Fish
Coryphaena hippurus ・ シイラ科
A fish of summer and autumn, when the warm current pushes in. It gathers under anything afloat, driftwood or a fish-aggregating buoy, so the search is for the object rather than the fish. When the water cools it leaves for open sea at once.
Males develop a steep, blunt forehead. The fish shimmers gold and blue in the water but fades fast once landed. In Hawaii it is known as mahi-mahi.
Lure fishing from boats in summer and autumn is the standard. The fish gather around driftwood and payao fish-aggregating buoys, so anglers cast metal jigs and poppers there; the hard fight makes it a good introduction to offshore casting.
Cast to the downwind side of the driftwood or buoy and start the retrieve fast the moment it lands. One hooked fish brings the shoal up, so the next angler should cast straight away. A landed fish thrashes hard with the lure still in its jaw: pin it with a grip before you go near it with pliers.
Waters: Southern Pacific coast, East China Sea & western Kyushu, Okinawa & Nansei Islands
In summer the shoals sometimes come within casting range of a shore mark or the end of a breakwater with good flow. Retrieve fast at the surface and do not pause when one follows. A big fish cannot be lifted up the rock, so bring a net: trying to muscle one out is how people go in.
Waters: Southern Pacific coast, East China Sea & western Kyushu, Okinawa & Nansei Islands
Shore jigging kit ・ Kit total ¥40,000–100,000
You will often be on rocks or the tip of a breakwater at dawn, where safety gear matters more than results. Do not go alone.
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This fish is dangerous to handle bare-handed.
Histamine
The flesh is high in histidine, and as freshness drops it converts to histamine, a known cause of food poisoning with facial flushing, hives and headache. Histamine is not destroyed by heat, so neither grilling nor frying will make it safe. Bleed the fish the moment it is aboard, pack it in an iced cool box, and never let it sit at ambient temperature. A large fish soon exhausts your ice, so decide how many you will keep before you start.
Killing and carrying your catch — the taste is decided at the pier, not the kitchen
Sharp teeth
Rows of fine, rasping teeth will graze a finger, but the greater danger comes after landing: it thrashes violently on deck with the lure still in its jaw, and a freed hook can go into someone. Pin the head with a grip, keep your face away, and use pliers. Do not leave one loose at your feet until it has settled.
Dangerous fish and animals — what to do when you are stung or bitten
Fried, as meuniere, or cooked in butter: a light white flesh that suits heat. Keep it for sashimi only if it was bled and iced without delay.
Best eating: July–September
Offshore fish-aggregating buoys and set nets belong to commercial fisheries, and fishing around them is restricted in places. Follow the skipper's instructions on a party boat, and check the 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.