How August Fished on Lake Biwa
August is the hottest month of the year in Japan, and the surface of the lake heats up with it, topping 30℃ on some days. Below the surface, Lake Biwa is a different story. The North Basin averages more than 30 meters deep in places, so the deep water stays far cooler, and a thermocline sets up at around 6 meters that splits the lake into two very different worlds, warm above and cool below.
That is why fishing deep, and fishing it with confidence, was the key to catching bass this month. On the North Basin we targeted man-made structure and sunken brush piles in deep water with finesse presentations, mainly the drop shot and mid-strolling, a Japanese technique where you swim a jighead-rigged worm with a soft, rhythmic shake of the rod. Down on the weed flats of the South Basin the game flips completely: the summer weed grows thick and matted, and we punch straight through the canopy with a Tokyo rig, known here in Japan as the punch shot rig. Where you fish decides how you fish, and that contrast is what makes August on Biwa so interesting. You can read more about how we rig and fish these presentations in our Lake Biwa techniques and tackle guide.
The lures barely changed from July: the Ano Slider 3.8″ on a 3/16oz drop shot and the Super Fish Roller 5″ for mid-strolling, plus the Kubire Unagi 4″ and 6″ on the Tokyo rig for the weed work.
The highlight of the month came out of that weed. One of our guests from Australia punched up a giant bass over 60cm, and that fish is the Fish of the Month below.
Fish of the Month
Fishing Lake Biwa in September: What to Expect
September still feels like summer on land, but under the surface things begin to change little by little. As we covered in last month’s report, the season underwater in the North Basin of Lake Biwa runs about a month behind the calendar, so from around the middle of August, the Obon holiday season here in Japan, the bass start committing hard to deep water and grouping up there.
Accordingly, the main approach is targeting man-made structure and sunken brush piles in the deep with finesse presentations, and September is when that style of fishing really starts to hit its stride. And when a cool morning or evening comes through, windows open up where a spinnerbait or buzzbait over the shallow weed areas gets the job done too.
Reading how far the season has moved along and adjusting the approach flexibly is what turns September days into good ones. We are looking forward to enjoying Japanese bass fishing with many more international guests this month.
If you are wondering what a guided day actually looks like, from hotel pickup to your first Biwa bass, see how a day with us flows. September dates are open now.
Fish With Us
Every fish in this report came from a guided day on Lake Biwa. We run English-speaking guided trips with hotel pickup, all tackle included, and no fishing licence required. If the fishing above looks like your kind of day, check availability for your dates and we will get you on the water.
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