Methods
Chonage (short-cast bottom fishing)
A light sinker and a two-hook rig baited with sandworm, cast just 10-30 m to search the bottom. No dedicated surf rod is needed; one compact rod will do. Cast, wait, drag slowly, pause, repeat, and whiting, goby or flounder holding on the bottom will take it. You never quite know what will come up, which is exactly when a field guide earns its keep.
Season
Mainly spring to autumn. In winter it shifts into longer-range surf fishing for flounder.
The kit you need
Chonage starter kit ・ Kit total ¥11,000–24,000
- Compact all-round rod, 2.4 mThe entry rod for chonage and light bottom fishing. It packs down to about 50 cm, so it travels by train, and a child can swing it. ¥2,500–6,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Spinning reel, size 1000-2000A small reel for chonage, hole fishing and light work. Light enough for a child to hold. ¥2,500–8,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Nylon line, 2-gou (about 8 lb)The standard for chonage and float fishing. Its stretch absorbs sudden runs and forgives an imperfect knot. ¥600–2,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Chonage rig set (sinker arm + 2 hooks)A pack with the sinker arm, weight and hooks together; you only have to tie one knot to the main line. ¥300–900AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Jarime (small sandworm)Thinner than aoisome and better matched to the small mouths of whiting and goby. ¥500–1,200AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Rope bucket for drawing seawaterUsed to rinse hands and chum and to keep fish alive. It is also how you leave the pier clean. ¥800–2,500AdFind 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
- Cool box, 15-20 LFor carrying fish home cold. Take plenty of ice; in summer a poorly insulated box is not fit for the job. ¥4,000–25,000AdFind 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
A compact rod travels by train. Jarime is the easiest bait to handle.
Product links may be affiliate links. Prices move, so treat the ranges as a guide.
What it catches
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False Kelpfish
カサゴ / Sebastiscus marmoratus
March–December
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Japanese Whiting
シロギス / Sillago japonica
May–October
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Yellowfin Goby
マハゼ / Acanthogobius flavimanus
June–December
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Marbled Flounder
マコガレイ / Pseudopleuronectes yokohamae
January–March, November, December
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Japanese Striped Eel Catfish
ゴンズイ / Plotosus japonicus
May–November
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Grey-spotted Puffer
クサフグ / Takifugu alboplumbeus
April–November
Beginner guide
Chonage for beginners — reading the sand twenty metres out
Cast a light rig a short way, drag it back slowly. Whiting, goby, flounder, rockfish — the cast changes with the season.