Methods
Surf casting
A long rod and a heavy sinker put the rig 50-100 m out, and the rod is then rested while you wait. Where chonage searches, surf casting picks a distant spot and waits there, so reading the drop-offs and gutters of a beach pays off. Flounder in winter and Japanese whiting in summer are the two mainstays. The cast itself is dangerous: always check behind you first.
Season
Whiting from early summer to autumn, flounder from late autumn to early spring, so something is in season all year.
The kit you need
Surf casting kit ・ Kit total ¥22,000–60,000
- Surf rod, 4.25 m, 27-gouA true surf rod for launching heavy sinkers to distant ground. Always check behind you before casting. ¥8,000–30,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Spinning reel, size 3000For surf casting and live-bait fishing: holds more line and stands up to mid-sized fish. ¥5,000–18,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Nylon line, 3-gou (about 12 lb)For sabiki and hole fishing. Thick enough to resist abrasion on rock and to horse a rockfish straight up. ¥600–2,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Jet tenbin sinker, 15-25 gouThe long-range sinker for surf casting. It lifts as you retrieve, which reduces snags. ¥300–900AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Whiting rig (2-3 hooks)A surf rig of small, fine-wire hooks matched to the small mouth of Japanese whiting. ¥300–900AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Flounder rig (single-arm sinker, 2 hooks, attractor beads)A winter surf rig; the fluorescent beads make it visible in coloured water. ¥400–1,200AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Aoisome (green sandworm / Nereis)The most versatile worm bait, usable for chonage, surf, hole and float fishing alike. Its movement is the attraction, so do not cut it too short. ¥500–1,200AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
- Rod stand / tripodFor resting a rod during surf fishing. A rod laid on the ground damages its guides and can be washed away. ¥2,000–10,000AdFind 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
- Cap and polarised sunglassesAlso safety equipment, protecting your eyes from a flying rig. Polarised lenses additionally let you read the bottom. ¥2,000–20,000AdFind on AmazonFind on Rakuten
You are swinging a heavy sinker, so checking behind you and keeping distance from others is the core of safety here. The cap and glasses are included as eye protection.
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