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Kayak Fishing for a Tasty Surprise Hey, welcome back to another episode of Fishing Life Awaji! I’m Daiki, and today I’m out on the kayak again. My target is the delicious Jack Mackerel, a fish that, personally, I think is even tastier than Yellowtail and Red Snapper. A Day on the Water The fishing spot is about two miles from shore, with a water depth of around 38 to 40 meters. I’m using a sabiki rig, which has small lures that imitate white bait. My fish finder is showing a great signal—lots of white bait in the middle of the water column and signs of Jack Mackerel near the bottom. …

Read more “Kayak to Kitchen: FRESH Saba Sushi & Poke Don! (Catch & Cook)”

A Kayak Adventure for Japan’s Tastiest Grouper Hey, welcome back to another episode of Fishing Life Awaji! I’m Diki, and today I’m out on my kayak. I’ve traveled all the way to the Japan seaside with one specific goal in mind: to target a prized fish known as Ako, the orange-spotted grouper. I make this trip every year because this fish is incredibly delicious, and I’m determined to catch a good-sized one to cook up something special. Jigging, Fighting, and a Surprise Catch My plan starts with jigging. I’m using an 80g silver metal jig around a fish reef where the water is about 100 feet deep. The fish finder …

Read more “Ultimate KAISEN DON with AKO Grouper from Kayak Fishing in the Sea of Japan!”

A Deep-Sea Adventure in Osaka Bay Hey, welcome back to another episode of Fishing Life Awaji! I’m Daiki. It’s just after dawn, and I’m heading out to the deepest spot in Osaka Bay, where the water depth reaches around 550 feet. Today’s mission is to drop a line into the deep and see what we can catch. Fishing the Abyss Deep-sea fishing requires a simple approach. There are no complex techniques; you just drop the rig to the bottom and wait for a bite. The key is to drift the boat along with the current, which allows the line to stay straight as it descends into the depths. My drift …

Read more “Simple & Delicious Japanese Fish Roe Recipe: Fresh From Osaka Bay’s Deepest Spot!”

From a Great Fishing Day to a Delicious Cooking Night Hey, welcome back to another episode of Fishing Life Awaji! I’m Daiki. The other day, I had a fantastic fishing trip with guests from the United States and France. We had a lot of bites and catches, and afterward, we all enjoyed making fresh sushi together. A Tale of Two Targets That day, we started out targeting Red Snapper. We hopped from spot to spot, but we just weren’t getting any bites. I realized it just wasn’t the day for snapper, so we switched our strategy and started jigging for Yellowtail instead. That turned out to be the right call! …

Read more “Tourists Try Making Sushi from Fish They Caught Themselves!”

A Deep Dive for Black Croaker and Red Snapper Hey, welcome back to another episode of Fishing Life AI! I’m Diki. It’s just after dawn, and I’m heading out on a deep fishing adventure to the deepest spot in Osaka Bay, where the water reaches about 550 feet. Fishing the Tides My first target is the Black Croaker. This spot is challenging because the current is usually super fast, making it fishable only during “slack tide”—the short period when the current stops before changing direction. My plan is to catch a few Black Croakers during this window and then move on to another target. The technique for deep fishing is …

Read more “Freshest NIGIRI SUSHI Made by a Japanese Fisherman”

Fishing the Seaweed Farms of Awaji Hey, welcome back to another episode of Fishing Life Awaji! I’m Daiki. It’s early April, and with the weather getting warmer, it’s a much more comfortable time to be out on the water. Today, I’m at a unique fishing spot right next to Awaji Island, an area completely surrounded by seaweed farms. From October to May, local fishermen set up these nets 360 degrees around the island to cultivate nori (seaweed). By March, the seaweed has grown large, and broken pieces float off the nets, creating a natural feeding ground. A lot of fish gather here to feast on this abundant food source, and …

Read more “Kelp Wrapped Sashimi and Teriyaki Fish Head / Winter Japanese Delicacy”

A Multi-Stage Fishing Adventure: From the Depths to the Kitchen Hey, welcome back to another episode of Fishing Life Awaji! I’m Daiki. It’s early April, and with the weather getting warmer, it’s the perfect time to get out on the water. Today’s trip is a multi-part adventure, starting in the deepest part of Osaka Bay and moving to shallower waters as the day progresses. Part 1: Deep Fishing at Slack Tide The day begins before dawn at the deepest spot in Osaka Bay, around 550 feet (160 meters). This area has a powerful current, making it fishable only during “slack tide,” the brief period when the water stops moving. My …

Read more “Small but Super Delicious! Simmered Mebaru – Japan’s Favorite Rockfish”

A Windy Day Win: Catching and Cooking Red Snapper Hey, welcome back to another episode of Fishing Life of Awaji! I’m Daiki. It’s been a windy week, limiting my fishing to just a couple of days. Today, the conditions offshore are still rough, with white caps and a wind blowing about 10 m/s, but it’s calmer than it has been, so my fishing partner Nana and I are heading out to target Red Snapper. The Fishing Trip Our first spot is about 30 meters deep, and the fishfinder shows a lot of baitfish in the area. On the very first drift, I get a strong bite. The fish is pulling …

Read more “No Waste! Japanese Fisherman Cooks Every Part of the Fish”

A Windy Day Fishing Trip and a Red Snapper Feast Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of Fishing Life of Awaji! I’m Daiki. It’s been a windy week, making it tough to get out on the water, but today my fishing partner Nana and I are heading out to target Red Snapper. The conditions are still choppy with 10 m/s winds, but it’s calmer than it has been, so we’re going for it. The Custom Rig and Successful Strategy Our first spot is a shallow area, about 20-30 meters deep, where my fishfinder shows a lot of baitfish. For this trip, I’m using one of my original handmade rigs …

Read more “TAI MESHI, What You Must Eat in JAPAN / Catch Red Snapper and Cook Japanese Local Dishes”

A Mid-Winter Fishing Trip: Chasing Flounder and Finding a Feast Welcome back to Fishing Life Awaji! Today, we’re heading out for a challenging mid-winter fishing adventure. With the water temperature hovering around a chilly 9°C, catching fish becomes much more difficult. The primary target for the day is flounder, a delicious winter prize. The Search for Bait Before we can even think about catching our target, we need the right bait. In this case, that means catching live Jack Mackerel. Because the water near the marina is too cold to hold baitfish, we have to travel about six miles offshore to a spot near the Tomogashima islands, located between Awaji …

Read more “Delicious! TAI CHAZUKE the Sashimi Soup Rice / Japanese Cooking Recipe”