A lure fishing expert tries fishing for rockfish by kayak on the clear blue waters off the Shakotan Peninsula, enjoying the nice ocean view as he puts his skills to the test to reel in a big one!
Oh yeah, it's big!
Join the search for something big in pristine waters,
as we try kayak fishing
on the beautiful blue sea of the Shakotan Peninsula.
The coastline is wild and rugged.
Freely explore various fishing spots by kayak,
and learn how to battle a bout of seasickness.
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
What great catch is waiting today?
Wild Hokkaido!
The Shakotan Peninsula juts into the Japan Sea
off the west coast of Hokkaido.
The water's captivating color has been affectionately dubbed "Shakotan Blue."
All along the coastline,
evidence of the region's ancient volcanic activity
and erosion is etched into its unique topography and rocky seabed,
which today provides a home for many fish.
Wow.
Now, that is quite a unique place.
We've got really good conditions.
Not so many waves, a little bit of sun.
Maybe we've got a chance to catch something today.
Hugo Tremoliere, from France, is a kayaking expert.
It's a massive fish!
He's also a professional fishing guide with a wealth of experience in Hokkaido.
Today, he'll combine these two skills and try his hand at kayak fishing.
I've done kayak fishing before on the sea, but not that much.
Today we're going to target some species of rockfish,
or bottom feeders, the fish that feed at the bottom of the sea.
Iori Tsunehiro, a fellow kayak guide and fishing fan,
is joining Hugo today on his kayaking adventure.
For one, the water is beautiful.
You can also catch larger-than-expected fish,
and many more if kayak fishing.
That's because you can get to places where most fishers don't go.
The biggest appeal of kayak fishing is being able to head out to places
that are relatively untouched by other fishers.
They pull their kayaks into the calm water to set off.
The two paddle out into the beautiful ocean.
It's choppy!
Very rough!
The conditions further out are rougher than it is by the shore.
A good way to paddle a kayak is not only to use your arms,
but to twist your whole upper body.
This action propels it forward smoothly without relying solely on strength.
Maybe over there?
The key to fishing rockfish is knowing the seabed's terrain.
Looking at the shape of the rocks above the surface
can help determine the layout of the seabed below.
They've come to a cave entrance on the cape.
On Tsunehiro's kayak is a device that detects fish.
It uses ultrasonic waves to measure the seabed,
water depth, and whether any fish are present.
There are spots appearing in the water here.
It's where there are lots of rocks lying on the seabed.
This whole area is rocky.
A seabed filled with rocks provides a gathering place for fish.
The rockfish they are looking for hide amongst the rocks
and prey upon smaller fish that swim by.
They're positioned directly above the rocks.
It's time to start fishing.
Hugo usually doesn't use bait, but lures and flies instead.
Out here, he'll use a heavy lure made of metal called a "jig."
Its weight helps it sink quickly to the bottom,
close to where the rockfish are.
Once it reaches the seabed,
Hugo will jiggle the rod up and down as he winds it.
This makes the lure appear to glisten and dart about like a small fish,
attracting the rockfish to it.
At that moment...
Got one!
A really small one.
He's caught one already!
His first catch is a white-edged rockfish.
It's too small, so he releases it.
Once again...
Allez! Another small one.
He continues to cast.
And another tug!
I think I missed a big one.
He's getting many bites, but it seems a big one just got away.
Hugo deftly maneuvers the kayak, searching for the perfect fishing spot.
He appears to have found a good place to drop his line.
He climbs onto a big rock.
The area around the rock could be hiding some larger fish.
Using a kayak greatly increases access to good fishing spots.
Let's go over there.
He decides to head to the other side of the cape
to search for an even better spot.
When they round the cape, the calm blue ocean stretches before them.
Yeah, it's really blue.
Shakotan Blue.
When the sun comes out, it's extremely blue.
Beautiful.
The water looks so blue due to the white rocks on the seabed.
Formed after ancient volcanic activity,
these rocks reflect the sun's rays and intensify the blue tone.
The Shakotan sea urchins are a much-loved delicacy,
and they are also responsible for the blue hue.
Shakotan's large population of sea urchins
like to eat the seaweed that grow on the underwater rocks.
This strips the rocks of vegetation
and makes them reflective under the sun,
creating Shakotan Blue.
I think this part up here is pretty good for fishing as well.
Okay, let's do one more.
This time, Hugo will try using a different kind of tackle.
He attaches a softer lure, known as a worm,
to the jig head, which is a combination of hook and weight.
With a jig head soft body, I'm doing like a slow retrieve.
Like that, it's giving the action to the tail,
and that's what attracts the fish.
After casting his line,
he will wind it slowly to draw it through the water
closer to the seabed full of rockfish.
Unlike the previous attempt,
where he quickly jerked the weighted lure up and down,
this time, he'll try attracting fish by moving it more slowly.
- Fish?
- Bite, bite. But a small fish.
It looks like Hugo will score another bite!
Actually, it's Tsunehiro's line.
- Fish!
- Fish one?
Nice!
His rod starts to bend fiercely.
It gets pulled into the water, and the kayak even starts rocking.
It's really fighting!
Nice fight.
- It's big.
- Yeah, big.
- Catch!
- Nice!
Nice one.
Yeah, it's so big.
He's caught a rockfish known as a fat greenling.
It's a big one, over 40 centimeters in length.
Hugo is frustrated.
He wants to catch a big one himself.
While hunting for another fishing spot...
Getting sick.
The constant rocking has made him feel seasick.
It's time to take a break.
Now for the "SENSEI's TIP!"
If you start to feel seasick, change your line of sight.
Because nearby objects shake more,
staring at something close to you will give you motion sickness.
Instead, look at something out in the distance
that appears to shake less.
But of course, the best way is to return to dry land.
Big wave.
Hugo has decided to get out of the kayak and take a nap.
Will it fix his seasickness?
I'm waiting for the waves.
It seems to have worked.
And Hugo still wants to snag a big fish.
He waits patiently as he carefully judges
when to head back into the water.
It's important not to rush getting in or out of the kayak,
because it can easily tip over.
He's made it in safely.
The two of them venture back out into the azure waters.
Hugo isn't ready to give up on catching a big fish just yet.
He concentrates on finding the perfect spot.
Just then...
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah!
That's a big one.
Big one?
Yeah, yeah. It's pulling. I don't know what it is yet.
Oh yeah, it's big!
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Oh, that's what we wanted!
It looks like a big one!
It's huge! Look at the size of that!
It's a 36-centimeter-long fat greenling!
It's like a... Because those fish, they usually hide and then they attack,
so, you know, the fight is a
sudden attack on your lure.
And then after, they fight, fight, fight and then you can bring them back.
But the attack is usually pretty fun.
The fishers have been able to experience the thrill of kayak fishing
in the beautiful Shakotan Blue waters.
Yeah, I think kayak fishing is interesting
because you can reach places you cannot reach by foot,
and then it gives you access to more fish.
My big goal is to catch tuna or yellowtail.
Let us say, you know, over how many years, I don't know,
but that's my goal.
Taking on the challenge of kayak fishing
has broadened these fishing pros' dreams.
Wild Hokkaido! takes you on great activities
in the great outdoors of northern Japan.
Join us next time for another adventure!