The Secret Story Behind the Development of the A-PEN ~Episode 4~

Mastering the A-PEN: Tactical Presentations, Rod Work, and Rigging

By: Nakanishi, ADUSTA Lure Designer

Hey everyone, Nakanishi here, lead lure designer for ADUSTA.

In this blog series, I’m pulling back the curtain on the development stories, design concepts, and tuning secrets of the ADUSTA A-PEN.

For Episode 4, we are focusing purely on the tactical side of this topwater stickbait. I’ll be walking you through the core retrieving techniques, my personal textbook tackle configurations, and a killer rear-hook tuning method to help you turn cautious followers into aggressive hook-ups.

ADUSTA A-PEN - Australian Bass Hit Scene

Core Tactical Actions & Presentation Styles

1. The Classic "Walk-the-Dog" Cadence

This is the baseline presentation for the A-PEN. A rhythmic, side-to-side zig-zag action across the surface tension. As the bait sweeps left and right, the internal tungsten weight system shifts violently, emitting a crisp, high-pitch knock. This heavy acoustic signature pierces through the water column, calling in predators from great distances and deep water.

2. Power Skating (Long-Glide Walking)

By mastering your slack-line management, you can maximize the A-PEN's built-in gliding and carving capabilities. To execute this, start with a sharp, aggressive downward snap of the rod tip, then immediately return the rod forward to feed slack line back to the lure. The bait will break into a wide, long-distance glide across the surface film. This is highly lethal on ultra-clear lakes or calm, glass-like mornings where the subtle water displacement and expanding wake-ripples drive spooky fish insane.

3. The Stationary Table Turn

This technique is all about choking down on your retrieve speed while working the rod aggressively. Minimize your reel rotations and apply sharp, rapid rod snaps to force the A-PEN to pivot hard on a dime without moving forward. It’s the ultimate presentation when you are casting at a pinpoint piece of structure—like a laydown, dock post, or isolated weed clump—and need to stall the bait directly in the strike zone to tease out a fish.

4. The Surface Splash (Popper Presentation)

Utilizing the same mechanical rhythm as the table turn, you combine sharp rod snaps with a steady, continuous reel cadence. This forces the nose of the A-PEN to aggressively slap and plough through the surface film, throwing out a prominent splash and a deep acoustic spit that mimics a topwater popper. This is highly effective when you need extra drawing power, such as on windy days with surface chop, stained or muddy water conditions, or when you need to trigger a school of schooling fish into a feeding frenzy.

5. Sub-Surface Diving (The Panic Presentation)

By spooling up with a denser line material like fluorocarbon and executing a blistering fast, aggressive walk, you can force the A-PEN to submerge and dart just under the surface tension. This erratic, subsurface swimming path perfectly mimics a panicked, fleeing baitfish. It is your absolute best choice when casting directly into active surface boils or targeting pelagic predators that refuse to break the surface film.

Recommended Tackle Configuration

While the ADUSTA A-PEN was engineered with a highly versatile, forgiving balance that performs beautifully on a wide range of gear, anglers often ask me: "As the designer, what is your absolute premier setup?" If you want to unlock the maximum responsiveness out of this bait, this is the exact tackle matrix I recommend:

• The Rod: A shorter, highly technical blank allows for effortless downward rod snaps without slapping the water or boat gunwales.

  • Length: 5’6” to 6’0”

  • Power: Light (L) to Medium (M)

  • Action/Taper: Slow (Parabolic) to Regular-Fast (RF)

• The Reel: A standard-gear baitcasting or spinning reel (around 6.1:1 ratio). This allows you to pick up line slack rhythmically without over-pulling the bait out of its glide.

• The Line:

  • Nylon Monofilament / Fluorocarbon: 10lb to 12lb

  • Braided Line: 30lb to 50lb (Note: Braided line provides zero stretch, providing immediate startup response for long-distance walking).

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Custom Tuning Guide: The Feathered Hook Upgrade

ADUSTA A-PEN rear hook tuned with marabou feathers

Swapping out your stock rear treble for a custom feathered hook upgrade is a game-changer for topwater stickbaits.

When a bass or predatory fish tracks a surface bait, they utilize an inhale-style vacuum strike. The added water resistance of the natural feathers creates drag, causing the rear hook to float effortlessly into the fish's mouth the second it opens, drastically increasing your hook-up ratio on short-striking or cautious fish.

Natural bird feathers have been a trusted fish-catching material since ancient times. Every time you twitch the rod, the plumage subtly pulses, flares, and breathes in the water. This organic movement provides a realistic trailing texture that convinces following predators to fully commit to the bite.

You can experiment with standard cock neck feathers, rabbit fur, or marabou to achieve different hydro-acoustic profiles. Tie them on a #4 or #6 treble to keep the A-PEN balanced perfectly.