Big Switch from Black Bass to Ocean Fishing

The first fish I caught were black bass. Not having to use bait was what amazed me about going after largemouth, or black bass. Knowing when and how to use which jigs, lures or rubbery worms did the trick. Hardy tugs on the hook followed before landing them.

Being from Hawaii and loving the ocean did not lead to a fishing pole finding its place in my hands. I somehow imagined it to be a boring sport. What finally got me interested was a suggestion from my wife to try it and relax the stress and tension she felt flowing out of me. Trying it was a great decision. I truly enjoyed the excitement of bass fishing. This activity also had a very relaxing effect on my state of mind.

A couple of years after becoming avid bass casters we moved from Tokyo to NumazuCity, which is in Shizuoka Prefecture, and near the center of Japan. In Tokyo heading for the ocean usually lead to several hours in heavy traffic, so we chose bass fishing at a nearby lake. In Numazu City, Suruga Gulf of the Pacific Ocean is a 10 minute drive away. The ocean was now right in front of us but neither my wife nor I had ever tried salt water fishing.

We headed for a local fishing supply store and stocked up on essential rods, reels, line, which left only the bait selection left to do some fishing that day. My wife said shrimp was the best choice, but I quickly noticed that they came in large frozen blocks. I couldn't imagine using all the shrimp in one outing, and being frugal by nature, I opted for a small packet of lugworms.

Numazu is famous for its seafood, as the dried fish and fresh sashimi are said to be the best in Japan, and many consider the city as a mecca for horse mackerel fishing. The Area we selected to fish was near the entrance to Numazu Port. Horse mackerel was without a doubt what I expected to catch. The thought that my bait would not allow them to be my target fish never crossed my mind.

It was an exceptional day to be outdoors. The air was fresh and sweet with warm and soothing sunlight. The ocean flowed smoothly in rich, deep blue. But even after an hour had passed, there was not a nibble on the bait. I remember that day clearly after well over 20 years have passed, along with my wife reminding me again that we should have bought shrimp as bait.

A moment later everything changed. I felt what I thought was a wire hanger banging against my rod. Luckily, I did not let my fishing pole go. I did not know how to cast bait on my first ocean fishing attempt, so what I was doing was simply holding my rod with the lugworm bait below it. Feeling the bang shocked and disoriented me for an instant, but after a heartbeat later, I realized in a flash that it was a fish. Oh my, I had one on the line!

My first fish out of the ocean turned out to be a sillago; not a horse mackerel. When I saw it my eyes widened to golf balls because this was the largest sillago I had ever seen. The largest before this was at a restaurant and it was about eight and a-half inches long. This beauty was well over 12 inches. Catching a few more would give me a deep fried sillago tempura dinner for two. But as it turned out, none of its friends came by for the tempura party. I lett the big fish swim in a bucket full of seawater and decided to release it at the end of the day. The sillago got its freedom back, while I ended up being hooked.

This was a valuable learning experience for me. My biggest mistake was not choosing shrimp for bait. I did not know that lugworms are not good bait for horse mackerel, but they are quite a delicacy for sillago. Another mistake was using a large hook. Black bass fishing left me with the habit of using large hooks. A smaller hook should have led to catching a number of sillago, instead of a single monstrous one.

There were many more mistakes, along with things learnt on each ocean fishing quest. But that's all part of the excitement and adventure of fishing by the ocean. Eventually, I was able to master long distance bait cast fishing. This form of fishing does not require a boat as bait is cast from shore to using long telescopic rods, baitcast or spinning reels, bait baskets, fishing floaters, and a specialized setup. Anyone can enjoy this fun filled activity and learn to target and catch the desired fish. It's a healthy outdoor sport which can be enjoyed for a lifetime! 

Bait Cast Fishing From Land To Sea!