Freshwater lure fishing from a Lake / Pond / Reservoir
Largemouth Bass: Retrieve parallel to banks and inflows, changing depth and speed if there is no response. Follow local invasive-fish handling rules.
Waters: Rivers & lakes
Fish
Largemouth Bass オオクチバス
Micropterus nigricans ・ Centrarchidae (Freshwater Sunfishes)
Catch season
- Catchable
- Peak
Months for Largemouth Bass are a broad Japan-wide guide and shift with region, temperature and conditions; prefer local reports and rules.
About
A large North American predator that reaches about 60 cm. The back is greenish brown and a thick, ragged dark band runs down the middle of the flank. The mouth is the giveaway against the smallmouth bass: its corner extends past the rear edge of the eye. First released into Lake Ashi in 1925, it preys on native fish and is now a designated invasive species in Japan.
Basics
- Scientific name
- Micropterus nigricans
- Family
- Centrarchidae (Freshwater Sunfishes)
- Japanese name
- オオクチバス
- Kana
- おおくちばす
- Waters
- Rivers & lakes
- Size
- 33 cm (max 60 cm)
- Time of day
- Dawn, Dusk, Night
- Depth (tana)
- Around bank cover and through mid-water, changing depth with season and temperature.
How to catch it
One of Japan's signature lure targets, worked with soft plastics and hard baits in farm ponds and reservoirs. It is designated an Invasive Alien Species, so moving it alive or releasing it into other waters is prohibited by law.
Kit for this fish
Freshwater lure starter kit ・ Kit total ¥17,000–50,000
- 6.6 ft ML freshwater lure rodVersatile spinning rod for bass and medium or small trout. ¥6,000–22,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Spinning reel, size 2500The most versatile size for pier fishing: one reel covers sabiki, float fishing and eging. ¥4,000–15,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- 8 lb fluorocarbon lineGeneral freshwater lure line; adjust strength for cover. ¥800–2,400AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Freshwater minnow and soft lureFish- or crustacean-shaped lures; check water-specific tackle restrictions. ¥600–2,500AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Fishing pliers / hook removerEssential protection from venomous spines and sharp teeth. Most injuries happen when someone unhooks a fish bare-handed. ¥800–4,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Cap and polarised sunglassesAlso safety equipment, protecting your eyes from a flying rig. Polarised lenses additionally let you read the bottom. ¥2,000–20,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Life jacket, adult (Japan Craft Inspection approved)The first thing to buy, and worn on piers, rocks and boats alike. Boat fishing requires the government-approved type marked with the cherry-blossom stamp. ¥5,000–20,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
First check the permit, lure and hook rules, and handling requirements for invasive fish.
Product links may be affiliate links. Prices move, so treat the ranges as a guide.
Eating
Food use varies locally. Check harvest rules and water quality, avoid raw consumption and cook thoroughly.
Rules
Largemouth Bass is regulated as a designated invasive alien species. Keeping, live transport and release are generally restricted. Local no-release rules and disposal methods vary, so also confirm permits, closed seasons, size and harvest rules.
Closed seasons and size limits — how to find the numbers, which differ by prefecture
This article organises general information and is not legal advice. Rules differ by municipality and by fishery cooperative, and they change. Always check the current rules for where you are going.
Other fish taken the same way
Other fish from the same kind of place
Seasons, sizes and eating quality are general guides. Rules change, so check the latest prefectural, fishery-cooperative and site rules before fishing. This app provides general information, not legal advice.