Japanese goatfish
ヒメジ · himeji
Upeneus japonicus
Japanese goatfish uses two yellow chin barbels to search the bottom. Oblique bars on the upper tail lobe help identify it; the lower lobe is comparatively plain.
Habitat and season
Sandy and shell-strewn coastal bottom.
- Recorded fishing season
- Apr · May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct
- Scientific name
- Upeneus japonicus
- Japanese name
- ヒメジ
Months are a broad guide, not a current catch forecast. Region, water temperature and local closures can change the season.
Fishing methods
Short-cast bottom fishing
A light sinker and short baited trace cover nearby sand for whiting and gobies. Long casts are not required to learn where bites occur.
Boat fishing for Japanese whiting
Light bottom rigs cover sandy seabeds. Keeping track of the sinker makes small bites easier to recognise.
Find places to fish
Cooking
Detailed recipes for this species are currently in Japanese. Open the Japanese cooking guide →
Compare related fish
Detailed Japanese species notes
顎の黄色い二本のひげで海底の餌を探す小型の赤い魚。釣り上げた時の色は一定ではなく、尾びれ上側の縞模様も見分ける手掛かりになります。
小型でもひれの棘と針に注意。リリースする魚は濡らした手や魚つかみで短時間だけ扱います。料理は細い骨を除きます。
Full Japanese page, including available 3D model →