Ayu Sweetfish fishing
About Ayu Sweetfish
The ayu, or sweetfish, is a slender, short-lived river fish central to Japanese angling culture, grazing algae off stones in clean, fast streams and prized for its delicate, melon-like scent. It is famously caught by tomozuri, a live-decoy method that exploits the ayu's fierce defence of its feeding territory, snagging the intruder on barbless hooks. Light fly and bait methods also work, but the territorial decoy technique is the iconic and traditional pursuit.
Typical size: Usually 15-25 cm and 50-150 g; large ones to about 30 cm. Record (approx.): approx. 0.3 kg (varies by region).
Season, time and habitat
Darker cell = more active that month. Based on the species' usual yearly rhythm.
Common questions
When is the best time to catch Ayu Sweetfish?
Ayu Sweetfish fishing is usually best around Jun-Aug. The best windows in the day are usually dawn, day, dusk.
Where can you catch Ayu Sweetfish?
Ayu Sweetfish is most often found in river. Napp shows the nearest waters and the live odds on the bite right now.