fiberglass reinforced plastic) circuit board cut-out lip, through ABS plastic and polycarbonate lips to the final version that is made of a proprietary plastic/nylon formula. Tomoya tested different shapes, thicknesses, and materials for the lip. Thin lips provided the action he wanted, but the durability was not up to his high standards. Working with the engineers at the factory where he was getting the prototypes of the Klash9 body made, Tomoya settled upon a proprietary plastic/nylon material that was thin and strong but also flexible enough to withstand impacts. He also found that at slow retrieve speeds, the new lip was much better at bottom contact sensitivity than the FRP/circuit board lip when contacting the bottom or structure. The final version of the lip incorporated a keel for strength and rigidity but still allowed the level of flexibility that made the lip difficult to break.

With practice, the removal and reinsertion of the Klash9’s lip into the bait becomes quick and effortless, allowing for quick on-the-fly adjustments to the bait’s action.

As Tomoya tested and retested the Klash9, he tried different hook and split ring combinations, before finally settling on the Bombada Forte split ring/Owner ST36 treble combination. Bombada (Bomba Da Agua) is a Japanese company that focuses on products for adventure fishing for trophy fish around the world such as Peacock Bass in the Amazon and Black Bass in Papua New Guinea. Bombada’s product line includes lures like the Tobi Kichi swimbait, and accessories, one of which is the Bombada Forte split ring that is used on the Klash9. Bombada’s product line has been tested extensively in the harshest environments by the hardest fighting freshwater fish on the planet, so it is no wonder that Tomoya chose to use the Forte split rings on his lures. The Bombada Forte split ring is a curved design that minimizes line stress and doesn’t affect a lure’s action, and is manufactured with heat treated wire for strength and a flat pressing process that creates smooth consistent edges, and adds strength. The Klash9 uses Bombada’s Forte split ring size #4 that has a strength rating of 132lb/60kg. The Owner ST36 treble hook that is used on the Klash9 is the industry standard for big baits of the Klash9’s size.

Getting the most out of the Klash9’s versatility requires a synergy of rod, reel, and line. The rod should be over 7 feet, with a Extra Heavy power, and a softer Fast to Regular Fast tip. This enables the Klash9 to be in the rod’s sweet spot for casting the bait, working the bait, and keeping those monster fish hooked up. Many of the effective retrieve techniques for the Klash9 are quick starts and stops, so a heavy duty reel with a 6.3:1 gear ratio up to 8.1:1 or higher is optimal. A 200 and up size/series reel should also be considered essential as the spools on these reels usually can hold more than enough of the larger diameter lines used to throw the Klash9, and the 200+ size/series reels are also usually built to handle the bigger baits and fish with stronger metals in the frames and gears as well as longer handles and a strong smooth drag. All retrieves and configuration Modes described in this article were performed on the following tackle:

Rods

Division Rebel Tackles Artex “Zero” A801XXHRF, 8’1”, Regular Fast action, max lure weight 7oz.
Pros: Designed by Tomoya Shirikawa of DRT using a custom rolled blank on a mandrel designed to his specifications for throwing the Klash9. Perfect weight, backbone, action, tip. Can cast the Klash9 all day on this rod. Extremely sensitive.
Cons: Availability is non existent, and the Zero can only be acquired from Japan. Most rods are acquired by winning a store lottery drawing for the opportunity to purchase one of the few they are allotted. For someone in the USA to acquire one, the only option is on the second hand market in Japan.

Studio Composite X DivisionRebel Tackles “For The Beast” 76XH , 7’6” Regular Fast action, max lure weight 6oz.
Pros: A little shorter at 7’6”, with a longer handle, great for tucking under your arm and grinding out long days. Another take on a Klash9 rod, this time on a Studio Composite blank.
Cons: The longer handle makes it a little more difficult to do twitch style, fast moving rod work. Hard to find outside of the Japanese second hand market, but there have been occasional small batch releases of the “For The Beast” since it’s initial introduction.

Gan Craft Dead Sword Magnum KG-00 9-760EXH , 7’6”, Fast action, max lure weight 5oz.
Pros: A little shorter at 7’6” with a shorter handle and a faster tip, it’s sweet for twitch style, fast moving rod work.
Cons: The Klash9 Low at 4oz. is a little too close to the max weight of 5oz. of the Dead Sword Magnum, and using it for the more topwater oriented Klash9 Hi at 3.3oz is right in it’s sweet spot, however its tip is a bit too fast and stiff for use with braided line.

Megabass Black Jungle “Punch and Swimbait” F8-1/2-710XBJ , 7’10”, Medium Fast action, max lure weight 6oz.
Pros: An all around performer, cast the Klash9 well, and demonstrated good backbone when under load. Sensitivity is good.
Cons: A little tip heavy, with a shorter handle, and no way to add balancers to the butt end to move the balance point rearward.

MOAM Customs “DRT Special” , 8’1” XH, Regular Fast action, max lure weight 8oz
Pros: Designed specifically for the Klash9, using a Phenix blank, it’s close to a mirror image of the Artex Zero, except with a half step stronger backbone and half step softer tip.
Cons: N/A

Reels

Daiwa Pluton 200HS/Ryoga 2020H 
Pros: Bulletproof little tank. 6.3:1 gear ratio is great for the slow grind techniques.
Cons: A touch heavier (.6oz heavier) than the Z2020 or Z200. A little limited for capacity if you want to spool up heavier line like 30lb mono or fluoro. Out of production, so the only way to acquire one is on the second hand market.

Daiwa Z200HS 
Pros: Palmable tank of a reel. Higher gear ratio at 7.2:1 for the speed retrieve techniques. 
Cons: A little limited for capacity if you want to spool up heavier line like 30lb mono or fluoro. Out of production, so the only way to acquire one is on the second hand market.

Daiwa Z200H  
Pros: Palmable tank of a reel. Slower gear ratio at 6.4:1 for slower retrieve techniques. 
Cons: A little limited for capacity if you want to spool up heavier line like 30lb mono or fluoro. Out of production, so the only way to acquire one is on the second hand market.

Daiwa Z2020SH Black Limited  
Pros: Palmable tank of a reel. Higher gear ratio at 7.2:1 for the speed retrieve techniques. 
Cons: The paint is not durable. A little limited for line capacity if you want to spool up heavier line like 30lb mono or fluoro. Out of production, so the only way to acquire one is on the second hand market. 

Gan Craft X Daiwa Tatula Mago HD 8.1R  
Pros: More line capacity than the other reels listed. Heavy duty brass gears, and the highest gear ratio at 8.1:1, and the lightest reel. 
Cons: A little less comfortable to palm than the Z200/2020

Line

DRT Nylon Hard : .384mm/20lb, .418mm/25lb
Pros: Perfect for the Klash9 Low, the perfect amount of stretch to keep the fish hooked up.Giant 300mm spools.
Cons: Not as sensitive as braid, and not as good a hook up ratio with the Klash9 Hi. Hard to find, even in Japan.

Gan Craft G-Blood : Nylon .370mm/20lb, .405mm/25lb
Pros: Perfect for the Klash9 Low, the perfect amount of stretch to keep the fish hooked up.
Cons: Not as sensitive as braid, and not as good a hook up ratio with the Klash9 Hi. Small 100m spools.

Daiwa Samurai Braid : .360mm/55lb, .440mm/80lb
Pros: Perfect for the Klash9 Hi in topwater techniques.
Cons: Visible in clearer water. Less abrasion resistant.

Sunline Shooter Defier Armilo : Nylon .360mm/19lb, .380mm/22lb
Pros: Works well with the Klash9 Low for Lip In configurations.
Cons: N/A

Baksyn Snaps come in a variety of sizes…

and

…are excellent for enhancing the ease of use of the Klash9 in any of it’s lipped configurations on pre-2019 release baits that do not come with the new split ring/solid ring line tie system.

Baksyn Genuine Parts Snaps : #2.0/57lb+, #2.5/57lb+
Pros: Works awesome in the lipped techniques on pre-2019 release baits that do not come with the new split ring/solid ring line tie system. Extremely strong and user friendly.
Cons: Not quite as good at the lipless techniques, due to its narrower shape at the line tie.

Decoy Egg Snaps : #3/70lb, #4/90lb
Pros: Excellent for the lipless techniques on pre-2019 release baits that do not come with the new split ring/solid ring line tie system . Strong.
Cons: Not quite as good at the lipped techniques, due to its shallower shape at the line tie.

Bombada Ovo Snap : #2/40kg/88lb
Pros: Excellent for the lipless techniques on pre-2019 release baits that do not come with the new split ring/solid ring line tie system. Strong.
Cons: Not quite as good at the lipped techniques, due to its shallower shape at the line tie.

Bombada Forte Split Ring : #4/35-60kg/77-132lb
Pros: Strong. Have yet to bend out a ring. Equipped on the Klash9 out of the box. It’d be difficult to find an aftermarket upgrade to these split rings.
Cons: N/A

Owner Hyperwire Split Ring : #4/50lb, #5/60lb, #6/70lb
Pros: Strong. Have yet to bend out a ring.
Cons: N/A

Decoy Split Ring EX R11 Extra Strong : #4/80lb, #5/100lb
Pros: Strong. Have yet to bend out a ring.
Cons: Hard to find, even in Japan.

Decoy GP Ring: #4/400lb, #5/500lb
Pros: Strong, Excellent used in conjunction with a split ring at the line tie in place of a snap.
Cons: N/A

Hooks

Ryugi Pierce Brutal TC Coat Treble Hooks , size 1/0.
Pros: Strong. Neutral color with no shine. Slightly longer shank than the other 1/0 hooks.
Cons: A bit more brittle than the others. The wire will break off after a certain point rather than bend out.

Decoy Y33F Silky Coat Treble Hooks , size 1/0.
Pros: Strong. Neutral color with no shine.
Cons: N/A

Decoy XS21 Quattro Quad Hooks , size 1/0
Pros: Sharp and strong. Heavier than a size 1/0 treble hook, good for adjusting sink rates.
Cons: Heavier than a size 1/0 treble hook, not a straight across swap weightwise. Also smaller than the other size 1/0 treble hooks.

Owner ST36BC Treble Hooks , size 1/0
Pros: Strong. Stock hooks, easy to find.
Cons: N/A

Owner STX58 Zowire Treble Hooks , size 1/0
Pros: Strong, lighter than the other size 1/0 treble hooks, good for adjusting sink rates.
Cons: The Zowire is a light silver color, and more visible (There is a diehard following for lighter silver colored hooks though, and you’d be hard pressed to find a better alternative). Hook points are curved slightly inward.

The result of DRT’s years of laborious prototyping and design work, the Klash9 will display very different characteristics for each the different float version/lip/tail configurations coupled with the variation of retrieve speeds and rod work. This allows for quick, on the fly adjustments without the need for changing lures to find what will trigger that next big bite.

5 Yen Ball Tune Mod

Pegged Tail Mod

O-Ring Mod

Deep Lip/Super Wake Bill Mod

Mega Rocky Tune Lip Mod

Flashy Swimmer Mod

Mode P/Bubble Wake

Twin Fook Mod

Deadwalk

The Deadwalk is a super effective retrieve technique, wherein the bait is twitched back and forth using ½ turns of the reel handle with little rod work required. A quick walking action can be attained by sharp quick ½ turns of the reel handle, a slow subtle action by smooth slow ½ turns of the handle. The reel gear ratio should be on the faster side, with 6.3:1 as the low end of the scale. 25lb fluorocarbon line is recommended for the Klash9 Low’s subsurface Deadwalk, 25lb nylon or 55-65lb braid for working the Klash9 Hi. The bait configured with the Standard lip and the tail in Mode B is optimal, but it can also be achieved with the tail in Mode A.

The One Side Glide, or Yokoyoko retrieve technique enables the Klash9 to run close to perpendicular to the retrieve axis, enabling the angler to fish the bait under docks and treelines, that would otherwise be impossible to reach with a traditional cast and retrieve. This retrieve technique is achieved by starting to fish the Klash as you would a glide, and then using reel and rod work, do a quick short glide to one side, then a long glide to the opposite side, keeping the line fairly tight. Repeat. It takes a bit or practice to achieve the timing, but once you do, it opens up whole new areas and avenues to utilize the Klash9.

The tackle required for the One Side Glide/Yokoyoko is similar to what is required for the Deadwalk technique, with a few tweaks, The Klash9 is configured in Lip out/Mode B, using the same 7’+ rod with a fast/regular fast action tip, and reel with a minimum gear ratio of 7.1:1. The line should be attached to a snap or split ring to achieve the best results, tying direct tends to bind on the line tie up and not allow the line to swing freely towards the angler, even though the lure is traveling perpendicular or away from the angler. For the Klash9 Low, 25lb fluorocarbon should be used for close range work, 25lb nylon enables better action for distance work. For the Klash9 Hi, 25lb nylon or 55-65lb braid to 25lb nylon leader should be used.

The #YTMK/Yota Maki retrieve is a configuration where the use of the Roll lip and the V-tail is used to remove the wobble of the Klash9, and emphasize an extreme rolling motion in the upper water column. The use of the “5 Yen Ball Tune” modification to the rear segment generate seven more roll from the rear segment. The “Rocky Tune” is the bending of the Roll Lip a few degrees backward which creates a super unstable and erratic retrieve compared to the base Yota Maki retrieve. The use of a 7”+ fast/regular fast action rod with good sensitivity combined with 55-65lb braid to a 25lb fluorocarbon (subsurface) or nylon (topwater) is recommended, especially at slow to medium retrieves as you will be able to feel the “sweet spot” speed where the Klash9 is generating the most roll and vibration, especially in the “Mega Rocky Tune”. (See “5 Yen Ball Tune” and “Mega Rocky Tune” in the Modifications section for more info.)

The Stop And Go retrieve method is a full out burn, kill, pause, then burn again. Repeat. The Klash9 is in the Wide Lip/V-tail configuration, using the same 7’ + rod with a fast/regular fast action tip, and reel with a minimum gear ratio of 7.1:1, 20-25lb nylon or fluorocarbon line.

Stop And Go	Klash9 Low (subsurface)	Klash9 Hi (subsurface/topwater)
Lip/Tail	Wide lip/V-tail	Wide lip/V-tail
Rod	7’+ with a fast/regular fast action tip and good sensitivity	7’+ with a fast/regular fast action tip and good sensitivity
Reel	200-400 series reel, 7.1:1 gear ratio, higher is better.	200-400 series reel, 7.1:1 gear ratio, higher is better.
Line	20-25lb nylon or fluorocarbon	20-25lb nylon or fluorocarbon