Niigata is famous for sea fishing in the Sea of Japan, but there are actually many spots where river fishing is recommended! We introduce a wide range of fishing spots, from those looking to explore new fishing spots to beginners and spots that families can enjoy.
Niigata’s mountain streams have a large amount of water throughout the year, and in many places the water temperature is low, making it a popular habitat for char, yamame trout, sweetfish, and other fish, making it a popular field for fishers from all over the country.
Yamame
Yamame is a land-locked freshwater fish that belongs to the Salmonidae family and is a type of cherry salmon. It is a popular target because of the beautiful perma marks (juvenile fish spots) that remain on its body even when it becomes an adult. They mainly live in mountainous areas and main basins, and prey on insects and small fish. They are alert and agile, and can reach up to 40 cm in length. Aquaculture is also carried out, and when the season opens, fish will be released for the enjoyment of anglers.
*Land-locked fish refers to fish that live in seawater and landwater at different times, but due to changes in the topography, etc., they end up staying in landwater to grow and reproduce.
Char (Iwana)
Char is a mountain stream fish of the Salmonidae genus, and basically lives in the upper reaches of Yamame. It is characterized by a brown back with white markings, and its abdomen, pectoral fins, and pelvic fins are often yellowish.
Divided into subspecies such as Nikko, Yamato, Gogi, and Ezo, the natural local type remains in the headwaters, but farming is also popular, and they are released into rivers as fishing fish, and there are fishing spots where they coexist with Yamame. Chars are also very wary and will hide behind rocks and other objects to catch food.
Rainbow trout
Rainbow trout is a fish of the Salmonidae family that is native to North America, and has been transplanted to rivers and lakes throughout Japan. Its English name is rainbow trout because of the beautiful red-purple striped pattern on the side of its body.
It is a familiar fish in trout fishing areas, and lives in the main streams and mountain areas of rivers, and can grow to over 60 cm in length even in rivers. Individuals that have been released into the wild over time have regenerated fins and are beautiful, and are good opponents for mountain stream lure fishing because of their strong pull.
