NEWS

BALSAM 225 and 245 have been shipped to our retailers.

Arrival timing varies by shop, so please check with your local dealer. Thank you, as always, for your continued support of ISOLABLEU.

Catch reports of bluefin tuna on BALSAM have arrived from our anglers — including a shot of the lure firmly in the corner of the jaw. Thank you for the fantastic catches.

We look forward to more reports from the water.

Following the final inspection, the BALSAM 225 has been shipped to our retailers.

Starting with this production run, the hologram specification has been upgraded, giving the lure a new look.

Every piece has passed buoyancy inspection, so you can use it with complete confidence.

To our valued retailers,

Thank you, as always, for carrying ISOLABLEU products. We would like to let you know that we have decided to revise the production plans for BALSAM 225 and 245, as well as our new BALSAM 185 ICBM.

Owing to an ongoing shortage of solvents, together with difficulty in reliably securing balsa wood of the quality we require, we must regretfully ask for some adjustments to production volumes and schedules.

・BALSAM 225 / 245 … A hologram specification change is planned, and production volumes are expected to be reduced significantly.
・BALSAM 185 ICBM … Timing and quantity are currently undecided; we will share details as soon as they are confirmed.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience and concern this may cause, and we kindly ask for your understanding. Thank you for your continued support of ISOLABLEU.

The much-loved BALSAM 225, 245, and 265 will all end production for this term, owing to a shortage of balsa material and paint issues. The arrival schedule for the final batch is as follows.

· BALSAM 225 … late June to early July
· BALSAM 245 … mid- to late July (much requested)

As these are produced in very small quantities, we recommend considering your purchase early. Thank you sincerely for your long-standing support. We look forward to your continued patronage.

For the BALSAM 225 shipping from the end of this month into early next month, we completed a full buoyancy inspection with a 70 g weight on June 20.

Remarkably, only a single piece fell short on buoyancy this time — a near-perfect “miracle lot.”

Every BALSAM comes with a buoyancy guarantee, so you can use it with complete confidence.

As the BALSAM 185 ICBM is taking time to fine-tune its buoyancy, we plan to make it available between July and August.

The initial buoyancy model (primer blank) weighs 70 g, and even at this stage it floated fine while carrying two Decoy 10/0 hooks. With yellowfin tuna as the main target, our estimate for a finished 90 g shows that an 84 g blank can comfortably carry a single 10/0 on the rear (about 25 g including the ring). We are also developing it with an option to target bluefin tuna on a single hook.

Because the 185 has a small, round form, fine-tuning the cutting machine is taking time. From here, each piece will be buoyancy-inspected with a 40 g weight before painting. A shortage of solvent has also slowed progress.

To deliver it in the best possible finish, we kindly ask for your patience a little while longer.

The now sold-out Gimbal Belt will be revised in specification and offered again around autumn.

This time we plan to update the camouflage pattern and upgrade the specifications. The price will inevitably rise, but we hope for your kind understanding.

Thank you for the wonderful response that sold it out. We kindly ask for your patience until the next release.