I will definitely catch tuna and bonito.
We arrived at the port at 6:30 a.m. and began preparations for setting sail. Except for Mr. Murayama, this was the first time for all of us to cast for tuna and bonito, and we were filled with an indescribable feeling of elation. Will we be able to catch them? Looking back, last year we targeted tuna and bonito in Sagami Bay by koma-se fishing and ebbing, but failed to catch any. The time has come for me to take my revenge.
We set sail to the first point. The main lure used this time was Daiwa's "Soltiga Cuddler" by Daiwa. We move this lure on the surface of the water and stop it to attract tuna and bonito. Tuna and bonito are migratory fish, so there is no clear point where they live. What will serve as a landmark is a flock of seabirds, or toriyama, that try to prey on small fish driven to the surface by the tuna and bonito. We drive the boat to look for them.
After an hour or so, we found the first birdpile. You cast your lure into it and attract tuna or bonito. Casting on a rocking boat is quite difficult until you get used to it. Swing as hard as you can while keeping your balance and putting strength in your legs.
Murata: The moment I see a nabla (a school of small fish driven to the surface of the sea), I can't be normal, I have zero IQ. My feet are unsteady and casting is not as easy as usual.
Komatsu: The moment I saw the bird mountain and the nabura, I was very excited. The captain called out to us and we began to cast, each cast making us more hopeful that we might catch a fish.
After about five minutes, the nabras disappeared and the seabirds dispersed. Our window of opportunity was short, and we could not waste a single cast. We moved on again, looking for the next bird pile.
The sky is covered with thin clouds, but the temperature is 33 degrees. At sea, unobstructed by anything, it feels even hotter. But the heat doesn't bother me, and I feel a unique sense of tension the moment I spot the bird mountain.
Ishii: Because toriyama appear only about once an hour, the moment you find them, the tension and the sense of excitement are more interesting than any other kind of fishing. There are very few chances, and even if you cast well, you never know if you will get a bite.
Murayama: Even when the lure passes cleanly over the nabla, if it doesn't bite, it doesn't bite. It's frustrating to be ignored so many times.
After that, we continue to find and cast to the birdpiles. Chasing tuna and bonito around, it no longer feels like fishing but hunting.
