Oga Peninsula is famous for various types of seafood in season, and lots of people from both inside and outside the prefecture enjoy fishing here. Among many other fishes, sea bream officially certified by the Oga-city is a famous one. Sea bream is a fish often served for celebrations in Japan. In May Oga Peninsula holds the “sea bream festival, ” and you can enjoy cuisine of fresh sea bream at the local hotels and guest houses.
Though sea bream has a habit to move ashore and eat a lot for their spawning in spring, it usually inhabits in deep water. So you need to go to the deep-water spot by the boat in order to fish them. It’s very overwhelming that you literally ‘fight’ a fish when you try to catch it using the fishing rod in the boat. Sea bream in Oga Peninsula grows in the complicated terrain, so the fresh is tight and very delicious.
There are multiple ways to fish sea bream, but fishing with a lure is the simplest and easiest way. Fishermen use a colourful lure called a “kabura” which is made with traditional decorations. You must first drop the lure into the water and wait until it reaches the bottom. The depth of the water around the Oga Peninsula can easily reach over 50 meters, so it might take about 1 minute before the lure reaches the bottom. Once the lure reaches the bottom, all you must do is reel it in. You can feel the vibration through the rod if you are lucky enough to get a bite. This is definitely an exciting experience every time.
The best season for sea bream is between May and September. In that season you will sometimes encounter a big school of fish and are able to catch as many fish as you your muscles can take. Sea bream can be served as sashimi, grilled, seasoned on rice, miso soup, and so on.
Hunting for Sea Bream
