The Lure for the BIG BASS; DEPS
Ty HasegawaWhen anglers speak about giant bass, trophy hunting, and big-bait culture, one Japanese brand is always mentioned with a special kind of respect: deps.
Unlike many fishing brands that focus on versatility and numbers, deps was created for a single, uncompromising goal — to target monster-class bass only.
This article explains the origin of deps, its founder’s philosophy, its most famous lures, and its current global status.
Origin of deps — Born in Kyoto, Forged at Lake Biwa
deps was founded in 1996 in Kyoto, Japan, by a passionate big-bass hunter named Kazumasa Okumura.
Before launching deps, Okumura was already known in the Japanese bass fishing scene as an angler who pursued only the largest, most difficult fish — the kind of bass that most anglers may never hook in their lifetime. He believed that most commercial lures were designed for efficiency and numbers, not for dominance and intimidation.
Kyoto’s location near Lake Biwa played a critical role in shaping the brand. Lake Biwa is Japan’s largest freshwater lake and is famous for producing record-class largemouth bass. Many of Japan’s biggest bass records come from this lake, making it the symbolic birthplace of Japanese big-bass culture.
From this environment, deps was born — not as a mass-market lure brand, but as a brand for serious trophy hunters only.
Brand Philosophy — “For Monster Bass Only”
The philosophy of deps is unusually simple and extreme:
Big Bass. Only Big Bass.
While many brands aim to help anglers catch more fish, deps designs lures for anglers who may wait an entire day — or an entire season — for just one strike.
Kazumasa Okumura believed that big bass behave fundamentally differently from small fish:
- They respond more to pressure waves than to subtle twitches
- They favor large prey silhouettes
- They react aggressively to territorial intrusion
- They often refuse small, weak targets
As a result, deps lures are:
- Physically larger than average
- Heavier and more dominant underwater
- Designed to force reaction bites rather than finesse takes
For deps, one true giant bass is worth more than a hundred small fish.
Famous deps Lures That Changed Big-Bass Fishing
DEPS is especially famous for its oversized soft baits and glide baits, many of which reshaped how trophy hunters approach big-bass fishing.
Slide Swimmer — The Glide Bait Icon
The Slide Swimmer is one of deps’ most iconic lures. It features:
- Ultra-realistic body profile
- Wide S-shaped swimming action
- Slow sinking behavior
- Strong water displacement
The Slide Swimmer became especially famous in the United States, where it helped ignite the modern glide bait and swimbait boom among trophy bass anglers.
Today, it is considered a legendary big-bass lure worldwide.
Bullslide / Bullshooter Series — Power Back-Slide Design
The Bullslide and Bullshooter series are oversized soft baits designed for:
- Heavy cover fishing
- Back-sliding action
- Penetrating dangerous zones where giant bass hide
Unlike traditional Texas-rigged soft baits, these lures naturally slide backward under docks, trees, and thick structure, targeting bass that normal lures cannot reach.
This design perfectly reflects deps’ philosophy: put the bait where others cannot.
Cover Scat — The Modern No-Sinker Weapon
In recent years, Cover Scat has become one of the most influential modern deps lures.
It is a dense, no-sinker soft bait designed to:
- Fall perfectly vertical
- Drop directly into thick cover
- Mimic injured or panicking prey
On heavily pressured lakes in Japan and overseas, Cover Scat has proven extremely effective for triggering reaction bites from wary big bass.
Who Uses deps — A Brand for Serious Trophy Hunters
deps does not target casual anglers.
Its users tend to be:
- Trophy bass hunters
- Tournament anglers
- Structure specialists
- Big-bait and glide-bait experts
These anglers accept:
- Lower strike frequency
- Heavier tackle
- Long, patient fishing sessions
In exchange, they gain access to life-changing fish — bass that redefine personal records and competitive results.
For many anglers, deps lures become their “confidence baits” — the lures they throw when everything matters.
You can feel the enthusiasm that fans are making in Japan from the video below.
The video is from DEPS official web page, STYLE of DEPS.
Global Status — From Japan to the World
What began on the waters of Lake Biwa has now spread across the world.
Today, deps products are widely used in:
- Japan
- United States
- Europe
- Southeast Asia
The brand is now recognized internationally as a symbol of:
- Japanese big-bass engineering
- Precision lure design
- Extreme specialization
deps is no longer just a Japanese brand — it is a global big-bass culture.
Final Thoughts — deps Is Not a Brand, It Is a Belief
deps does not promise easy fishing.
It promises one opportunity — the kind that may come once in a season, or once in a lifetime.
For those who chase:
- The hardest fish
- The biggest bass
- The most unforgettable strikes
deps is not just a lure brand — it is a belief system.
deps — For Monster Bass Only.
If you want to buy tackles of DEPS, you can visit Discovery Japan Mall's DEPS page.
For example, you can see Slide Swimmer 145 (nice handy size in DEPS range), of Golden Shiner color is here.
If you travel around Japan, especially if you want to go fishing around Lake Biwa, it is much better with a car.
For your needs of rental cars during Japanese travel, please visit economybookings.com
