From September 1st to 3rd, the bluefin tuna season opened, and I went to Hokkaido! This time, by chance, I was invited by my senior, Kinoshita-senpai, to join the pro staff of the up-and-coming brand "BlueBlue." It was an extreme casting game set in the waters from the autumn Tsugaru Strait to offshore 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 and tuna expert, Makoto Kinoshita-senpai. Finally, there was me, who only fishes by sheer luck, making a total of four of us.

For me, it had been 16 years since I last visited Hokkaido. We met at New Chitose Airport and drove our rental car to our accommodation in Tomakomai. Our base was " Business Hotel Hachinohe." This place was incredibly cheap, offering one night with two meals for only 6,800 yen! While surrounding hotels were all exceeding 15,000 yen due to Hokkaido's inbound tourism boom, this was a trulyありがたい (appreciative) place to stay. It was a 6-tatami mat room with a shared toilet and bath, but Tomakomai is only a 30-minute drive from New Chitose Airport, making it incredibly convenient for expedition groups.

The boat we chartered this time was " SEA RISE" with Captain Kudo, departing from Yufutsu Marina. He was a very friendly captain, and I'm very grateful for all the information he shared about the local waters.

Day 1 & Day 2: Rough Weather and the Northern Masters

Unfortunately, on September 1st, the first day of the season, our departure was canceled due to rough seas. So, we visited " NORTH CAST," a famous fishing tackle shop in Sapporo. The owner, Mr. Hiranaka, produces the EZOHACHI brand, famous for Namarajig, and is actively working from east to west. I need to learn from him...

At NORTH CAST, Sapporo.

Inside the store, we were lucky enough to meet Mr. Otsuka and Mr. Nishimoto from Studio Ocean Mark. They had come for a fishing trip targeting tuna with Blue Heaven's mag brake system (which was also canceled due to rough weather). I am truly grateful for the many interesting stories they shared from the front lines! I also extend my sincere thanks to Mr. Hiranaka of North Cast for kindly accommodating our sudden visit. The soup curry he recommended was delicious.

Kinoshita-senpai's meticulous system check the day before. There's no compromise when facing giant fish.

The next day, the 2nd, the forecast was calm, so we departed safely. However, it rained continuously from morning, turning into heavy rain by noon, and we returned to port before evening. Out in the vast ocean, the captain only spotted two monstrous tuna. The forecast for the next day was for wind to pick up in the afternoon, so we went to bed early to prepare for the final day.

Day 3: A Carpet of Anchovies and a Frenzied Boil

On the third day, the weather recovered without incident, but Hiryu-kun, who had planned this Hokkaido tuna tour, fell ill and couldn't join. We departed amidst wind and choppy seas, and after patrolling until noon, there was no sign of tuna.

However, Gautier suddenly spotted a boil! We had noticed that birds, who weren't there before, had gathered, and in an instant, it escalated from continuous boils to a massive feeding frenzy. The bait was anchovies. More and more tuna schools surfaced, and the area around the boat became a tuna belt.

Immediately after the boil, Gautier had the first hit! There were some challenging moments, but as expected from a French angler trained overseas, his core strength was on another level. He reeled it in effortlessly with sheer power. Amazingly, on his first bluefin tuna experience, he achieved 2 catches and 2 releases consecutively!

Kinoshita-senpai was not to be outdone. He fought fish continuously, with one catch per cast! This man really always catches fish so quickly.

And me? As usual, I was "completely left behind."
I became the fight support for the tuna Kinoshita-san hooked. While the school consisted of fish around 50 kg, there were also monster-class fish up to 150 kg mixed in. I struggled in the strong winds and rough seas, as the boat swayed quite a bit. However, I didn't realize that everyone else had quickly switched to light tackle with PE #6 line, and I kept casting with a thick #12 line alone, resulting in one bite and one missed fish – a completely futile effort (lol).

Testing the PRATIKO Releaser prototype.

Nevertheless, I was able to use various prototype lures and shoot many beautiful release videos with the "Pratiko" releaser I wanted to try, so I was very satisfied as a behind-the-scenes guy. I also heard many valuable stories from Kinoshita-san, so both the work I did and the fishing experience were the best!

The Pratiko I brought this time was a prototype carbon model. Its main appeal is its incredibly light total weight of 2 kg. Since the tip is lighter than the stainless model and its rigidity is slightly lower, it was a bit difficult to insert into the mouths of struggling tuna. However, this is a prototype, so the production version will have a significantly reinforced stainless steel tip. While the robust stainless steel model offers superior rigidity and usability, the carbon model's overwhelming lightness is a great advantage for expeditions that involve air travel and carrying equipment.

The Tactics & Gear

The hit lure of the day was clear. BlueBlue's "Gachi Pop" got strikes instantly. With its small, narrow silhouette matching the bait, it was a clear feeding pattern.

I still have a lot to learn.
To everyone who joined me and to Captain Kudo, thank you very much for everything. Hiryu-kun, let's plan a revenge trip again soon!

Hokkaido's bluefin tuna can be enjoyed for a long season, from spring to summer in the north (centered around Shakotan) and from now until December in the south. SEA RISE also has a boat in Shakotan and can depart from the north, so if you are considering bluefin tuna fishing in Hokkaido, please contact them. Tomakomai is only a 30-minute drive from New Chitose Airport, offering excellent access!

Thoughts on Regulation

The regulations for tuna are becoming stricter every year, as are the rules for charter fishing boats... ( Click here for the Fisheries Agency's tuna room page)

The underlying structure of vested interests, revolving door appointments, and collusion with corporations is the same everywhere, isn't it? Since it's such a wonderful sportfishing activity, I can't help but wish they would establish clear regulations that everyone can agree on, following advanced examples from overseas.

Finally, the second installment of the "BlueBlue France Challenge Video" that Kinoshita-senpai tackled will be released soon! For those who haven't seen it yet, I've linked the first installment below. This 59-year-old effortlessly fights fish from start to finish... he's truly amazing!