Rental Boat Trip off Uraga, Tokyo Bay
— A 40cm Mackerel on My First Time at the Helm in a While
Date / Area
Oct 10, 2026 / Off Uraga, Tokyo Bay (rental boat from Shonan Sunnyside Marina Uraga)
Technique / Target
Jigging (TG Bait + blade hook) / targeting hairtail and Spanish mackerel
Result
1 mackerel (40cm)
No other hits / about 3 hours on the water
On Oct 10, 2026 (Sat), I rented a YFR24 rental boat at Shonan Sunnyside Marina Uraga and headed out into Tokyo Bay. It had been a while since I last drove a boat, and honestly I was pretty nervous. The result: one good-sized 40cm mackerel. No other hits, but I enjoyed three hours on the water.
Back at the helm after a while — and a little nervous
This time it wasn't a party boat but a rental boat that I drove myself. I rented a YFR24 and left the marina around 1 p.m. Since it had been a while since I last drove a boat, I was a bit nervous for the whole three hours, from leaving the marina to coming back.
10 minutes from Uraga, to a 25m spot
I headed off Uraga, about 10 minutes out from the harbor, in about 25m of water. I brought two setups that day: one for hairtail jigging and one for Spanish mackerel casting.
A 40cm mackerel on a 100g TG Bait with a blade hook
The hit came on a TG Bait in 100g, green glow, rigged with a Gamakatsu hairtail assist hook on the front (the hook recommended by a charter boat) and a VANFOOK Blade Works BWSD-S (a hook with a blade) on the rear.
What I caught was a good-sized 40cm mackerel. It wasn't the hairtail or Spanish mackerel I was after, but it was the only fish of the day — no other hits.
A choppy afternoon in the northeast wind
In the afternoon, a northeast wind picked up and the surface turned choppy. I was back at the marina around 4 p.m.
Summary
One 40cm mackerel in 25m of water off Uraga. I came ready for hairtail jigging and Spanish mackerel casting, but the main targets didn't show. Even so, it was a day where I drove the boat out myself for the first time in a while and enjoyed three hours of fishing.
Lure and Hooks Used on This Trip
RELATED GUIDE
Getting started with hairtail jigging in Tokyo Bay
A beginner's guide to choosing tackle, jigs and hooks.
Read the Tokyo Bay hairtail jigging guide →