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Build your Free Slide
Head, hookset and necktie are all separate parts. The spec line is the product's own; prices and stock are live.
The complete rig
Free Slide VS+
45g - 180g | 5 Colours
Head, hookset and neckties, ready to fish.
Swap weights without re-rigging
Free Slide VS+ Head
45g - 180g | 5 Colours
The head alone, in the five essential colours.
Strong current, stay vertical
Free Slide TG Head
125g - 160g | 3 Colours
Tungsten cuts through the water column more efficiently when the current is too strong for lead.
Ready-to-fish hooksets
Dragon & Straight, Twin Curly & Straight, Spiral Curly Short
6 Colours | 2 Per Pack
Pre-rigged with the right balance of neckties and chemically sharpened hooks, so you are not fumbling with components when the bite is on.
Head colour
The five essential Hayabusa colours
Choosing the right head colour is about matching the light, the water clarity and the natural forage.
Red Shrimp
The universal choice for snapper. Mimics crustaceans and small octopus; in deeper water the red becomes a dark, high-contrast silhouette against the seafloor.
Orange Gold
The all-rounder. Gold flash for sunny days, with a natural orange warmth that triggers aggressive strikes.
Green Gold
The secret weapon for clear water and bright days. Mimics the shimmer of yellowtail or slimy mackerel when the reds and oranges aren't working.
Appeal Orange
High-intensity solid orange for maximum visibility: dawn, dusk, or a reaction bite from sluggish fish.
Triple Chartreuse
The murky-water specialist. Green-tinted water or after a storm, the highest visibility across the spectrum.
Necktie strategy
Customising your vibration
The necktie is the engine of the lure. Hayabusa offers specialised shapes to suit the mood of the fish.
Subtle shimmy
Crystal clear water, or fish that are finicky and easily spooked.
High-frequency pulse
Vibrates even at ultra-slow retrieve speeds: your best scouting tie to find where the fish are holding.
The thump
0.6mm extra-thick silicone pushes a volume of water that triggers the lateral line in deep or dirty water.
The trophy tie
A long, aggressive tail that mimics squid. For the largest snapper in the school.
Panicked movement
Two tails flickering together. For high-activity periods when fish are feeding aggressively.
At a glance
Hooksets and neckties at a glance
Every replacement part we stock, with what it is for. Prices and stock are live.
| Part | Type | Best for | Action | Pack | From | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hookset Dragon & Straight | Hookset | The big-fish specialist | Aggressive long-tail Dragon Curly vibration with the natural profile of the Straight tie | 2 per pack | $14.80 In stock |
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| Hookset Twin Curly & Straight | Hookset | The all-rounder for high-activity periods | Flickering double-tail action that mimics panicked baitfish | 2 per pack | $14.80 In stock |
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| Hookset Spiral Curly Short | Hookset | A finesse approach | A rapid, high-frequency pulse, deadly when snapper feed on small crustaceans | 2 per pack | $14.80 In stock |
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| Necktie Spiral Curly Slim | Necktie | Scouting for fish | High-frequency vibration at ultra-slow speeds | 3 per pack | $7.90 In stock |
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| Necktie Spiral Curly Short | Necktie | Scouting, shorter profile | High-frequency vibration at ultra-slow speeds | 3 per pack | $8.80 In stock |
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| Necktie Bulky Curly Single | Necktie | Deep or dirty water | 0.6mm silicone that pushes water | 3 per pack | $7.90 In stock |
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| Necktie Bulky Curly Double | Necktie | Deep or dirty water, more thump | Two 0.6mm tails | 3 per pack | $7.90 In stock |
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| Necktie Dragon Curly Slim | Necktie | Trophy hunters | Long, aggressive squid-like tail | 3 per pack | $7.90 In stock |
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- Best for
- The big-fish specialist
- Action
- Aggressive long-tail Dragon Curly vibration with the natural profile of the Straight tie
- Pack
- 2 per pack
- Best for
- The all-rounder for high-activity periods
- Action
- Flickering double-tail action that mimics panicked baitfish
- Pack
- 2 per pack
- Best for
- A finesse approach
- Action
- A rapid, high-frequency pulse, deadly when snapper feed on small crustaceans
- Pack
- 2 per pack
- Best for
- Scouting for fish
- Action
- High-frequency vibration at ultra-slow speeds
- Pack
- 3 per pack
- Best for
- Scouting, shorter profile
- Action
- High-frequency vibration at ultra-slow speeds
- Pack
- 3 per pack
- Best for
- Deep or dirty water
- Action
- 0.6mm silicone that pushes water
- Pack
- 3 per pack
- Best for
- Deep or dirty water, more thump
- Action
- Two 0.6mm tails
- Pack
- 3 per pack
- Best for
- Trophy hunters
- Action
- Long, aggressive squid-like tail
- Pack
- 3 per pack
01 · The head
Free Slide VS+ and TG heads
Modular exchangeEvery head features a smooth-bore internal pipe that protects your fluorocarbon leader from abrasion and lets the head slide effortlessly away from the fish during the fight. Because the head is independent of the skirt, you can jump from a 60g head for shallow reefs to a 150g head for deep channels without re-rigging. The tungsten TG head cuts through the water column when the current is too strong to stay vertical with lead.
- The mission
- Weight versatility without re-rigging
- Best for
- Shallow reefsDeep channelsStrong current
- Colours
- #1 Red Shrimp · #2 Orange Gold · #3 Green Gold · #4 Appeal Orange · #5 Triple Chartreuse
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02 · Hooksets
Replacement ready-to-fish hooksets
Pre-riggedWhen the bite is on you don't want to be fumbling with individual components. The complete replacement hooksets come pre-rigged with the perfect balance of neckties and chemically sharpened hooks: Dragon & Straight for the big-fish specialist, Twin Curly & Straight for high-activity periods, and Spiral Curly Short for a finesse approach.
- The mission
- Re-rig in seconds
- Best for
- Big fishHigh activityFinesse
- Pack
- 2 per pack
03 · Neckties
Free Slide neckties
The engine of the lureSwap the tie to suit the mood of the fish: Spiral Curly to scout, Bulky Curly for the thump in deep or dirty water, Dragon Curly for the trophy hunters, Straight Slim for spooky fish in clear water and Twin Curly when they are feeding hard.
- The mission
- Match the vibration to the mood
- Best for
- ScoutingDirty waterTrophy snapperClear water
- Pack
- 3 per pack
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Technique
How to fish the Free Slide system
Three steps, in order.
The drop
Free-spool to the bottom with your thumb on the spool, and engage the instant the head touches down: snapper often strike on the first turn.
The steady wind
Do not jig the rod. Wind slow and steady, about one turn a second; most strikes come in the first 10 metres.
The no-strike rule
Feel pecking? Keep winding. Lift only when the rod fully loads and the drag starts to run.
Pro tips
Free Slide tips
The speed shift
No hits? Crawl, then burst five fast turns every 3 to 4 metres.
Constant bottom contact
Thumb the spool and engage the instant the head touches down.
Sounder to stall
Fish 5 to 10m up? Wind to that depth and stop; the swell works the necktie.
Scent and silicone
Gel scent on the skirt keeps fish crunching, not nipping.
Managing head knock
On choppy days point the rod at the water and let the reel do the work.
Leader length matters
4 to 6m of fluorocarbon absorbs head-shakes and hides the braid.
Drift control
Use a drogue, or a TG tungsten head when the current is strong.
Related guides
Keep reading
Sliders
Slider guide
Kabura and tai rubber for NZ snapper: Ocean Angler and Hayabusa Free Slide, the neckties, the rods and X-Braid, and a depth-to-weight chart.
Sabikis
Hayabusa sabiki guide
Which colour for which water, how to read the Japanese hook sizes, and live prices and stock on every EX rig.
Slow pitch
Slow pitch jig guide
Hayabusa, Palms, Uroco, Evergreen and Vexed jigs matched to the job, a depth-to-weight chart, technique and the assist hooks to rig them.
Softbaiting
Softbaiting guide
The rod, reel, braid, softbaits and jigheads that catch snapper in New Zealand, from a first setup to a technical one, rods and reels by budget, and how to fish them.
The full range
Every Free Slide part we stock
Heads, hooksets and necktiesEverything in our Free Slide collection that is in stock right now.
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