Megabass USA

Megabass USA is the sole official distributor of Megabass® products in the United States and Canada. Founded in 1997 by my late father, Masaaki Murayama, Megabass USA is an independent wholesaler that is completely committed to the quality, innovation, and insane attention to detail that characterizes all things Megabass®. At Megabass USA we strive not only to provide unparalleled access to Megabass’ product line, but also to ensure that the needs of North American anglers are fully met. Our goal is to provide Megabass information—both to Megabass and the angling public alike—in order to improve Megabass’ product offerings in North America, and keep anglers up to speed on recent product development and intended application.

Growing out of the shared vision of Yuki Ito, founder and CEO of Megabass, and Masaaki Murayama, Megabass made a name for itself by paying homage to the dueling tradition of the Wild West. The birth of Megabass in the U.S. is the stuff of legend, involving a cross-country trek in which the Megabass designer/CEO challenged pro staff of local stores and area pros to one-on-one fishing duels. The rules were simple: if Yuki Ito won, the store had to buy his lures; if the U.S. angler won, then Yuki had to buy some American tackle from the store. This "put your money where your mouth is" approach, combined with the quality and flat out fish-catching ability that was evident in Yuki’s handcrafted Megabass tackle, succeeded in convincing stores to take on this premium imported-tackle. Thus the Megabass® journey began.

Today Megabass still embodies that daring spirit. Each product, manufactured in small-batches and finished by hand in Japan, is a painstaking marriage of handmade form and technological innovation. Megabass strives to capture the same care, quality, and attention to detail embodied by the handmade tradition. In a modern age dominated by CAD and mass production, every Megabass lure is based on a hand-carved Yuki Ito original. Each stage of the development process is closely monitored with strict quality controls to ensure that the mechanical process of production does not lose sight of the integrity of the original.

Towards this end, Megabass strives for the concept of “tackle integration”. Coined by Yuki Ito himself, this term expresses the idea that design must not lose sight of the human. Our hands often mediate our experience of the physical world; therefore, the same hands should shape and ultimately give birth to the objects that inhabit our world. So often mass-produced goods come to us stamped out of a computer model, largely conceived, designed, and produced without having a chance to evolve through sustained human contact.

The wooden grips that grace the ARMS rod series are a perfect example of Megabass’ “tackle integration”: while machines play a part in the carving process, the initial design is the result of human contact. The tactile experience of daily use and experimentation is preserved through strict production controls and reaffirmed by hand sanding and finishing. The wooden ARMS grips, like all of Yuki Ito’s designs, embody not only a deep passion for fishing, but also an effort to maintain a standard of quality too often missing in today's companies.

Little has changed since Megabass’ birth in a garage in 1985 at the hands and ideals of Yuki Ito. Today Megabass continues this tradition of innovation, quality, and custom handicraft, never losing sight of the angler’s hands for which each Megabass® product is painstakingly made.

Welcome to the world of Megabass®

Sincerely,

Yuskei Murayama



President

Megabass USA