Bait, rigs and gear

Starter kits by method

• Sabiki starter kit

  Sabiki (bait-jig) fishing ・ ¥14,000–32,000

  Always include the life jacket, and add the child version if you are bringing children. This kit al…

• Chonage starter kit

  Chonage (short-cast bottom fishing) ・ ¥11,000–24,000

  A compact rod travels by train. Jarime is the easiest bait to handle.

• Float fishing starter kit

  Float fishing ・ ¥13,000–30,000

  Shares the rod and reel with the sabiki kit. The whole craft is in moving the stopper to find the d…

• Surf casting kit

  Surf casting ・ ¥22,000–60,000

  You are swinging a heavy sinker, so checking behind you and keeping distance from others is the cor…

• Hole fishing kit

  Anazuri (hole fishing in tetrapods) ・ ¥12,000–28,000

  The cheapest tackle but the most dangerous footing. Do not skip the studded boots or the life jacke…

• Eging kit

  Eging (squid jigging with egi) ・ ¥28,000–70,000

  No bait costs, but a higher up-front spend. You will lose egi to snags, so carry several of the sam…

• Shore jigging kit

  Jigging (metal jig) ・ ¥40,000–100,000

  You will often be on rocks or the tip of a breakwater at dawn, where safety gear matters more than …

• Live-bait fishing kit

  Nomase (live bait) fishing ・ ¥25,000–60,000

  The bait is normally caught on site with a sabiki rig, so bring that kit too. You need a bucket, id…

• Tairaba starter kit

  Tairaba (tai rubber jig) ・ ¥30,000–80,000

  Most party boats rent tackle. Going once with rented gear before buying wastes nothing.

• Fukase fishing kit

  Fukase (drift float) fishing ・ ¥45,000–120,000

  Built on the assumption that you will stand on rock. Of everything here, the studded boots and life…

All items

Rod

• Isozao (telescopic shore rod) #3, 3.6 mThe standard rod for sabiki and float fishing. Telescopic, so it packs short and handles easily on a pier. If you buy one rod, buy this. ¥4,000–9,000
• Isozao #1.5, 5.3 mThe soft, long rod used for fukase fishing. Its through-action protects fine leaders while lifting big fish. ¥12,000–45,000
• Isozao #4-5, 4.5 mFor live-bait (nomase) fishing: strong enough to cast a live baitfish and to stop a running jack. ¥8,000–25,000
• 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. ¥2,500–6,000
• Surf rod, 4.25 m, 27-gouA true surf rod for launching heavy sinkers to distant ground. Always check behind you before casting. ¥8,000–30,000
• Short hole-fishing rod, 1.2 mA short rod for dropping straight into gaps in the tetrapods. It is easy to handle and stiff enough to pull a fish out before it reaches its hole. ¥2,000–6,000
• Eging rod, 8.6 ft, MediumA crisp rod for snapping the egi upward. At 8.6 ft it is the standard length that works from piers, rocks and beaches alike. ¥8,000–30,000
• Shore jigging rod, 10 ft, MHLong and powerful enough to cast 40-60 g jigs and to absorb the runs of a hooked jack. ¥12,000–40,000
• Tairaba rod, 6.9 ftA dedicated rod with a very soft tip that lets the seabream take the lure without feeling resistance. A stiff rod simply pulls it away. ¥10,000–35,000

Reel

• Spinning reel, size 1000-2000A small reel for chonage, hole fishing and light work. Light enough for a child to hold. ¥2,500–8,000
• Spinning reel, size 2500The most versatile size for pier fishing: one reel covers sabiki, float fishing and eging. ¥4,000–15,000
• Spinning reel, size 3000For surf casting and live-bait fishing: holds more line and stands up to mid-sized fish. ¥5,000–18,000
• Spinning reel, size 4000-5000For shore jigging. A smooth drag under a running fish matters more than anything here, so this is not the place to economise. ¥10,000–35,000
• Small baitcasting reel with line counter (size 100-150)For tairaba. The line counter tells you the depth, so you can go straight back to the layer where the fish hit. ¥8,000–30,000

Line

• Nylon line, 2-gou (about 8 lb)The standard for chonage and float fishing. Its stretch absorbs sudden runs and forgives an imperfect knot. ¥600–2,000
• 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. ¥600–2,000
• Nylon line, 5-gou (about 20 lb)Main line for live-bait fishing, giving margin once something large is on. ¥800–2,500
• PE braid, 0.6-gouThe eging standard. With no stretch, both the snap you give the egi and the weight of a squid come straight back to your hand. ¥1,500–4,500
• PE braid, 0.8-gouFor tairaba. The thinner the braid, the less the current pushes it, so the lure drops straight and you can feel the bottom. ¥1,500–5,000
• PE braid, 1.0-gouFor wind fishing for cutlassfish and small jacks. The quarry has teeth, so always finish with wire or a heavy leader. ¥1,500–5,000
• PE braid, 3-gouThe heavy braid for offshore jigging and octopus. Prising a gripping octopus off the rock takes brute force, and light line will not survive it. ¥3,000–9,000
• PE braid, 1.5-2 gouFor shore jigging: the compromise between casting distance and strength. ¥2,000–6,000
• Fluorocarbon leaderThe clear line tied to the end of the braid. It resists abrasion and is less visible, protecting the braid from rock and teeth. ¥800–3,000
• Wire leader (for cutlassfish)Cutlassfish teeth cut ordinary leader instantly; always run wire or very heavy fluorocarbon. ¥500–2,000

Rigs

• Sabiki rig (hook size 3-6)A ready-made string of feathered hooks. Match the hook size to the fish: 3 for small horse mackerel, 6 for better ones. ¥200–600
• Krill cage with sinker (for sabiki)The cage you pack with krill to release chum. Bottom-cage versions are the easier choice from a pier. ¥200–800
• 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. ¥300–900
• Whiting rig (2-3 hooks)A surf rig of small, fine-wire hooks matched to the small mouth of Japanese whiting. ¥300–900
• Jet tenbin sinker, 15-25 gouThe long-range sinker for surf casting. It lifts as you retrieve, which reduces snags. ¥300–900
• Float rig set (stick float / cone float)A pack with float, stopper, split shot and hook. It is all you need to start practising depth changes. ¥500–1,500
• Fukase rig set (cone float, split shot, leader)A deliberately light rig that settles into the current. Moving a single split shot changes how it drifts. ¥1,000–4,000
• Burakuri (weighted single-hook jig), 3-8 gouA one-piece weight-and-hook rig for hole fishing. Drop it into a gap, tap the bottom, and draw the rockfish out. ¥200–600
• Live-bait rig (elevator or float type)Designed to let a live baitfish swim without tiring. The elevator type slides the bait down the main line, so you never have to recast it. ¥400–1,500
• Cutlassfish tenya / wind rigEither a tenya head that a sardine is lashed to, or a wind rig that darts a soft plastic. Both assume a wire trace. ¥600–2,500
• Flounder rig (single-arm sinker, 2 hooks, attractor beads)A winter surf rig; the fluorescent beads make it visible in coloured water. ¥400–1,200

Lures

• Egi (squid jig), size 3.5The reference size for eging. Use 2.5-3 for small autumn squid and 3.5-4 for large spring spawners. ¥700–2,000
• Metal jig, 30-60 gThe mainstay of shore jigging. Carry the same shape in several weights and switch with wind and current. ¥600–2,500
• Metal jig, 100-150 g (offshore)For dropping straight down from a boat. Pick a weight that beats the depth and the current; following the skipper's advice is the shortest route. ¥1,200–4,000
• Tairaba head 60-100 g with skirt and tailChoose head weight by depth and current. The rubber tails wear out, so carry spares in a few colours. ¥1,000–3,500
• Jig head and soft plastic (1-2 g, for rockfish)For rockfish at night. The light head drifts naturally, which works well around harbour lights. ¥500–1,500

Bait

• Frozen krill, amiebi (block or tube)The chum for sabiki fishing. The tube type needs no thawing and keeps your hands clean, which suits families. ¥300–1,200
• Okiami krill (raw or boiled)The hook bait for float and fukase fishing. Boiled stands up to bait thieves; raw gets more bites. ¥400–1,200
• Groundbait mix for chummingPowder mixed with krill so the chum throws well. Changing its density and stickiness delivers the chum to the depth you want. ¥500–1,500
• 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. ¥500–1,200
• Jarime (small sandworm)Thinner than aoisome and better matched to the small mouths of whiting and goby. ¥500–1,200
• Iwaisome (rockworm)Strongly scented and effective on winter flounder and larger fish. It is expensive, so it is often bunched together with aoisome. ¥900–2,500
• Crab and mussel (for black seabream)Bait for dropping down the wall for black seabream. Mussels scraped off the pier wall on the spot are often used. ¥400–1,500
• Cut fish bait (saury, mackerel, sardine)For hole fishing, cutlassfish and larger rockfish. Salting the flesh firms it so it stays on the hook. ¥300–900

Small gear

• Rope bucket for drawing seawaterUsed to rinse hands and chum and to keep fish alive. It is also how you leave the pier clean. ¥800–2,500
• Fishing pliers / hook removerEssential protection from venomous spines and sharp teeth. Most injuries happen when someone unhooks a fish bare-handed. ¥800–4,000
• Fish gripA gripper for holding fish, so you can handle venomous species such as rabbitfish, eel catfish and velvetfish without touching them. ¥1,000–5,000
• Landing net with 5 m handlePiers sit high above the water and heavy fish break off if you lift them. Having one changes what you land. ¥4,000–20,000
• Waterproof headlampEssential for night fishing; keeping both hands free is itself a safety measure. Etiquette is never to shine it at people or straight onto the water. ¥1,500–8,000
• Rod stand / tripodFor resting a rod during surf fishing. A rod laid on the ground damages its guides and can be washed away. ¥2,000–10,000
• Knife and spike for bleeding fishWhat turns a caught fish into good food; bleeding it changes the taste. See the column "Killing and carrying your catch" for how to use them. ¥1,000–6,000

Safety gear

• 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. ¥5,000–20,000
• Life jacket, child (inherent buoyancy type)Choose an inherent-buoyancy vest rather than an inflatable for children, always fasten the crotch strap, and match the size to their weight. ¥4,000–12,000
• Studded or felt-soled bootsOrdinary shoes slip on rock and tetrapods. Falls are the most common cause of accidents, so these are mandatory for rocky shores. ¥4,000–15,000
• Puncture-resistant fishing glovesProtect your hands from gill covers, fin spines and line burn. Do not over-trust them: venomous spines can still go through. ¥1,000–4,000

Cooler

• 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. ¥4,000–25,000

Clothing

• Rain jacket and trousersKeeps spray and wind from stealing your body heat. Hypothermia happens even in summer. ¥5,000–30,000
• Cap and polarised sunglassesAlso safety equipment, protecting your eyes from a flying rig. Polarised lenses additionally let you read the bottom. ¥2,000–20,000