Fishing Spot Japan

Pond Smelt fishing in Lake Kawaguchi

January, February and December are the prime months. A cooperative day 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?

A cooperative day permit is required. Typically ¥1,000–2,000. Day permit required. Renting a boat unguided requires a Japanese boating licence.

Water
Freshwater
Prefecture
Yamanashi
Region
Chubu
Getting there
1 h 50 from Shinjuku

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 permitKawaguchiko Fishery Cooperative
    Its permit rules took effect 1 January 2024. Night fishing is prohibited on Lake Kawaguchi and wardens patrol. A separate local fishing tax applies on top of the 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 Pond Smelt

The target of Japan's winter ice fishing. Usually eaten as tempura on the spot.

Japanese
· wakasagi
Scientific name
Hypomesus nipponensis
Typical size
8–15 cm (3–6 in)

How it is fished here

Bait fishing, Ice fishing

Elsewhere

Pond Smelt is also listed at Barato River, Lake Shinotsu, Lake Kasumigaura, Lake Ashi. Everything caught in Lake Kawaguchi.