Fishing Spot Japan

Largemouth Bass fishing in Lake Biwa

The world-record-tying 10.12 kg largemouth came from here in 2009. No permit is required because Lake Biwa is legally treated as a sea area.

April, May, September and October are the prime months. No permit is required.

When

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Season grading is our editorial judgement, not a sourced figure. It says when the fish is catchable, not when the water is legally open — for that, read the closed seasons below.

Do you need a permit?

No permit is required. Legally treated as a sea area under the Fisheries Act — this is why Japan's most famous bass water needs no permit.

Water
Freshwater
Prefecture
Shiga
Region
Kansai
Getting there
20 min by train from Kyoto

How far our answer goes here

  • ✓National lawApplies everywhere. Foreign-national gear limits, protected species, bluefin controls.
  • ?PrefectureMinimum sizes, closed seasons and legal gear. This is a floor — local rules add to it, never subtract.
  • ~Sea-area / inland committeeDirectives that close specific waters or periods. We hold these for a few prefectures only.
  • —Cooperative permitLegally treated as a sea area under the Fisheries Act — this is why Japan's most famous bass water needs no permit.

Rules stack. Everything above the line we hold; everything below it you still need to confirm on the ground. That gap is exactly what a local guide is for.

Size limits and closed seasons

Not yet transcribed for this prefecture. The cooperative’s permit rules and national law still apply.

About Largemouth Bass

Introduced. Japan produced the world-record-tying 10.12 kg fish from Lake Biwa in 2009.

Japanese
· burakku basu
Scientific name
Micropterus nigricans
Typical size
30–60 cm (12–24 in)
Invasive Alien Species — moving or keeping this fish alive is prohibited.

How it is fished here

Lure casting

Elsewhere

Largemouth Bass is also listed at Lake Kasumigaura, Lake Kawaguchi, Lake Nojiri, Lake Ikehara. Everything caught in Lake Biwa.