Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Ice fishing, Japanese style

I guess that'd be subjective. Lots of folks who fish for bass and blues describe a sweet smell when fish were about and guess what? There's no mention of ANISE in any article or post I could find, but lots describing melons and/or cucumber.

http://www.striped-bass.com/Stripertalk/showthread.php?t=85423

https://www.stripersonline.com/surftalk/topic/286700-smelling-the-fish/

https://www.capecodsportsmen.com/bluefish-fishing-charters/

On smelt: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/the-fish-that-smells-like-cucumber-1.22153

I know what I smell when I smell it. But then I've only been chasing bass and the like in the ocean for 40 some years. I'll be sure to tell my nose next time it's not a melon, cucumber or other sweet organic smell I am getting, but ANISE!

I do agree with you for the most part on WC oysters. I've had some good ones fresh out of the ocean from CA to BC, but in general have found them less tasty than EC varieties as a whole.

I've river, stream, lake and ocean fished in Japan, but done not nearly enough. The bizarre 'pool fishing' in the city doesn't qualify...

I like your attitude on being willing to fish for and enjoy the chase with just about anything in the fish realm, but I draw the line at quarry in the 1-2 *cm* class. Not ruling it out entirely, mind, but I have tanago way low on my list. Interesting recent NHK video here:

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/ondemand/video/3019096/

Most here other than you and maybe a few others probably aren't familiar with the traditional method of fishing for ayu, or 'sweetfish', but it's pretty cool. As you know, I'm sure, ayu are very territorial, and will vigorously attack any perceived finned intruders in their area in rivers and such. The technique that ayu fishermen use involves a hook set into another fish, ayu or otherwise. It's not intended as a hook by which the defending ayu gets stuck in his mouth as something it's trying to eat, but a hook intended to snag the 'defending' ayu as it smacks and/or smashes into the offending fish to get it out of its territory, and then gets hooked by contact. Couple vids.





I have a number of traditional bamboo rods given to me by my wife's grandmother's sister, who had them in their family home as long as she can remember, and she's in her 90s. They belonged originally to her dad, who was an avid fisherman. They're beautifully made, built very well and wear lacquer on parts. All I own are multiple-pieced with up to 6 sections. The largest I have is all of 25 feet long when assembled. I've yet to try then out fishing, but some day. A few of them, I was told, are around 100 years old. How cool would it be to catch a wild New England brookie with a 100 year old hand-made Japanese bamboo rod? Very, I think. But then I'll probably break the damn thing my first outing...

I was actually planning on a couple of fishing trips in Japan this year, but the C19 put the kibosh on those plans. The next time I'm over, I will be fishing, however. Thanks for the memory jog, Scott. When I do get a couple trips under my belt next time over, I'll share what I found if you like. Cheers.

Leighton,

if you ever do get one of those old rods out on the water, I definitely hope you share pics with us. That would be one of the coolest things I'd ever see.

I’ve been fishing as long as yourself, east coast of US. Lake, stream, river, ocean. Salt, fresh, ICE, brackish. It was about 20 years ago when the realization finally hit me why sooooo many plastic baits are infused with anise flavor. Yeah, I guess you do see some “watermelon” plastic baits too. But I always thought that was a color pattern - not an implanted flavor/scent. Maybe though...

It occurred to me over a massive ball of rainbow smelt getting crushed by landlocked salmon and togue. Once my nose made the connection, I started recognizing it almost anywhere large quantities of live bait were present in nature. The bait must be live, and in clean water. The essence of the aroma clearly (to me) is of anise. And fish, of course. Like I said, why else would it be probably the first and most popular scent infusion in plastic baits? Far and away. I wondered on why grandfather had “licorice” flavor rubber worms in the 70’s, almost as soon as I could start to think logically. lol.

But I will concede that most all varieties of west coast oysters I have consumed taste and smell of a mixture of various melons and/or mown grass. Not to my liking but to each their own. I think it depends on where you born and first tasted or grew up tasting. They couldn’t be more different.

Smoked hooligan is very good - head, guts and all.

Pickled and smoked herring is not to bad either.

Never tried Pacific Sand Lance (needlefish)

To cool Leighton!

Bluegill, Redear and many other perch make excellent flathead bait and plenty of folks scoop sardines out of the can with saltines...fish is fish unless it's surrounded by fur.

do you gut them and cut off their head when you eat them ??? are they the small fish that koreans put in their Kimchee?

I'll do that, Geno. I have both rods and their holders, which are wood and also hand made and are very neat in their own right.

Not necessary to do all that cleaning work. Don't know about fish in Kimchee.

Fair enough. Maybe my sense of smell is not as acute as yours. When I think of the smell of anise, all I can think of is a steaming hot bowl of Vietnamese pho.

Since you sound about the same age, you'll probably recall that some old timers would swear by spraying WD-40 on baits. Allegedly, at least at some point, that product had some sort of fish oil component in it, but I recall reading into it once and read that was a myth.

On oysters, I've done blind taste tests a bunch of times at oyster bars. As far as N/A varieties, the best I've eaten are from the east coast from the Carolinas to the Canadian Maritimes. Above and beyond always the best to my palate from this part of the world. Then those from further south and the Gulf coast rank below that. Then those from the PNW and BC. By far, however, the very best in the world I've had were from Japan's main northern island of Hokkaido. I brought back a bunch to Tokyo after a stag hunt some years ago. Mrs. KG's grandma prepared a bunch a bunch of different ways for us. Deal was that if I brought them and shucked them, she'd prepare them. Best deal I ever made.

Sorry for the thread derail, Geno. This dude Harry keeps getting me thinking about oysters!

Neat and I'd love to try those. Those are salted/brined, however, not pickled, if I'm not mistaken.

Thanks, GeoW. Glad you liked.

Hubert, I can't speak for others but I do gut and gill my smelt, but keep the heads. Or, I guess you could say I head them, but with my teeth, as in the one pic...

Other small fish in Japan are eaten whole. Guts, heads, gills, bones, everything and they're delicious. There's one that's a favorite that's sold/served seasonally that is whole and the prize ones loaded with eggs. They're about the size of an index finger, some a little bigger, and are traditionally broiled or grilled. Damn, what's the name of thjose little gummers now? Ah, yes, 'shishamo'! And hey, whaddaya' know. They're a type of smelt. Back on track, Geno!

https://www.thespruceeats.com/grilled-shishamo-smelt-2031542

Derails for oyster stories of the Japanese grandma type are always allowed on my threads.

As if I have any control anyway. I'm expecting a devolution into politics soon. Oysters are the least of my worries. And tied in with mention of a stag hunt on Hokkaido and pics...............I love it.

Someone on the food forum mentioned tortillas the other day and I had to make a batch of corn ones this morning. This thread has me wanting some fresh seafood for sure. Too bad I live a 6 hr drive from the ocean.

Where do I sign up?