The rod never stops twitching!
Arrive at the port at 6:00 a.m. and board the fishing boat. The boat departs from Lake Notori, which is connected to the sea, and heads for the Sea of Okhotsk. Having had a good response to the saury the day before, the members are eager to fish again this day. They are targeting hokke, cod, and other species that can be caught only in the cold sea. The fishing method is jigging with a metal jig. It is the same fishing method used in a previous sea bass fishing competition with the "GO OUT Fishing Club" in Tokyo Bay, but the water is deeper, from 40 to 100 m. It is difficult to reel in the fish, but they are determined to do their best.
Ishii:I feel strange that I am now floating on the Sea of Okhotsk. Since I am here, I would like to catch all kinds of fish.
I arrived at the first point and made my first cast. I didn't expect to catch them so quickly! One after another, the boat was in a flurry of excitement as we caught hokke one after the other.
Komatsu: I caught it the moment I reeled in a little after landing on the bottom, a hokke! It was so easy to catch. I have a feeling we are going to have a big catch today.
Ishii: I've only seen hockey in pubs. I saw their faces for the first time (laughs).
Ichikawa: The cute face of the hokke and the moderate pull are soothing.
Ikemoto: If you can catch this many fish, it means there are countless hokke on the sea bottom. The Sea of Okhotsk is amazing.
Interestingly enough, we catch HOKKEI one after another, but we move on to the next point, aiming for another species of fish. The water gets deeper and we drop the metal jig to 60 meters. But we still caught hokke!
Ikemoto caught a large hokke, or "mega hokke.
In the midst of all this, Ishii's rod was shaking more than a hokke, and he seemed to have caught a big one.
What a marlin! And it's huge!
Ishii:Unlike the pull of a hokke, it was just heavy and not violent. When the depth goes below 10 meters, it starts to resist and gets even heavier, and when you think you can see it, you don't know it. My arms are panting. I am impressed by how big it is.
Then we moved again to the next point. The day was blessed with sun, but the sea was cold and windy. Of course, the water splashed mercilessly. Daiwa's clothing was a big hit in such an environment. The high heat-retaining and waterproof properties of the clothes allowed us to enjoy fishing without any stress.
Ikemoto:The amount of padding enclosed in the top and bottom is just right for warmth and ease of movement. I used to find it difficult to move when fishing in winter with layers of down and shell, but that is not the case at all. I am deeply aware that the switch in outerwear is not only a result of design, but also a result of the pursuit of ease of movement.
Ichikawa:GORE-TEX ®︎ is waterproof, breathable, and windproof, making it perfect for boat fishing, where you have to choose your clothes. The Sea of Okhotsk is calmer than I had imagined, but still, if it weren't for this winter suit, the fishing would have been cold and harsh. The details that prevent water from getting in, which is unique to fishing wear, also help a lot.
Komatsu:This is the first time I've worn Daiwa's original waterproof and breathable material, Rainmax ®︎, and it repels water very well. It seems to be moisture permeable and the inner layer is comfortable and not stuffy. I have tightened the drawcord on the hood, so the wind doesn't blow the hood up even when the boat is running, and I can still see well.
