Fish

Japanese black porgy (kurodai, chinu)

Sargo negro japonés (kurodai)

Acanthopagrus schlegelii

SaltwaterBrackish

At a glance

Typical size

10–16 in and 1–3 lb.

Depth

Surface to 160 ft.

Best time

Dawn and dusk, and at night.

Found in

2 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: A deep, compressed sea bream, dark gray to black-silver, often with faint vertical bars, a steep forehead, strong dorsal spines and dusky fins. Called kurodai or chinu in Japan, gamseongdom in Korea.
Typical size: 10–16 in and 1–3 lb.
Maximum size: About 2 ft and 7 lb (3.2 kg).
Diet: Crabs, mussels, barnacles, worms, shrimp and even corn and watermelon thrown in as bait.
Behavior: Wary and clever; lives around breakwaters, rocks and oyster rafts, and enters brackish river mouths.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Japan & South Korea and China, Hong Kong & Taiwan. Rocky shores, harbors, breakwaters, bays and estuaries of Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan.
Habitat: Rocky shores, harbors, breakwaters, bays and estuaries of Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan.
Depth: Surface to 160 ft.
Fishing depth: 3–30 ft.
Best season: All year; spring and autumn are best.
Best time: Dawn and dusk, and at night.
Best tides: The first half of the run-out tide, when bait drains off the flats and out of the creeks; the turn of high tide is good too.
Best weather / conditions: Slightly rough, cloudy water is better than flat calm.

What to tie on and what to throw.

Best bait: Mussels, crabs, lugworms and krill with chum; corn on special rigs.
Best artificial lures: Small soft-plastic crabs and craws, small crankbaits and topwater ("chinu" lure fishing is popular).
Tackle setup: Light float-fishing rod (isozao, 15–17 ft) or a 7–8 ft light spinning rod.
Hook size: Small chinu hooks (size 1–4 Japanese).
Line: 4–8 lb braid or monofilament.
Leader: 5–10 lb fluorocarbon.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Rocky shores, harbors, breakwaters, bays and estuaries of Japan, Korea, China and Taiwan.
Rig up: Light float-fishing rod (isozao, 15–17 ft) or a 7–8 ft light spinning rod. 5–10 lb fluorocarbon.
Pick your bait: Mussels, crabs, lugworms and krill with chum; corn on special rigs. Lures: Small soft-plastic crabs and craws, small crankbaits and topwater ("chinu" lure fishing is popular).
Fish it: Float-fish with chum along breakwaters and rocks, or drop a crab bait straight down the breakwater wall ("heri-zuri").
Time it: Dawn and dusk, and at night. The first half of the run-out tide, when bait drains off the flats and out of the creeks; the turn of high tide is good too.

Fishing techniques: Float-fish with chum along breakwaters and rocks, or drop a crab bait straight down the breakwater wall ("heri-zuri").
BigJoe's tip: Use the lightest leader you can — kurodai are line-shy.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Good eating when fresh.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Good: sashimi from clean water, salt-grilled or simmered. Fish from muddy harbors are better released.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Sharp dorsal spines and gill covers — hold the fish firmly with a wet hand or towel and use pliers to remove hooks.
Regulations: Some prefectures set minimum sizes; cooperatives and harbor rules apply. Check local rules. Sea fishing in Japan and South Korea needs no license for visitors, but local fishery cooperatives set rules; rivers and lakes require a day or season ticket (in Japan, a yugyoken) from the local fishery cooperative, and many rivers have closed seasons.
Conservation: Keep only what you'll eat and release the big breeders; wet your hands, support the fish's belly and get it back in the water fast.

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Sources & photo credits