Sagami Bay Yellowfin Right After Opening: A Lesson in Patience
— 7 Hours at Sea, No Fish

Overcast. Not a bad sky for yellowfin, but…

Overcast Is Good — But Unexpected Wind

The morning sky was completely overcast. Without harsh sunlight, it should have been, if anything, good conditions for yellowfin. But when I arrived, there was unexpected wind. With this wind the surface gets choppy, making boils and bird piles hard to spot. Half hopeful, half worried, we left port at 5:30.

Leaving Port at 5:30, Then About 7 Hours Running Around

From there, we just kept running all over the place. The boat covered a wide area of Sagami Bay, but no birds appeared and the surface stayed quiet. I'd brought three kinds of tackle — ebing, casting and jigging — but none of them got used. It was just a strength workout. I feel like making a small excuse to my morning self who hauled all that heavy tackle aboard.

"There's No Fish Out Here," Over the Radio

While cruising, fellow boats were trading information over the radio. All I heard was one line: "There's no fish out here." …I see. If the pros say so, that's how it is. Even as the morning sun broke through the clouds and the surface began to shine, there was no sign of fish below.

The Data Said It Too — Set Nets and the Past Two Years

Looking back after I got home, the signs were there. According to the set-net catch reports published daily by Odawara's Hayakawa fishing port, there were no yellowfin. Following catch reports since opening day on August 1, Sagami Bay yellowfin fishing was poor, and the skipjack targeted at the same time were poor too.

I started yellowfin ebing in 2024. In my first year hits came from August; the next year I had to wait until October. The timing varies this much from year to year, so "it opened in August, so they'll bite" isn't a given — I knew that in my head, but right after opening I still get my hopes up.

Training Ends in the Swell

As time went on, a swell built up too. In the end we finished without ever touching a fish. I headed back to port telling myself some days are like this. Sigh.

Still, it wasn't a waste: "right after opening" doesn't mean "good fishing," set-net catch data is useful for making decisions, and bringing three sets of tackle can end up just draining your stamina. I brought back a few things I can use next time. Let's call it a day of training.