Fish
Auxis rochei / Auxis thazard ・ Scombridae (Mackerels and Tunas)
Concentrated into a short window from summer to autumn. When a school arrives the fishing is furious, and when it leaves it is over.
An anglers' name covering two species, the bullet tuna and the frigate tuna. They arrive inshore in schools from summer into autumn and can appear suddenly in front of a pier, taking shore jigs and even sabiki rigs. The body is a compact spindle, and the two are told apart by the position of the dark markings on the back and by where scales are present. The frigate tuna eats better; the bullet tuna carries a great deal of dark muscle.
Fished from the tips of breakwaters and from rocks with shore jigs in summer and autumn. It most often turns up as a by-catch while chasing other jacks, and responds to a small metal jig retrieved fast. It fights hard, but taking one home is only worth doing if you can keep it properly cold.
It comes as a by-catch while jigging for other jacks. If you are keeping one, bleed it and ice it immediately: as freshness drops it becomes a cause of histamine poisoning, and cooking does not prevent that.
Waters: Sea of Japan, Northern Pacific coast, Southern Pacific coast, Seto Inland Sea, East China Sea & western Kyushu
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 dark red muscle is high in histidine, and as freshness drops it converts to histamine, a known cause of food poisoning with facial flushing and hives. Cooking does not destroy histamine. Bleed the fish immediately, pack it in ice, and never let it sit at ambient temperature. If you cannot keep it cold, do not take it home.
Killing and carrying your catch — the taste is decided at the pier, not the kitchen
Sharp gill plate
Built for speed, with a hard, keeled tail base that can graze a bare hand holding a thrashing fish.
Dangerous fish and animals — what to do when you are stung or bitten
Frigate tuna is good as sashimi or tataki. Bullet tuna is heavy with dark muscle and is better dried or used for stock. With both, freshness is everything.
Best eating: August–October
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.