Fly Fishing in Japan – Fantastic River Fishing Destinations

2023/01/142023/11/23

Japan stretching tall between latitudes 24 and 45, like lower 48 States or Australia, has very diverse climate and wild terrains - home to 3,800 species of fish from Sakhalin Taimen in the northern most estuary in Hokkaido to Archerfish in the southern most mangrove river in Okinawa. Yet Japan doesn't stretch too wide meaining you can travel very easy from one location to another thanks to splendid public transportation and highway network nationwide.

What Kind of River Fishing Can I Do in Japan?

Rivers in Japan come in wide variety from the northern island of Hokkaido holding countless trout streams to the southern island in Okinawa with tropical species. Narrow stream deep inside mountains allow only one person to fish at a time in a meantime estuary of coastal river is often few kilometers wide hard to locate where fish is.

Rivers as Inland Water Fiseries

Inland Water Fishing Control Regulation for rivers are governed by prefecture government office for fishing determining what species, open season, sizes, and fishing methods are permitted.

There are 3 types of river fisheries.

1. Free Rivers

Free river is not managed by Gyokyo or fishery cooperatives therefore there is no license required, but all anglers are still subject of Inland Water Fishing Control Regulation. Population of fish are 100% native reproducing on natural cycle, which is rarity in Honshu Island where stocking programmes are common. Majority of rivers in Hokkaido Island are free rivers having only few Gyokyos.

2. Gyokyo-managed Rivers

River is managed by Gkyokyo and authorized fishing license is required otherwise angler will be a subject of poaching. License is daily (1,000-2,000/day) and annual (10,000 - 25,000) that comes in ticket that needs to be stashed in tag or case for durability or arm band. Majority of productive rivers in Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu are gyokyo rivers. Fish are stocked by local goernment approved programmes by the mix of hatched egg, parrs, or adut fishes.

3. Special Section

Some Gyokyo-managed waters are special section for catch & release fishing only or only open for special time of year. Out of which, some special section is all year long managed by private organization known as Kanri Tsuriba running outside of license system requirng entrance fee charged by hours or day.

Unless there are carried over fish from the past season(s), adult fishes are stocked in special sections.

Salmon Fishing in Rivers & Special Occason

Salmon Research Fishing is also a type of Special Section Rivers which require special application approved by Gyokyo in select salmon rivers where salmon hutcheries are set up inviting anglers as researcher to help them harvest returning salmons during reserved days which requires daily fishing license of local Gyokyo.

Otherwise, river fishing for salmon species (sea-run cherry salmon, pink salmon, and keta salmon) are strictly prohibited and arrests of poachers are frequently made by police with punishment by 3 years of imprisonment and 2M JPY fine. So don't take this lightly and if you make "accidental catch", never raise your net outside of water which will be considered "hauling", keep the fish wet for all time and release the fish safely to its original state. Moving away from the same area where you now know fishing there is illegal is highly advised.

How to Purchase Fishing License

Fishing license can be purchased online, nearby shops (convenient stores), and on site.

Stock fishery set up on rivers require play fee separately.

Keiryu aka Rocky River

75% of Japan are mountains, hills, and plataus covered by forest or jungle producing countless fast flowing streams on rock bottom known as Keiryu or rocky rivers. They can come in wide variety such as alpine rivers, highland rivers, river running through forest on platau, or freshwater section in coral islands.

Bottoms can be made of volcanic rocks coming straight from volcanic activities in the ancient past or sendimentary rocks coming from diastrophism very common in such volanic islands - together why Japan is mountanous.

Coldwater kinds of rocky river make perfect trout habitat where catch & release section or stock fisheries can be found giving ease of access, but mostly they are kept wild where trekking, wading, and optimal athletic abilities are required.

Majority of fish are 20-30 cm size very active for dry flies, wet flies, and nymphs, but sometimes they grow to 40-60cm size in wild habitat ready for streamer actions.

Free river type of keiryu are usually part of wild life sanctuary where preparation to preserve nature, creativity in approach, and safety precaution for wild animals are required.

Game	Tackle	Line System
Dry Fly	Singlehand: 7-9' 3-4wt	Floating WF or DT line Rod length tapered leader + slack tippet
	Singlehand: 7-8' 0-2wt for flat pool	Floating DT line Rod length tapered leader + slack tippet
Nymphing	Singlehand: 10-11' 2-4wt	Floating level nymphing line Level indicator leader + tippet 1.5 times the depth
Wet Fly	Singlehand: 10' 3-4wt	Floating WF or DT line Rod length tapered leader + tippet 1.5 times the depth
Streamer	Singlehand: 7-9' 4-6wt	Skagit + floating running line Polyleader + class tippet

Sato-Gawa aka Village/Town River

Small to medium size rivers are running through valley, platau or plain often inside a village or town - known as Sato-Gawa or village/town river similar to that you can find in British country side. Current is usually very slow and some are spring river with high clarity perfect for sight fishing.

Tackle are similar to Keiryu with more consideration for lighter line choice due fish are more pressured by frequent fishing population. For carp game, see streamer.

Game	Tackle	Line System
Dry Fly	Singlehand: 7-9' 3-4wt	Floating WF or DT line Rod length tapered leader + slack tippet
	Singlehand: 7-8' 0-2wt for flat pool	Floating DT line Rod length tapered leader + slack tippet
Nymphing	Singlehand: 10-11' 2-3wt	Floating level nymphing line Level indicator leader + tippet 1.5 times the depth
Wet Fly	Singlehand: 10' 3-5wt	Floating WF or DT line Rod length tapered leader + tippet 1.5 times the depth
Streamer	Singlehand: 7-9' 5-7wt	Floating WF line Rod length tapered leader + class tippet

Honryu aka Mainstream

Honryu is mainstream river that can be as narrow as 20m wide to 1km wide depending on where it's running through, but commonly a river too deep to wade across thus called "hon" =real and "ryuu" = stream. Honryu is serving superb holding water for both landlcoked fish and sea-runs where dam isn't built or sluice with fishway.

Most commonly fished honryu rivers are running through platau often only one side is deep adjacent to walls or hills. Deep side provides hiding place for fish while shalow side are hatching ground for aquatic insects. Fish active for feeding is often holding in between deep and shallow thus anglers need to cast enough distance to the deep side but control the presentation to actually hit the edge of shallow.

Big honryu river can be wider than 200m with one or more deep channels where fish are holding for safety and shallow parts where they feed variety of hatching aquatic insects. This is where anglers need to articulate on fish's feeding situation which can require distance cast or accurate presentation.

Honryu is where fly tackle, line system, and choice of flies meet the challenge

Game	Tackle	Line System
Dry Fly	Singlehand: 9'-10' 3-6wt	Floating WF line + rod length tapered leader + slack tippet
	Switch-hand 10'-10'6'' 3-5wt	Scandi floating + polyleader floating + slack tippet
Nymphing	Singlehand: 10-11' 3-6wt	Floating level nymphing line Level leader + tippet 1.5 times the depth
Wet Fly	Singlehand: 10'-11' 4-6wt	Floating WF line + rod length tapered leader + tippet 1.5 times the depth
	Switch-hand: 10'-11' 3-5wt	Scandi/Skagit floating + polyleader floating hover-slow sinking + slack tippet
	Two-hand 11'-12' 3-6wt for wing wet	Scandi/Skagit floating + polyleader hover-fast sinking + slack tippet
Streamer	Singlehand: 9'-10' 6-8wt	Floating/intermediate/slow-sinking line Polyleader + class tippet
	Two-hand: 13'-15' 8-10wt for weighted streamer and full-size intruders	Skagit + floating/intermediate running line Polyleader + class tippet

Genryu (Sawa) aka Headwater River in Mountains/Platau

Genryu is often a tributary of Keiryu aka moutain stream and less than 10m wide. Physically demanding place having rocks, forests, and obstacles while routing and weather forcasting are essential skills to fish safely. It is advised to go with a guide or experienced person with clibming skills. from alpine creek deep in mountains/highlands to spring creek only a mile from ocean.

Game	Tackle	Line System
Dry Fly	Singlehand: 6-7' 3-4wt	Floating DT line + rod length tapered leader + slack tippet
	Singlehand: 6-7' 0-2wt	Floating DT line + rod length tapered leader + slack tippet
Nymphing	Singlehand: 10-11' 2-4wt	Floating level nymphing line Level leader + tippet 1.5 times the depth

Estuary & Tide Sensitive River

Estuaries are tide-sensitive lowest part of rivers where you can intercept anadromous fishes such as sea-run trouts and seabass. Opportunistic feeders comin on rising tide, but predators ambushing for drift baitfish are most active in lowering tide speeding up the river. Cast distance and depth control are very important to attack the right feeding range.

Game	Tackle	Line System
Nymphing	Singlehand: 10-11' 6-7wt	Floating WF line Level leader + tippet 1.5 times the depth
Wet Fly	Singlehand: 9'-10' 6-8wt	Floating WF line + rod length tapered leader + tippet 1.5 times the depth
	Two-hand 11'-12' 3-6wt	Scandi/Skagit floating + polyleader hover-fast sinking + slack tippet
Streamer	Singlehand: 9'-10' 6-10wt	Floating/intermediate/slow-sinking line Polyleader + class tippet
	Two-hand: 13'-15' 8-10wt for weighted streamer and full-size intruders	Skagit floating/intermediate + floating/intermediate running line Polyleader + class tippet

Jungle River/Mangrove River

Unique river whose banks are all covered by heavy vegitation often requiring boats or kayaks to provide fishing platform otherwise carefully wade through soft bottom. Huge abundance of both bait fish and predators whether it is freshwater section or brackish water section. Casting accuracy and depth control are very important not to snag flies while keeping it close enough to where fish is feeding - why it's very helpful to have guided trip.

Game	Tackle	Line System
Nymphing	Singlehand: 10-11' 6-7wt	Floating WF line Level leader + tippet 1.5 times the depth
Wet Fly	Singlehand: 9'-10' 6-8wt	Floating WF line + rod length tapered leader + tippet 1.5 times the depth
Streamer	Singlehand: 9'-10' 6-10wt	Floating/intermediate/slow-sinking line Polyleader + class tippet

Need Guide Service?

If you need guide service to take you through the wonders of Japnease rivers or you are travel agent looking for guide service, please contact us using this form.

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