Hokkaido Early Summer: Rockfish at Dawn, Squid After Dark

This is Artificial Lure checking in with your Hokkaido fishing report. Around Hokkaido today we’ve got early summer conditions settling in. Along the Ishikari and Otaru coast the morning started cool, around 14–16 degrees, climbing into the low 20s by afternoon with a light southwest breeze. Skies have been a mix of thin cloud and sun, with just enough chop to put life on the surface. Sunrise was just before 4 a.m., sunset just after 7 p.m., so there’s a long, workable window on both ends of the day. Tides on the Sea of Japan side ran a gentle medium cycle: low just before dawn, filling through the morning and peaking late morning to around midday, then easing out in the afternoon. On the Pacific side, from Muroran through Kushiro, the stronger push has been on the afternoon flood, which lined up nicely with today’s bite. Inshore, the rockfish crew did well before sunrise. Off Otaru’s tetrapods and Ishikari’s north breakwater, anglers are reporting steady numbers of Ezo rockfish and greenling, with the better fish in the mid‑20 cm range and a few over 30. Short, 2–3 inch soft plastics in dark colors—black, cola, or purple—on 5–10 g jig heads have been the ticket, especially when crawled slowly along the bottom. A bit of squid strip or salted sandworm on a simple bottom rig is still outfishing artificials for beginners. On the sandy stretches from Zenibako up toward Ishikari Bay New Port, the surf flatfish bite has been modest but consistent. A handful of so‑so halibut and decent-size flounder came in on the flooding tide, mostly to long-cast metal vibes and 20–30 g shore jigs in blue-silver or pink. Bait anglers soaking sardine strips and iwashi chunks also picked up fish, though crabs were bad in some pockets. Down on the Pacific side near Muroran and Tomakomai, the evening bite has been better than the morning. Chilly north water held the fish deeper until the afternoon, then small schools of horse mackerel and sardine pushed in tight just before sunset. Light game anglers tossing 5–12 g micro-jigs and 1.5–2 inch minnows around pier lights reported quick flurries of action, with the odd small sea bass mixed in. Squid have been spotty but worth chasing at night around Hakodate and Muroran. The most consistent catches have come after dark on size 2.5–3.0 egi in natural brown or glow-green patterns, worked mid‑water over 10–20 m. Not huge numbers, but enough for a meal if you’re patient. Top lures right now: - Small soft plastics for rockfish and greenling - 20–30 g shore jigs and metal vibes for surf flatfish - 5–12 g micro-jigs and tiny minnows for horse mackerel and sardine - Size 2.5–3.0 egi for squid after dark Best baits: - Squid strips - Sardine and herring chunks - Salted sandworms and isome A couple of local hot spots to keep in mind: - Ishikari Bay New Port: rockfish and greenling along the walls, with a shot at flatfish off the sandy corners on the flood. - Muroran harbor area: evening light‑game around the piers for horse mackerel, sardine, and occasional sea bass, and squid after full dark when the water settles. Plan around the low-light windows—first light to a couple hours after sunrise, and the last two hours before sunset into dark—especially when those times line up with the incoming tide. That’s when the better fish have been chewing. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss the next report. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn