Photography: Eel Fishing

I was taken eel fishing a few weeks ago along the Kiso River in central Japan. Eel fishing involves baiting a line with numerous hooks at dusk, wading out into the middle of the river and laying the line, and then returning around midnight to check the catch. Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you don’t.

It was difficult to shoot in the conditions and I want to try a reshoot someday but in the meantime I’m content with these frames.

数週間前、鰻を釣りに木曽川に行ってきました。夕方に幾つかの針にエサを付けて、川真ん中の河床に置いておきました。そして、真夜中に戻って鰻が針にかかっているかを確認します。ラッキーで沢山かかる時と、かからない時ももちろんあります。

夜中で撮影は難しかったので、いつか撮り直していと思いますが、とりあえずこの三枚で満足しています。

4 responses to “Photography: Eel Fishing”

  1. When I first saw the photo, I thought the person in the water might be seining for elvers at a river mouth. I’ve never encountered this kind of hook and line fishing for eels in Japan. Interesting post.

    Like

    1. I was told it was quite a rare method.

      Thanks for taking a look.

      Like

  2. A unusual and rare experience to be sure. Living in Gifu, almost every guy I know fishes. Never met someone who does eel fishing though.

    Now, I want to know if you ate “unagidomburi” afterward. Love that “tare.”

    Like

    1. I’ve eaten unagidonburi numerous times but not with the eel in the photo.

      Like

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