I caught a Biwa trout in Lake Biwa.



' Biwa trout ' is a salmonid fish endemic to Lake Biwa, and the larger ones can grow to over 60cm. I went to Lake Biwa to fish for Biwa trout.

Biwa trout | Shiga Prefecture website

https://www.pref.shiga.lg.jp/ippan/shigotosangyou/suisan/18668.html

This time, we will be fishing for Biwa trout using a technique called trolling, which involves casting a fishing line from a slowly moving boat and waiting for a Biwa trout to bite. There are many businesses around Lake Biwa that will rent out all the equipment you need for trolling, such as boats and rods, so as long as you make a reservation, you can enjoy fishing for Biwa trout empty-handed.

So, we arrived at the meeting place around 4:30 in the morning. We boarded the boat you can see in the background and headed to the fishing spot.



The boat was moving at breakneck speed and soon the shore was out of sight.

Early morning boat ride on Lake Biwa - YouTube


The weather was good, so I was able to see the sun rise. When fishing for Biwa trout, you will be spending hours on the lake with no shade, so sunscreen, hats, and other sun protection products are essential. This time, I didn't use any sunscreen at all, so my face got completely sunburned.



After about 20 minutes of fast sailing, we arrived at the fishing spot. The captain was quick to prepare for trolling. The boat we were on used a '

downrigger system ,' in which the fishing line and weight are connected with a clip and the weight is lowered to a certain depth with a winch. The black machine at the bottom of the photo is the winch, from which the weight is hanging. The fishing line coming out of the pink rod is pulled by the weight. In this state, we waited for a while until a Biwa trout was caught.



This fish-shaped object is the weight that will be suspended by the winch.



In addition, we also use the 'Red Core Line System' which allows you to cast a fishing line with a weight without using a winch. We aim for Biwamasu with multiple rods.



When a Biwa trout is hooked, you quickly lift the rod to disconnect the fishing line from the weight, then reel it in to reel it in. Biwa trout are surprisingly heavy, so you can fully enjoy the feeling of fighting a fish. This time, the captain gave us advice like 'reel it in slowly' and 'keep the tip of the rod closer to the water surface,' so even beginners were able to catch Biwa trout one after another.

Fishing for Biwa trout in Lake Biwa - YouTube


Biwa trout often jump around near the water surface, and there are many situations where you reel it in right up to the surface only to have it escape. It can be quite disappointing when a Biwa trout escapes just before you can reel it in, but that's also part of the fun.

Biwa trout escaped just before I caught it - YouTube


The Biwa trout we caught look like this. Those smaller than a certain size are returned to the lake, and those larger are kept.



Putting Biwa trout into the fish tank.



The fish tank looks like this. The number of Biwa trout is increasing rapidly.



This is a counter that counts the number of fish caught. Each person was limited to 5 fish this time, so when the seven of us had caught 35 fish, we finished and returned to shore.



Some of the Biwa trout we caught. We managed to catch 35 fish this time, including 6 that were 54cm long.



You can take the Biwa trout you catch home in the cooler box you brought with you.



We will soon be publishing an article on various dishes you can make with the Biwa trout that you bring home.

·to be continued

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