The Ugly Truth About Japan's Bass Fishing Scene! (3 Things You Didn't Know!) 

Hearing Americans defend bass in Japan is identical to the Europeans defending common carp in North America. Just some food for thought.

always a good day when geoff posts

Great chat mate. Cheers for the updates. Looking forward to the Japan vids. Greetings from Australia.

One of the most interesting fishing videos I’ve ever seen. Awesome information!

G, You’re unhinged! This is very interesting! I had no idea. Please continue on your journeys…and thanks for using your talents to share them with us!!!

I caught the world record bass but i didn't have my scale

If it’s hurting the natives then releasing them is pretty reckless. Here is Australia carp and Perch have really hurt the natives. Europeans love those fish but even as a catch and release angler I won’t return carp ever and Perch only in closed systems

Good job explaining bud! Keep doing what your doing!

Wasn’t sure about this Chanel at first. But you’re a real angler and someone who truly loves to fish. I look forward to watch you make Japan home soon and continue to catch great fish on big baits. Good luck brother

Stoked to see more Japan content. I hope you reach your goal one day and move there!

You’re gonna move there! Awesome, man.

Just discovered your channel crazybassfisher and I'm gonna subscribe. Love hearing about bass fishing in Japan! I fish the California Delta

Part 2! Yeah

First time seeing your videos, fishing in Japan is a dream of mine!

Interesting information, great video! I’d like to see a video of you in a fresh water Bait shop showing some of their baits for Large Mouth if possible.

Part 2 sounds great! And maybe a video of you doing some finesse fishing😁

Thanks, Geoffrey, for the information found within this video. I never knew quite a bit of it. Interesting, how things are so different in Japan.

Interesting info on Japan bass fishing, Geoff…..I never knew the “lay of the land” on catching/keeping bass there….I know how challenging bass fishing can be…here in So Cal, catching 5 bass for any angler hardly ever happens at a couple shoreline only fishing spots I fish often….the norm is 1 to 2 bass on any given day for an experienced angler….the challenge is high, but the level of satisfaction for landing a bass makes us keep coming back for the challenge.

Great video Geoff!! It's no wonder when I watch the Raid Japan youtube channel the guys catching Bass go crazy... When I catch a 2 or 3 pounder here in Texas or 10 total bass I'm like... Ok that was fun. Lets see how many I get tomorrow.... Lol

Thanks for the info. Fascinating stuff! Can you let us know in second video if they are using advanced forward facing sonar in biwa and japanese lakes? I Appreciate your videos 👊

i think that when you have a Non native species for 80 or 100 or even more years it's not simple to manage the fish and habitat to come back to the original one. So .. for what I've seen in Italy, and here in Spain where I'm living, there is no need to kill bass, they found a place to live and growth with other species and after many years the nature found an equilibrium

Thank you for this video and answering these questions. I’m one of the people that asked the question about having to kill bass in Japan.

Crazy Cool! Rock on man!!

I love what you're doing man, keep it up!

King, on some of these lakes I see in videos that guys like Kenta or Taku have a tricked out rental boat. Do they tow those around to these rental lakes or are they not allowed? Or are some lakes electric only and non rental

Hey Geoff, for context how would you compare the size of Lake Biwa to say… Lake Mead? Also why would you fish the Hoog and not the Hinkle trout? I ask because I am considering picking up an 11.5 Hoog trout.

Dude, so glad you got to go fish Japan. You have learned a lot. I really like the show. Good luck going forward. Do they not eat bass? Isn't it crazy expensive?

Thank you for your feedback,that definitely answered some questions 👊❤️

Really good, up-to-dated info! I live in Osaka and my Area Trout fishing sempai has talked about these issues a lot. I was told to never transfer Bass or Bluegill to a new lake or take live fish away with you. Trout fishing also gets a lot of pressure, so after a crowded weekend, the trout learn not to bite or to give test bites. Shore fishing near Osaka City and the more populated southern areas get really crowded to. My friend also told me that bass fishermen have a "bad " reputation among more straight-laced folk here -- they have a kind of rebellious image. Good luck on your fishing adventure!

Very interesting subject, here in So. Cal. our Fish and Game biologists is asking us to remove limits of bass 12 to 20 inches from the lakes. He says the reason we are not seeing the trophy's from the past is because of over population of bass.

@crazybassfisher One question about JP bass, why in so many pictures and vids a lot of bass seems to suffer some kind of skin problems or genetic issues such short or cut fins ?

How did the bass get introduced over there? I’ve always been curious.

What is japans native game fish? Is there a native fish that can be caught or targeted like bass fishing?

Geoffry do you think Jared will actually post a RU-vid video next Thursday

Hey if you are moving to Japan, you should meet my cousin who is a lure designer at Jackal who is based in Biwa!

I'd be careful talking about certain things, I don't think Japanese officials play around with laws like here, and probably make it worse for an American.

Great vid! I just became a new subscriber. My wife and I are taking a trip to Japan in the spring of 2025 in the name of "bass fishing." Do you have suggestions on what lake to visit, guide service (if any), and best tackle store (coming with an empty suitcase 😉). Any suggestions would be amazing! I appreciate you!

That's interesting how popular an invasive species is as a sport fish in Japan. Here in the eastern US, the asian carp are out of control, and it's mainly bowfishermen and commercial fishermen that specifically target them.

Is shore fishing worth trying at Biwa? I’ll be there in august and if I’ve got time I’ll try if it’s worth it. Having said that I’m Australian and have never fished for bass😂

Awesome video, Geoff. Going to foreign lands, exploring, and then taking those experiences and turning them into educational and purposeful storytelling. This is what the internet was made for. I am incredible jealous but equally as stoked for you that you have gotten these opportunities and chose to run for them. You are a world class angler with a drive and passion for sharing it with the world. Keep up the good work, compadre. Your Biwa freak is coming in hot!

Great information video I didn’t know they kill bass that is sad great video good luck once you move be safe and have the time of your life

Geoff, many anglers as myself would enjoy part 2. What are the top baits Japanese Bass anglers purchase?

Im in Vegas bro is ur garage air controlled? Im worried about putting lures/swimbaits in an garage thats gonna get desert hot hot bro??

What other game fish does Lake Biwa have that they need to kill the bass?

I consider going to Spain just to catch LMB. Haven't held one since 2001.

✌🏼invasive✌🏼 but you walked MILES that one day without a bass lol great vid geoff 🤘🏼

Thanks for the Update 🫡

Behind my house is the colorado river in bastrop...im used to the dammed parts 10+ feet deep in austin...i go to fish out here and its shallow river 2-5 ft. Deep and you catch spotted guads and 18inch is huge 21 22 can happen but the main thing is 1 fish in a day is amazing...best i ever did was 17 fish only 2 of them were above 10 inches. Point...rivers close to there natural depth with acctual fish that lived there for millions of years tend to be harder game to catch and so it seems japanese strategies work best...its a whole different type of fishing river spotted vs largemouth fishing and it took me 2 years to figure out they dont bite like largemouth and you need a good subtle presentation or no go.

Hey bro would catching bass In Japan be easier in creeks in rivers since most people would be mainly fishing the lakes to target those larger bass

hope next time we can cross lines in biwa. can confirm anything you said. the struggle is real, but indeed there is a big chance of catching giants during specific time of the year. keep up with the amazing work you’re doing!

If the world record bass was caught out of Biwa would they have to kill it in order to certify it thru IGFA ? What are your thoughts on this geoff ??

Bro I suck at fishing still, 5 of any fish in a day would make me so stoked

Actually not many people kill bass but rather release the bass. Especially more and more smallmouth bass are getting populated in northern part of Japan. It’s getting more and more difficult to catch bass in Lake Biwa and without a proper fishing guide you ended up catching nothing…

Here in Italy it's a similar situation. We don't have to kill the fish but the bass Number in lakes and pond is looooow... Here a big fish is like 3/4 kilos but it's so difficoult to catch a big one like that. Anyways great video only love from Italy

Yes! I am always accidentally release Bass at Lake Biwa😮 Last video you got by K9 is great!! Also respect you guys walk 15km. That’s not easy. Please come back Japan and next time stay more than this time!

Yea man.. I knew it was Dodgy business going on over there in regard to Bass Fishing..The next time i'm over i'm going to fish Kawaguchi,Kasumigaura. We have invasive species here in the states , maybe i'm missing it but i don't see an awful lot being done about it.

I had to endure a 10min lecture from AZG&F at Willow lake on the Rim for releasing a Bass. I understand it's an invasive species but Tiger Trout is more invasive imo.

Thanks. Did you say you're moving there and bass fishing is dying in the same video?

The Genie is out of the bottle. Shocking fish is pointless. I'll be in Kyoto for a weekend. How can I find a good Biwa lake guide or can you recommend one ?? Email or website preferred. I don't use use social media

Is that why I’ve noticed JDM gear sites seem to be lowering prices?

The laws they have in Japan for bass seem similar to the snakehead laws here in jersey. Where u don't have to technically kill them but. If u keep the fish out the water for any period of time or transported it has to be killed.

Please make another video and Japanese bass fish.

That blows my damn mind. So they definitely killed that world record out of there 😭

How many fish did you catch again? If I heard you right that’s shocking. I like catching a donkey for sure and throw the big stuff to catch that level of fish, but I can go to Clear Lake, Trinity or Fork or even down to Mexico and know that I can catch a sack of 6-7-8,10’s. Long way to go to catch only a handful.

I mean I get but at the same time why go across the globe to catch a fish you can catch in your back yard? Also isn’t there some insanely cool/aggressive gamefish native to Japan anyway?? That would be my target

I love Japan and hearing this about the bass in Japan As a angler out her in California this makes me upset I have catch calico bass and spotted bay bass and I release them the only fish I keep is the Pacific mackerel I catch and cook Pacific mackerel

Hell, if we catch 5 to 7 keeper bass on Kentucky lake, we had a great day. Japan and Kentucky lake have something in common, the hell you say 😊👍😁

why can't they move the bass to another lake?

If you were to catch the next world record out of biwaa, would you make it official or catch and release ?

I have heard a biologist say that any fish over like 9 pounds you almost never shock up cause they are big enough it doesn’t effect them as much

thank you for sharing a great information. and i would just like to add something to the information. i have been bass fishing in japan for 19 years even now. Lake KASUMIGAURA the 2nd largest lake is slowly being restricted and there are lots of areas that has a NO FISHING signs that are posted for the past 2 years already. i would advice you guys to go fishing in the rivers rather than lakes. lakes are slowly being ristricted for fishing (NO Fishing zone) all around japan, but rivers don't have those rules and restrictions. but be careful with your garbage and manners when fishing. i recommend any where outside TOKYO, OSAKA, NAGOYA and other large cities. for example my home field KINUGAWA river in Ibaraki prefecture is perfect but challenging lol Fish ON! and enjoy.... i hope we'll meet on a fishing day :)

Very interesting video!

Why in the world would you move to Japan when you already live in the best country in the world? Not a judgement, just curious. I assume you live in the US. There’s so many great places to bass fish here.

I would be spending a lot more time in Japan fishing 🐟🐟🐟🐟🐟

This was the first of your videos that I have watched. Good, interesting video. One piece of advice. Don't wear reflective lens sunglasses when recording because viewers can see everything in front of you. Also, it would have been interesting for you to explain why Japanese farmers want the bass to be eliminated. Could you imagine if Japanese bass fish were cross bred with Florida strain bass?

So Japan bass fishing is like having beautiful and exotic girlfriend who never puts out… Got it 😂

On my local lake we have smallmouth and you’re supposed to kill them. Nobody does it and they’ve been there for 20 years

For the anglers in Japan who do “ follow the law”😂, I’d figure they would consume the meat before killing and leaving it be.

If you love bass fishing, this is not the place to be. :( I live down south in Nagasaki Prefecture and bass fishing is so so. I actually quit bass fishing last year. The problem is like you said, the farmers have priority and it seems the water in the lake and ponds in my area are always low because of them. Good luck in your ventures though!

What is the average cost for a trip to Japan? Don't worry about variables. Just bare minimum.

Yeah we all grow up eventually and start fishing for trout lol

and the funny thing about the JDM tackle is they could come here and destroy the market.

Excluding the absolute giants in Biwa, would you say bass fishing is “better” here in the US than it is in Japan? If so, what is your main reasoning for moving there? (Great video as always, ofc).

Very interesting perspective about native vs. imported specie. About catch n release in some european countries like Switzerland and I believe Germany also catch n release isn't allowed. You must kill and keep due to political influence from green parties. You cant have fun playing with fish. If you fish you kill and eat. Just like in hunting. There was some issues in Spain with bass considered as an invasive specie threatening native species. However most anglers are releasing their fish.

There’s gotta be another part to this video going more in depth to the invasive bass population from the perspective of biologists and environmentalists backed by data in contrast to a fisherman stance. Not that I’m saying I trust the government (or any) but there’s gotta be some explanation for the culling requirements. Rad video as always.

Same killing nonsense that happens here. In Colorado they have those same drop boxes for killing bass and pike.

I was the 1k like 🎉

If you want to move somewhere and really struggle to catch fish, come to Ohio (Lake Erie excepted).

Enjoy Japan,by

Bravo ! ❤ 0:53

I thought this was very interesting. Thank you for doing this one.

Sounds like it’s just super hard fishing cause it’s a tiny population most likely

There's no 20s left bro. It's been 15 years.

Fuck yea Biwaa anglers I respect n love yall!!

Why on the F would you move to Japan to bass fish? The USA is the Mecca for Bass fishing and those little fellas trip over themselves to come here to fish here.

Osha or Yosha??

Pike in Cummins NV sounds like some bs

How in the world do you catch Bass with an artificial lure when they have all those live choices?

You know you can't smoke in Nipon.

The Genie is out of the bottle. Shocking fish is pointless.