Fish
Parajulis poecilepterus ・ Labridae (Wrasses and Parrotfishes)
It becomes active as the water warms and turns up constantly in summer chonage sessions aimed at whiting. Below about 15 degrees it buries itself in the sand and stops feeding, so the season is confined to early summer through autumn.
A wrasse often caught over sandy ground near rocky shores. Males are blue-green and females reddish brown - a striking difference. At night it buries itself in the sand to sleep.
Fish it with a short cast and a slow drag over sand broken by rock and weed, with a piece of worm on the hook. It sits closer in than the whiting, near the structure. It feeds by day; after dark it buries itself and stops.
If these keep coming while you fish for whiting, your rig is passing close to rock or weed within the sand. Work the same line if you want numbers, or move the cast five metres along to find clean sand and get back to the whiting.
Areas: Osaka Bay
Waters: Northern Pacific coast, Southern Pacific coast, Sea of Japan, Seto Inland Sea, East China Sea & western Kyushu
In surf fishing it comes from around isolated rock offshore, so if the bait keeps disappearing, cast away from the structure. Males are blue-green and females reddish brown, different enough to look like two species from the same patch of sand.
Waters: Southern Pacific coast, Sea of Japan, Seto Inland Sea, East China Sea & western Kyushu
Chonage starter kit ・ Kit total ¥11,000–24,000
A compact rod travels by train. Jarime is the easiest bait to handle.
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This fish is dangerous to handle bare-handed.
Sharp teeth
Small but pointed teeth sit at the front of the mouth. It often swallows the bait and the hook with it; rather than dragging the hook back out, cut the leader and release the fish if the pliers cannot reach.
Dangerous fish and animals — what to do when you are stung or bitten
Dismissed as a nuisance around Tokyo, it is valued as a summer fish in the Inland Sea and Kansai. The flesh is soft, which suits grilling, deep-frying, or a vinegar marinade.
Best eating: June–August
Check the local prefectural fishery regulation.
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.
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.