New member from japan 2024
Kana reply :
My name is Scott Kanasugi, i currently live in japan (transplanted from Oregon), working as a chef at a hotel, but a fisherman first! I have been visiting the site for a while now, and its too good of a resource to not be part of. Bass fishing is tremendously popular here, and consequently most all water is heavily pressured. Ive caught a few fish here, now that ive actually located accessible areas. I hope to share lots of info, and will always have questions that i hope many will respond to!
abelfisher reply :
Welcome from across the Pacific! I've always been iterested in the fishingin Japan. Please let us know of anydifferent techniques, baits that you all use over there. How popular is bass fishing over there, anyway?
Welcome Kana!
Muddpuppy reply :
Don't happen to have any good conections on equipment cheap, by any chance. ;D Just kidding. Welcome!
Phishn_Phool reply :
Welcome...I am sure you will be a ble to put a different and interesting twist on bass fishing from afar. Anytime you go let us know how your doing it. Welcome Again
CPR ;D
Boo reply :
Hey Kana know of any new drop shot techniques from the country that made that technique hot?
Marty reply :
Welcome Scott. There was some recent news that the powers that be want to eradicate bass over there. What's the status of that?
Chris reply :
Welcome to the forum ;D
Kana reply :
wow, thanks for the welcome, i guess i have a few questions to answer here goes;
Equipment wise, everything here is pretty expensive a quality rod runs from 200-600$, reels can run the same depending on what youre loking for. I just recently bought a Daiwa Certate 2500, it set me back 400$ but its an awesome reel. (FYI the certate just released in the US is Japans last year's modle, some features are different). A 10 pack of yamamoto plastics runs a little more than 10 bucks! and mono is always 20$ or more for a 150 yd spool!!!!!!!! Here we have a ton of local and custom bait mfgs. The end product is not like what im used to seeing in the states. The plastics here are very soft and heavily sented. Hard lures are a differen story, he have the std US lures but a ton of japanese makers, large jointed minnows are popular, a high quality lure of that type runs about 80 bucks!!!!!!! (On average most lures are priced at about 15-18 $) Its not cheap to fish here... but its a d**n good time, unless you get hung up alot!
Drop shot rigs are set up a bit different here, we usually go 6 inches from hook to sinker as oppesed to the std 12 inches i was used to using in the US, although im sure many people adjust the depth depending on structure, everyone i have fished with stays at 6 inches and is VERY productive. Recently i have been rigging up with a 4 inch worm, clear with gold and silver flakes, and have been doing pretty well around weeds. Tubes are not as popular here as they are in the US so i have taken advantage of that and caught fish others couldnt on a drop shot! being the tube is still somewhat new to japanese bass. 4 inch grubs are the mainstay here if you dont have any....... you better go get some! a friend recently showed me how to use grubs as a top water bait and it worked, weightless and fast retrive, next to timber (for us) we got a lot of killer hits, and fish to go with them!
Japanese and US lure are very diffent in patterns and sounds. I have been able to get some fish on lures that the japanese may not have! Same will work when i return to the states!
Our most common fishing areas for bass, are dams, rivers, farm ponds and river back waters. the water here (it seems everywhere ive been) has a heavy green tint regardless of the time of year or location. Like i said, fishing pressure is the heaviest ive ever seen here, so everyday it seems everyone is trying to do something different in hope the fish havent seen that particular presentation, or lure modification. its sometimes feels like nothing works, then out come the MAGIC BAG! I have a few lures that have proved themselves, like the bill lewis mini ratl trap, wont leave the house with out it! And i cant find it in Japan! I never get skunked with that baby!
It is true that the japanese government is trying to get rid of the beloved black bass, as it has done serious damage to native species in every body of water in which they live. on some bodys of water, a mandatory kill of any black bass caught, regarless of size, is in effect. you can be fined if you relaese the fish. However, myself and 90% of japanese anglers catch and release, im concerned with the natve species yet i cant bring my self to kill a beautiful fish that will give someone else a thrill to catch. it seems ive been rambling on for long enough so if you have more questions let me know. tight lines!
Phishn_Phool reply :
nice report scott...that is all very interesting...than
CPR ;D
gc reply :
Hey there Scott, I'm also based in Japan and this is my first post here on this forum. I'm from New Zealand so didn't grow up with bass but I've been enjoying fishing for them for the last couple of years (along with some other types of fishing). I'm living in Ise City in Mie prefecture and just fishing the ponds around here from the shore. Where are you based?
Last year I caught most of my bass at night. Noone is ever fishing around the ponds at night here. I put that down to superstition about ghosts or some such thing but I have no complaints about fishing alone at night, especially in summertime when the bass seem easily tricked by my clumsily presented offerings. My most productive night bait is the small jig-head spinnerbait with a grub (dark colors best) and no skirt.
I agree with you about the price of gear here but I'm just not willing to pay those prices for a lure so I buy some second-hand, luckily I have a shop nearby for used fishing gear, and I also find a lot too. Around this time of year they start draining some water out of the ponds for irrigation and if you put in a bit of time you can find all sorts of goodies. Its also fun because you can try out lures you'ld never think to buy yourself.
I usually carry a rubbish bag with me and pick up the trash I find around the pond. When other fishermen see me doing that they look at me strange. I dont want to harp on about it but I just can't understand how so many people have no problem with poisoning the environment they enjoying fishing in with cigarette butts, cans, plastic bags, used line etc. The result is predictable, Bass fishermen have a bad reputation here. I thinks that's part of the reason for the attempts to ban catch&release. Of course bass have damaged native fish stocks and a ban in some river systems and lakes is necessary, also an attempt to reduce the bass populations. But people have to have places to go bass fishing. Small ponds like the ones I fish in don't have any population of these native fish (I think).
Kana reply :
nice to hear im not a lone. I live in Osaka, and recently ive been fishing the yodogawa river, theres a nice back water area ive been getting good results. I went today and got one bass that was a bout 30 cm, then i got hit by a grass carp, almost 80 cm, he eventually got the best of me and my lure, but it was an awesome fight. We dont have very many farm ponds close to osaka, that i have found yet! recently ive been using the evergreen little max, ive caught fish on every color, everytime ive used them, its a great lure ( easy to get results on). A friend showed me a technique with a gary yamamoto shade shape plastic, the 3 inch is most popular. hook it side to side, instead of top to bottom, and it gives really good action (no weight) its pretty much a top water rig, the bubble gum pink and watermelon are great colors. In clear or smaller water its a killer plastic. I really want to take some time to try the smaller ponds here. I have to agree with you on rubbish, i clean behind myself, and behind others too, but sometimes theres just too much garbage! I try really hard to remove used line, that just gets thrown everywhere. the recycle lure shops are great, i have one about 2 minutes from my apartment, its alot cheaper. The owner is geart, hes taken me to a few places and given me some awesome tips, ill try to pass them along to you. look forward to hearing from you.
gc reply :
Thanks for the reply, few questions about your post. By 'farm pond' do you mean 'nouike'? Are 'grass carp' 'coi' or the longer, thinner fish called 'nigoi'. I often catch nigoi in the river (miyagawa) and they certainly put up quite a fight for awhile, I also catch catfish at night in the river when I'm trying for seabass. Also I'm not too sure what you mean by "gary yamamoto shade shape plastic", is that the 'senko' one or the 'cut tail' one or something different? I've been having some luck recently with the cut tail one hooked through the middle with no sinker or with a nail sinker inserted (neko rig) btw what's with that name? is it 'cat rig' or am I missing something?? . I get most of my bass fishing tips from watching the fishing channel on Sky Perfect TV, and more recently from reading this site. Anyway I might just go fishing now 
Kana reply :
Yes i am referring to nouike. And the carp in question are the beloved nigoi. The yamamoto bait is sold under the name "shad shape worm" in osaka they seem very popular, you should check them out. Im pleasantly surprised to find out you also fish for suzuki (hane in osaka), i do as well. I have yet to catch one, but ive tried a ton of times in osaka bay and also in tokyo with my brother in law. Any tips? I dont wade, yet. Ive tried the 4" power shad from ECO (iwashi imitation) witha 7g lead head. the action is nice. I think the seabass bite is on the decline right now in osaka bay unless youre on a boat. do you like tsuri-vision? I dont have sky perfect so im stuck with the daily regular shows. however i do like Fishing V and The Hit. Are there a lot of bass oriented shows on tsuri-vision?
Nick_Barr reply :
welcome!
Rebbasser reply :
Welcome to the forum, both of y'all!
Feel free to jump right in.
gc reply :
thanks Nick_Barr
Scot - Yes there are a bunch of bass fishing shows on tsuri-vision, some are good and some I don't like so much. But the best show is 'salt-ken' which is the new version of 'sea-ken' (short for kansai seabass kenkyuujou) basically a couple of very amusing Osaka blokes who go around catching lots of seabass, and now various other sea fish with lures. If you can find someone with videos of that show youll enjoy them. As for the seabass, there are all sorts of names for them depending on fish size and region - seigo , fukko , hane , suzuki are just a few of them, I prefer to just call them seabass ( like there aren't enough Japanese words for me to remember without remembering 10 different names for one kind of fish). I fish for seabass usually in the evening and nighttime around the rivermouths and beaches here in the evening and at night. Of course you can catch them in the daytime but I think more tight around man made structure nearer deeper water, tetrapods are good and a bit of wind and wave action is always good. My favorite seabass lure is called 'sasuke' by Ima. Now they sell bigger ones but I've only used the 9cm sinking one, white belly with yellow back works great for me at night, slowish, straight retrieve. Seabass also love those spin tail vibration baits. The one caled 'kuru-kuru' is very popular but I like the one made by duel with a plastic coating, cheap too, only 800yen. Seabass are good at throwing these lures but apart from that they work good. I'm not sure about the soft plastics, I mean i'm sure they can work fine but most people seem to prefer hard baits. Keep trying with the seabass, it also took me a lot of tries before I eventually started catching them. When you do catch one be careful how you handle it, you can grab it in the mouth like a bass but they have very sharp parts bellow the gill covers so be wary. good luck.
Hot n Tot reply :
Welcome to both of you. I look forward to read about the different techniques and equipment used for bass fishing in Japan.
Bassattackr reply :
How much are lucky craft lures there? Do many people use them? I just got a LC hat to add to my small (but growing) LC arsenal.
Cheers.
Kana reply :
thanks gc, i havent tried the baits you mentioned so i guess i have to try them out. Im a bit curious how long have you been in japan? Ive been coming to japan once a year for the past 8 years , and only been living here for about 8 months. Have you seen the shrimp imitation bait released by ESG, alot of locals have been using it around marina areas and doing well. Im thinking that minnow imitations are better suited for seabass, but theres still a lot i dont know!
Bassattackr, lucky craft has some awesome lure, some much different than whats avail. in the states. lucky craft runs about 7$ for graphite jigs, up to 20$ for larger baits including the popular pointer. then come the larger jointed baits that can go for 50$. According to a "selection manual" i picked up at the 2005 fishing show the prices seem to be the generally the same minus the addition of tax and duty.
gc reply :
I've been here about 7 years. One year in Nagoya, one in Gifu and now five in Ise City. Now I'm married to a Japanese lady.
I haven't seen the shrimp imitation you mentioned but I'm basically trying to buy no new lures at the moment. I've collected up so many of the things over the last 2 or 3 years. Just have to get out and use them as much as possible. I also do a bit of bait fishing, like trying new things, keeps life interesting. Japanese fishing is so technical. I'm trying to pick up as many skills as possible (and gear) while I'm here. This year I want to get into the black snapper (kurodai, chinu, kaizu... tons of names for that one too)
davmac reply :
Welcome Kana..best of luck fishing in Japan...keep us updated on anything new!!
BD reply :
Welcome ;D
Yankee_lake reply :
cool japan i'm from the bronx and moved to the country and started fishing.. am i cool or is it just cool hes in japan
Rattlinrogue reply :
Welcome aboard.
Kana reply :
thanks for the continued welcomes!
gc, i was watching the hit last night they were inserting jig heads in to tube baits then cutting off the skirts, so there was only the hollow body, casting to tetras and other pilings, and catching chinu. i think they were in Wakayama, but i forgot, sorry. I have yet to try saltwater fishng for anything other than seabass. have you had any problems night fishing for bass, with other people/landowners? I wanted to try, but get soem info before i ventured out. What times have you found to be productive? have you tried crankbaits Yet? Jackall (lake police) makes a really good small crankbait called "cherry" the vibration and action are good, and bass seem really attracted to them. the shad color has worked for me, over weeds, ALWAYS parallel to the shore! Thats the only way i get fish. ive been keeping a log book of each outing since i moved to japan, thats the winning conbination everytime i have caught fish. have you fished any of the dams?
gc reply :
Sorry the reply took a while. I was going to reply yesterday morning when I saw your post but decided to get straight out fishing as I only had a couple of hours before work. Good decision actually, I went to the only pond I fish in that isn't a farm pond. Its next to the river and in flood becomes part of the river. I started out throwing a rubber jig with a rubber 'worm' actually I dont know what its called but its like a grub with two legs and does a nice frog imitation. Throwing it into the deep spots with lots of weed cover and wham, raigyou, in English 'snake head' (??) first one I've landed, though I caught a real big one in the same pond before that broke me off on my light rig. This time I was using my heavier bait rig and managed to haul it up on the shore but man, these things hit hard and fight like all hell. After that I tried the shallow area with a top water pencil bait (heddon) and wham, this time it was a bass, my biggest ever at 53cm, I was stoked. Guess where I'm going today
Thats interesting about catching the chinu with tube baits. I guess they're immitating baby squid? I noticed in the latest Salt and Stream mag there's an article about targetting chinu with minnows but it seems a bit strange to me, theyre not real 'fish eater' fish.
No, I've had no problem night fishing for bass. Some locals might check out what you're up to but thats probably because they think you're dumping your trash or something, when they see you're fishing I doubt anyone will care. I fish anytime between dusk and 1 or 2 in the morning. try casting small worms around the edges before using the bigger stuff. As I said before the jig head spinner bait is my most productive night bait but your mileage will no doubt vary. And of course be careful with aggressive casting, its real easy to misjudge the distance at night, as I've discovered quite a few times. I use a head torch but try to use it as little as possible, to change a lure I move away from the water and face the other direction so as not to spook the fish. Tell us how you go.
Kana reply :
WOW a snake head, ive seen them but never caught one, a little scary looking, then a 53 cm bass, congratulations!!!!!!!!! I hope that spot is less known so you get to hit it often!
Ive often tried topwaters, a torpedo, spook puppy, and most recently the new Shimano, triple action, i havent got any hits yet. i tried early and late, open water near cover, and over weeds?????????? No action. any suggenstions... nice to heear youre landing excellent fish. have you taken any pictures?
d.k reply :
welcome this site is full of never ending information
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