I went to Hokkaido for the bluefin tuna opening from September 1st to 3rd! This time, thanks to a connection arranged by my senior Kinoshita, I was allowed to join the pro staff of the up-and-coming brand "BlueBlue". It was an extreme casting game set in the autumn Tsugaru Strait and off Tomakomai.

The members were truly impressive. There was Hiryu Yamamoto, an expert angler who knows the seas of Hokkaido inside and out; Gautier, a French angler active worldwide; and my senior from junior high school and tuna expert, Makoto Kinoshita. Finally, there was me, who only catches fish by luck, making a total of four of us.

It had been 16 years since I last visited Hokkaido. We met at New Chitose Airport and headed to our accommodation in Tomakomai by rental car. Our base was " Business Hotel Hachinohe," which offered an amazing deal of 6,800 yen for one night including two meals! This was truly a blessing, especially when other hotels in the area were charging over 15,000 yen due to the inbound tourism boom in Hokkaido. Although it was a 6-tatami mat room with shared toilet and bath, Tomakomai is only a 30-minute drive from New Chitose Airport, making it incredibly convenient for expedition teams.

The boat we would be chartering was SEA RISE, captained by Captain Kudo, departing from Yufutsu Marina. He was a very friendly captain, and I am grateful for all the information he shared about the local waters.

Day 1 & Day 2: Rough Weather and Northern Masters

On September 1st, the first day of the season, unfortunately, the trip was cancelled due to rough seas. So, we decided to visit " NORTH CAST," a famous fishing tackle shop in Sapporo. The owner, Mr. Hiranaka, is actively producing the EZOHACHI brand, famous for its Namarajigs, traveling from west to east. I need to learn from him.

Inside the store, we were lucky enough to meet Mr. Otsuka and Mr. Nishimoto from Studio Ocean Mark. They were there for a fishing trip targeting tuna with Blue Heaven's mag brake system (which was also cancelled due to the storm). We are truly grateful to them for sharing many interesting stories from the forefront! We also extend our heartfelt thanks to Mr. Hiranaka of North Cast for graciously accommodating our sudden visit. The soup curry he recommended was delicious.

The next day, the 2nd, the weather forecast was calm, so we were able to set sail safely. However, it rained continuously from morning, turning into heavy rain before noon, and we returned to port before evening. Out in the vast ocean, the captain only spotted two monster-sized tuna. The forecast for the next day also predicted strong winds in the afternoon, so we went to bed early to prepare for the final day.

Day 3: A Carpet of Anchovies and a Frenzy of Boils

On the third day, the weather finally cleared up, but Hiryu-kun, who had planned this Hokkaido tuna tour, fell ill and couldn't join us. We set off with choppy seas and windy conditions, patrolling until noon but finding no tuna.

However, Gautier suddenly spotted a boil! We noticed that birds, which hadn't been there before, had gathered, and quickly, continuous boils developed into a massive feeding frenzy. The baitfish were anchovies. More and more tuna schools surfaced, and the area around the boat became a solid tuna belt.

Immediately after the boil, Gautier had the first hit! There were some challenging moments, but as expected of a French angler trained overseas, his core strength was on another level. He reeled in the fish with ease. He even managed to achieve 2 catches and 2 releases consecutively, despite it being his first bluefin tuna experience!

Kinoshita-senpai was not to be outdone. He fought fish after fish, catching one with every cast! This person always seems to catch fish so quickly.

And me? As usual, I was completely "behind the curve." I ended up assisting Kinoshita-san with his tuna fights. The school was around 50kg, but there were also some 150kg-class monsters mixed in. It was quite a challenge on the boat, which was rocking considerably due to the strong waves and strong winds, but I didn't realize that everyone else had quickly switched to lighter tackle (PE #6), so I kept casting with my thick #12 line, resulting in one bite and one lost fish – a complete failure (lol).

Nevertheless, I had a great time behind the scenes, using various prototype lures and capturing many beautiful release videos with the "Pratiko" releaser I wanted to try. I also learned a lot from Kinoshita-san, so both the work I did and the fishing experience were incredibly enjoyable!

The Pratiko I brought this time was a prototype carbon model. Its main appeal is its extremely light total weight of 2 kg. Compared to the stainless steel model, the tip is lighter and the rigidity is slightly lower, so it was a bit difficult to insert into the mouths of struggling tuna. However, this is a prototype, and the production version will have the tip heavily reinforced with stainless steel. While the robust stainless steel model offers superior rigidity and ease of use, the overwhelming lightness of the carbon model is a huge advantage for expeditions involving air travel.

The Tactics & Gear

The hit lure on this day was clear. BlueBlue's "Gachipop" got an immediate strike. Its small, narrow silhouette, matching the bait, led to an unhesitating feeding pattern.

Still much to learn, it seems.
Many thanks to everyone who joined us and to Captain Kudo. Hiryu-kun, let's plan a revenge trip again!

Hokkaido's bluefin tuna season offers a long period of enjoyment, from spring to summer in the north (mainly Shakotan) and from now until December in the south. SEA RISE also has boats in Shakotan and can depart from the northern side, so if you're considering bluefin tuna fishing in Hokkaido, please contact them. Tomakomai is also incredibly accessible, just a 30-minute drive from New Chitose Airport.

Thoughts on Regulation

The regulations for tuna fishing are getting stricter every year, as are the rules for charter boats... ( Here's the Fisheries Agency's tuna page)

The underlying structures of vested interests, revolving door appointments, and corporate collusion are the same everywhere. Since it's such a wonderful sport fishing activity, I wish they would adopt clear regulations that everyone can agree on, following advanced examples from overseas.

Finally, the second part of the "BlueBlue France Challenge" video, in which my senior participated, will be released soon! For those who haven't seen it yet, I've linked the first part below. This 59-year-old effortlessly fights fish throughout the video... truly amazing!