Capt. G / Pacific Rim Specialist
Sea of Japan Jigging
Apr. 27 2010, 9:44 PM
Apr. 27 2010, 9:44 PM
Sea of Japan Jigging
The weather outlook for our yellowtail trip out of Maezuru, on the Sea of Japan did not look good--6 to 10 foot swells, with plenty of wind, with heavy rain all day. We checked in with the captain of the "Korine" the night before at 7p.m., and he said it was a go, but to bring full slicker gear.
Only nine of us showed up at the boat, which can comfortably fish twenty anglers.
We boarded, and left the harbor at 22 knots, which quickly was reduced to 15, then to ten knots. We made it about halfway out to the 50-fathom pinnacles, when we started taking green water over the wheelhouse. The captain announced that we might have to turn back before we made the edge of the bank, but skillfully worked the throttles on the big twin screw Yanmars, so the ride was not that bad. All nine of us stayed in the lower salon area, and kept the heater on to stay warm.
The Sea of Japan side of Japan is much colder, and has much rougher sea conditions, on average, than the Pacific Ocean side.
My plan for the day was to use California style tackle--a 90 J with a Trinidad, loaded with spectra, topped off with a 50 lb. topshot of fluoro. I had brought some straight wind Salas, Tady, and Kicker jigs. Since last year, I have been using Unibutter (another similar product will work fine) on my yo yo iron, and butterfly jigs.
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The weather outlook for our yellowtail trip out of Maezuru, on the Sea of Japan did not look good--6 to 10 foot swells, with plenty of wind, with heavy rain all day. We checked in with the captain of the "Korine" the night before at 7p.m., and he said it was a go, but to bring full slicker gear.
Only nine of us showed up at the boat, which can comfortably fish twenty anglers.
We boarded, and left the harbor at 22 knots, which quickly was reduced to 15, then to ten knots. We made it about halfway out to the 50-fathom pinnacles, when we started taking green water over the wheelhouse. The captain announced that we might have to turn back before we made the edge of the bank, but skillfully worked the throttles on the big twin screw Yanmars, so the ride was not that bad. All nine of us stayed in the lower salon area, and kept the heater on to stay warm.
The Sea of Japan side of Japan is much colder, and has much rougher sea conditions, on average, than the Pacific Ocean side.
My plan for the day was to use California style tackle--a 90 J with a Trinidad, loaded with spectra, topped off with a 50 lb. topshot of fluoro. I had brought some straight wind Salas, Tady, and Kicker jigs. Since last year, I have been using Unibutter (another similar product will work fine) on my yo yo iron, and butterfly jigs.
Not so much for the scent, but rather to give the iron a "slimy" coating. I often get "bumped" on the iron, and I have found that my lubed up jigs sometimes get a second strike, that results in a solid hookup. I learned about this a couple of years ago on a jigging trip on the Pacific side. When we were all getting short bit, one guy using the same jigs was hooking up. He graciously passed around a tube of gel like scent, and explained his theory on "slimy jigging". I found that sometimes it does not matter, sometimes it does. But it can't hurt is my reasoning.
We made it out to the pinnacles after 2 1\2 hours--a trip which usually takes less that two hours. It is one of the roughest trips I have been on in my 20 years here in Japan, but the fish wanted to bite.
The first drift saw a few fish decked on 150g jigs, mostly on blue/sardine colored jigs, fished on spinning gear in the "butterfly" retrieve method.
I did not get so much as bumped for the first hour. The captain stuck his head out of the wheelhouse, into the pouring rain, and asked why I was not "jerking" the jig back on the retrieve. I told him that we straight wind the jigs on the West Coast, and that the jigs "swim" on the retrieve. I got only a frown from the captain.
But the next thirty minutes, the Japanese jigs did not get bit, and I boated my first yellow, on a Kicker 25, and lost another one half way up from the reef.
Then I boated another nice spring yellow, and they captain came down to check out my jig.
He stood next to my in the pouring rain, and I dropped the jig again, feeling pretty good about being the only one to get bit. For the next three hours, I did not get bit again, while a few more fish were boated on the traditional Japanese jigs.
I was ready to switch to the short spinning rod, with the Stella spinning reel I had brought (just in case!), when I boated my third and last fish for the day on the Kicker 25.
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I stuck it out with the 90 J all day, and did about average; nine of us boated 35 yellowtail. My friend, Mr. Shimizu had the big one for the day.
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Once again, I saw that one style of jig fishing is not always best; it pay to be flexible.
I took home the fat spring yellows, and when I cut them open, they were stuffed with very large "katakuchi-iwashi" or anchovy.
I prepared sashimi, and traditional "shioyaki", which is traditional salted grilled fish.
It tasted especially good, perhaps because I had to brave the rain, and foul weather all day to procure it.
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July 14, 2011, 7:56 pm
Cool! That's a clever way of looking at it!