We gathered at Miyazaki Airport for the morning flight the day before, but bad weather disrupted the flight schedule, preventing us from boarding and unexpectedly canceling our planned arrival the day before. Furthermore, flights from Fukuoka to Tsushima were also delayed, resulting in a chaotic and turbulent start as we barely managed to arrive on the morning of the departure day.

Without a moment to catch our breath, we landed in Tsushima, and with our first departure at noon, the autumn Tsushima yellowtail amberjack casting, Day 1, finally began!

Day 1: Raging Seas and High Water Temperatures

When we got out to the fishing grounds, a strong northwesterly wind was blowing, and the sea showed an extremely uncooperative face. Even though it was November, the water temperature hadn't dropped significantly, making for a very difficult condition, typical of recent years in Tsushima, where daily sea conditions greatly influence the outcome.

Thanks to Captain Taka-chan of Takamaru's excellent boat handling, we cast stoically until dusk, but the first day was just a warm-up to explore the sea conditions, and we ended without any fish. We checked into "Toyoko Inn," our base camp in Izuhara, and meticulously re-strategized for the following days.

Day 2: Attacking Fangs and the Anticipated First Catch

We departed at 7 AM. With a northeast wind and swells remaining from the previous day, we continued casting from the bow, maintaining our concentration. And then, the drama unfolded early in the morning.

Behind the plug being worked by my partner Su-chan, the surface of the sea violently exploded! However, what surfaced was not the target yellowtail amberjack, but a diving strike from a giant wahoo (king mackerel) of about 2 meters. It fell victim to sharp fangs, and the meticulously crafted, high-end plug, worth tens of thousands of yen, regrettably met its demise (Lost 1)...

A small yellowtail amberjack also darted out at my lure, but it didn't hook up. Still, it was a reassuring size check, confirming the presence of fish in the sea.

In the midst of a tough situation with a heavy atmosphere on the boat, a once-in-a-lifetime chance finally came my way.

As I worked my trusted GENIO popper "BIG UP" on the surface, there was a silent, sucking bite, as if a carp was slurping bread! With a solid hook-up and an initial high drag setting, I applied pressure and landed it effortlessly. I successfully caught and released a beautiful 13kg yellowtail amberjack, my first of the autumn season.

Day 2: A beautiful 13kg large yellowtail amberjack quietly sucked in by GENIO BIG UP.

After that, to conserve energy for the latter half of the day, I moved to the stern and switched to jigging. I quickly reeled in a 5kg class fish, skipping the fight, and took a short break in the cabin.

The sea remained calm until dusk approached, but the captain kept moving between spots, finally reaching the last point. At 5:30 PM, as the sun began to set on the horizon, the captain's signal for "one last cast" echoed.

Su-chan's fateful last cast resulted in an intense bite, with a violent splash of water! The incredible winding torque of the new 25 Saltiga gave no quarter, leading to an immediate catch. He added a larger 15kg fish, which was successfully released. Overcoming a challenging period, we were able to conclude Day 2 perfectly, with one catch each.

Day 2 drama of the last cast. A powerful 15kg pulled from the sunset sea.

Day 3: Perseverance Rewarded, the Appearance of a Stunning Monster

On the final day, we departed at 7 AM. Amidst the strong swells that remained even more intensely than the previous day, causing the boat to sway significantly, it happened on the second cast at the second spot we entered.

Behind Su-chan's lure, an unprecedented furious chase and a violent splash of water erupted! The rod bent to its limit, but with skillful, smooth fighting, he closed the distance. The fish that surfaced was a good size beyond anyone's imagination, leaving everyone breathless.

Day 3 morning shock. An overwhelming 23kg+ caught through sheer persistence.

The weighing result was an incredible 23kg! He successfully caught and released it.
And the lure that hit was the same GENIO popper "BIG UP" that I had caught a fish on the previous day. This was the moment when his perseverance, after continuously losing expensive plugs worth tens of thousands of yen to wahoo cuts, was completely rewarded. I took my hat off, thinking, "This guy really always gets results."

As for me, on the final day, I performed my usual "normal operation," quietly finishing with one bite and no catch. With a pleasant fatigue, I left the seas of Tsushima, saying, "Casting really is tiring."

Tackle Review / Overall Assessment and Future Tsushima Sea Conditions

Although the number of bites wasn't high on Day 2 and Day 3, we thoroughly enjoyed a very rich time with splendid, muscular yellowtail amberjacks typical of the autumn Genkai Sea ~ Tsushima.

The fights that previously made me struggle when the fish dove under the boat were easily managed this time by adopting the lesson of "setting the initial drag slightly higher." In particular, the '25 SALTIGA 14000-XH' that I introduced this time has overwhelming torque and light winding, providing absolute peace of mind as the drag holds firmly even under high load. For a long time, I was set on Stella and Twin Power, but after my experience with tuna, I became a Saltiga advocate.

In recent years, the drop in water temperature in Tsushima has been slow, and it still feels like the peak season is about to begin. As a hint from the field, in situations where large baitfish like dorado and flying fish are floating on the surface, continuous popping is extremely effective! Poppers really work well for yellowtail amberjack. Currently, the BIG UP is out of stock, but it is expected to be available again around next spring. If the timing is right, there's a high possibility of enjoying big catches in the Tsushima fishing grounds. I, too, aim for over 20 kg next time!

By the way, the Aomori big tuna trip we planned to go on after the Tsushima expedition was completely canceled due to rough weather.
Nothing could be done about it—let's look forward to the next opportunity!