Fishing in Japan
66 species across 57 spots
Japan offers fishing across 57 spots with 66 species in marine, freshwater, brackish, marine, brackish waters. Suitable for beginner to expert anglers.
Top Spots
Clear waters and strong currents attract large amberjack schools; popular for both charter and reef fishing.
Japan's largest lake sustains a robust Culter alburnus population, particularly around the western littoral zones where submerged vegetation is dense.
Steep continental slopes and abundant pelagic baitfish create ideal hunting grounds for Pacific beardfish.
66
Species
57
Spots
Species
66Acanthopagrus swinhonis
Acanthopagrus swinhonis
Japanese amberjack
Seriola quinqueradiata
marine
Yaeyama blenny
Ecsenius yaeyamaensis
marine
Pearl-spot chromis
Chromis notata
marine
Parajulis poecilepterus
Parajulis poecilepterus
marine
Gorgasia japonica
Gorgasia japonica
marine
Squalidus nitens
Squalidus nitens
freshwater, brackish
Striped mullet
Chelon tricuspidens
marine, brackish
Orange clownfish
Amphiprion percula
marine
Lavender sculpin
Leiocottus hirundo
marine
Soldier croaker
Nibea soldado
marine, freshwater, brackish
Cinder cloudy catshark
Scyliorhinus hachijoensis
marine
Culter alburnus
Culter alburnus
freshwater
Kawakawa
Euthynnus affinis
marine
Spotbelly tonguefish
Symphurus monostigmus
marine
Pink salmon
Oncorhynchus gorbuscha
marine, freshwater, brackish
Tophat gurnard
Lepidotrigla macracaina
marine
Pacific cod
Gadus macrocephalus
marine, brackish
Yellow goosefish
Lophius litulon
marine
Pacific red snapper
Lutjanus peru
marine
Yellow croaker
Larimichthys polyactis
marine
Longspined porcupinefish
Diodon holocanthus
marine
Grammonus yunokawai
Grammonus yunokawai
marine
Chum salmon
Oncorhynchus keta
marine, freshwater, brackish
Coho salmon
Oncorhynchus kisutch
marine, freshwater, brackish
Alaska pollock
Gadus chalcogrammus
marine, brackish
Lollipop catshark
Cephalurus cephalus
marine
Pacific tomcod
Microgadus proximus
marine, brackish
Dusky rockfish
Sebastes ciliatus
marine
Blackgill rockfish
Sebastes melanostomus
marine
Ringtail snailfish
Liparis rutteri
marine
Pacific beardfish
Polymixia berndti
marine
Sunrise perch
Caprodon schlegelii
marine
Chinese muddy loach
Misgurnus mizolepis
freshwater
Odontobutis obscurus
Odontobutis obscurus
freshwater
Rhodeus flaviventris
Rhodeus flaviventris
freshwater
White-blotched skate
Bathyraja maculata
marine
Scomberomorus saevus
Scomberomorus saevus
Bombay-duck
Harpadon nehereus
marine, brackish
Daggertooth pike conger
Muraenesox cinereus
marine, freshwater, brackish
Salmon shark
Lamna ditropis
marine
Twospot sea bass
Centropristis fuscula
marine
Branchiostegus argentatus
Branchiostegus argentatus
marine
Bigeye gurnard
Pterygotrigla jacad
marine
Ninja lanternshark
Etmopterus benchleyi
marine
Sepedonium hyalospinosum
Sepedonium hyalospinosum
Yellow Puffer
Tetraodon lunaris
Coastal waters, reefs
Deep-sea smelt
Glossanodon semifasciatus
marine
Caprodon affinis
Caprodon affinis
marine
Plain bonito
Orcynopsis unicolor
marine, brackish
Lenok
Brachymystax lenok
freshwater
Pacific bluefin tuna
Thunnus orientalis
marine, brackish
Mimic cusk-eel
Ophidion imitator
marine
Onychostoma fusiforme
Onychostoma fusiforme
freshwater
Snakehead
Channa argus
freshwater
Spinyhead sculpin
Dasycottus setiger
marine
Cinnamon flounder
Pseudorhombus cinnamoneus
marine
Rathbunella alleni
Rathbunella alleni
marine
Smooth puffer
Lagocephalus laevigatus
marine, brackish
Coelorinchus radcliffei
Coelorinchus radcliffei
marine
Chinese lizard gudgeon
Saurogobio dabryi
freshwater, brackish
Careproctus tricapitidens
Careproctus tricapitidens
marine
Longwing spinyfin
Diretmoides pauciradiatus
marine
Wrymouth
Cryptacanthodes maculatus
marine
Hemibarbus mylodon
Hemibarbus mylodon
freshwater
Careproctus maculosus
Careproctus maculosus
marine