Fish species in Japan

Scalpel sawtail

ニザダイ · nizadai
Prionurus scalprum

Scalpel sawtails are called san-no-ji in Japan, after the dark plates beside the tail. They graze rock surfaces and can pull hard when caught during float fishing.

Habitat and season

Warm rocky coasts and reefs.

Recorded fishing season: May · Jun · Jul · Aug · Sep · Oct · Nov
Scientific name: Prionurus scalprum
Japanese name: ニザダイ

Months are a broad guide, not a current catch forecast. Region, water temperature and local closures can change the season.

Fishing methods

Fukase — drift float fishing

A lightly weighted bait drifts with a small stream of groundbait. The aim is to keep the hook bait moving naturally at the feeding depth.

Find places to fish

Find spots for scalpel sawtail on the map →

Cooking

Detailed recipes for this species are currently in Japanese. Open the Japanese cooking guide →

Compare related fish

Detailed Japanese species notes

尾の付け根の黒い骨板が「三の字」に見えることからサンノジとも呼ばれる。グレ釣りの外道としても知られ、平たい体を横に使う引きは強い。

尾柄の骨板で手を傷つけることがある。磯では足場・波・退路を優先し、ライフジャケットを着用する。

Full Japanese page, including available 3D model →