SEABASS, JAPANESE
The Japanese Seabass is a species of Asian seabass. This species is catadromous with the young ascending rivers and then returning to the sea to breed. Also, this species is important commercially and is also quite popular as a game fish. It is also farmed. In the Kantō region, including Shizuoka Prefecture, it is called seigo when under 25 cm. The Japanese have associated them with advancement in life and believe Japanese Seabass are luck-bringer fish.
The Japanese Seabass is elongate and compressed. Its body is less deep and stocky than is that of the blackfin seabass. The tail is slightly forked and the mouth is large with the lower jaw projecting beyond the upper. Young fish have small black spots on the back and dorsal fin. These tend to disappear in larger fish, although specimens from the Ariake Sea, Japan, seem to retain the small spots. Large specimens taken in the Yellow Sea and Gulf of Po Hai have been found to have large, distinct black spots.
The first dorsal fin has 12 15 spines followed by 12 14 soft rays in the second dorsal fin. The anal fin has 3 spines and 7 9 soft rays. The Japanese Seabass differs from the blackfin seabass in ray counts, body depth, and other characteristics.
The Japanese Seabass can be taken by bait fishing with small fish or crustaceans, or by slow trolling, jigging, or casting with feathers, plugs, flashy jigs or spoons at any level from the bottom to the surface. It is best to use a floro leader when fishing for Japanese Seabass. In most cases the Japanese Seabass would rather take a white color lure. Here are some good lures for Japanese Seabass: ecogear silicon, megabass x120, duo tide minnow 125, duo manic. You should also try to use a thin braid line like the sunline castaway 10lb. Best fishing is said to be at night and dawn near the surface. The largest fish are caught in fall and winter.
Internationally
The Japanese Seabass inhabits the area to the northeastern Pacific from Japan south to Taiwan and the East and South China seas. It is known to frequent river mouths and shallow inshore bays, surf, and rocky reef areas as well as deeper waters.