Fish
Sebastes pachycephalus ・ Scorpaenidae (Scorpionfishes)
It stays put in the rocks and can be caught all year, though it comes into the shallows and feeds more readily from spring into early summer. The charm of it is that thirty centimetres of water over boulders is enough. It eats best in the cold months from autumn to spring.
Many carry venom in their fin spines. Their mottled coloring blends into rock and seaweed as they lie in wait for prey. Found in the southern Pacific coast of Japan, the Seto Inland Sea, and the northern Pacific coast of Japan.
Cut a strip of mackerel with the skin on, put it on a burakuri sinker and feed it deep into the tetrapods. Once it lands, lift the tip two or three times, give it twenty or thirty seconds, and if nothing happens move to the next hole rather than persisting.
Waters: Southern Pacific coast, Seto Inland Sea, Northern Pacific coast
On a boulder shore they hold in rock shade in water barely knee deep. Use a light jighead of about three grams, drop the soft plastic behind the rock at your feet and give it two or three lifts. Polarised glasses let you find the gaps between the rocks first.
Waters: Southern Pacific coast, Seto Inland Sea, Northern Pacific coast
Hole fishing kit ・ Kit total ¥12,000–28,000
The cheapest tackle but the most dangerous footing. Do not skip the studded boots or the life jacket, and never step on wet tetrapods.
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This fish is dangerous to handle bare-handed.
Sharp spines
There are sharp spines in the fins and on the gill covers. Other members of the same family do carry venomous spines and the two are easily confused, but no established source records venom in this species. The spines still go in deep and the wound can become infected, so handle it with gloves or a grip.
Dangerous fish and animals — what to do when you are stung or bitten
Simmered, deep-fried, or in miso soup. The head is large and the yield small, but the firm white flesh makes a strong stock, and little ones can go into the fryer whole.
Best eating: January–March, November, December
Check the local prefectural fishery regulation. It grows slowly and stays in the same hole, so taking the small ones repeatedly will empty a spot for good.
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.