Autumn Kisu (Japanese Whiting): Choosing Surf Rods, Reels, Shock Leaders and Sinkers for “Ochigisu”

Summer kisu (Japanese whiting) fishing is about numbers. In autumn, many anglers start hoping for bigger fish, the kind you want for tempura. But before you think about hooks and bait, there is a more important question: keep casting to the same water as summer, or change where you search?

As the water cools from late autumn into early winter, kisu move to deeper water. In Japan this is called ochigisu (“falling kisu”). The timing depends on the region and that year’s water temperature, so you cannot decide “it’s this month, so fish offshore” from the calendar alone. And buying long-distance gear for autumn is not automatically the right answer either.

Do not assume the fish are offshore

If you think of ochigisu as “cast as far as possible from the first cast”, you will tend to look only at heavy rods and sinkers. Choose gear not just for how far it casts, but for how easily it lets you keep searching.

• Do not aim only for maximum distance from the start. Check the near water too
• If there are no bites, change your casting distance or where you stand
• Note the distance where you got bites, and use it to plan the next cast
• Have gear that lets you cast far comfortably when you do need to search offshore

Distance is not the goal. It is one way to widen the area you search.

1. Surf rod: separate sinker rating from ease of use

If you plan to search offshore, it is tempting to go straight to a rod rated for 30-gou (about 112 g) sinkers. But the sinker size you want to use and whether you can cast that rod repeatedly are two separate questions. (Japanese sinker sizes use “gou”: 1 gou is about 3.75 g, so 25 gou is about 94 g.)

2. Reel: options, and where to spend your budget

You do not need a top-end reel just because it is autumn. Narrow it down in this order: will it hold the main line you want to use, does it work with your rod, and does it fit your budget?

3. Main line and shock leader: check the whole combination

Going to thinner PE to cast further is an option, but do not just change the main line. Check it together with the tapered shock leader (chikara-ito) as one system. One candidate is Shimano’s Spin Power Tapered Shock Leader EX4 PE (PL-N14P): 4-strand PE, 12 m × 3 lengths, in 0.8–7, 1.0–7 and 1.5–7 tapers.

4. Sinker and rig: do not go heavier just because it is autumn

Check what your rod is rated for, and start with a combination you can cast comfortably. A jet-type sinker of around 25 gou is a common starting point.

Casting: can you hit the same distance again?

Casting far once is no use if you cannot put the next cast in the same place. The goal is not a personal distance record, but being able to search the spot where kisu bit again.

Two example setups

These are examples to help narrow your choices, not a guarantee that a set will cast a certain distance or catch autumn kisu. Main line and terminal tackle are extra. Check leader size, reel line capacity and the rod’s sinker rating before buying.

My take

Getting ready for autumn kisu is not just about buying heavier sinkers. The theme is to not stop at the water you fished in summer. Check the near water. If you are curious about deeper water, be able to search that too. Build a set around the sinker you will use, a rod you can keep casting, and a reel and shock leader that match your line.

Read next

• Daiwa 26 Tournament Surf 45
• How to Read a Surf Beach
• Surf Water Temperature Guide

MINAGIMAN

JAPAN ANGLER

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Born in 1994. Originally from Hyogo Prefecture, I moved to Iwata City in Shizuoka Prefecture in search of the sea. I am an Enshunada surf angler who enjoys surf fishing. I am also active on YouTube, and my fishing grounds range from Irago to Iwata.