My first trip of the year was to Tanegashima (Houseimaru) for GT fishing.

I was told by my doctor that I cannot go boat fishing until August with my injured leg.

However, as I was off the crutches at the end of April, I decided to go.

I will be GT, inchiku, cameraman, jeerer, inchiku, jeerer, inchiku, GT......

We boarded the Topi from Kagoshima.

As we arrived a day early, we will be able to start fishing from the break of dawn.

The members this time were Mr. Arai, Mr. Kawakami, Mr. Unigame, and myself.

On the first day, with the water temperature dropping to 21 degrees and bad water color, we had little luck.

In addition, there was hardly any current movement.... 0.2-0.3 nots.

Apparently Okinawa and Tokara was the same during the same time. We didn't even get a bite on the inchiku.

We look for an area with higher water temp, clarity and current movement, and Mr. Arai finally got 2 bites.
Unfortunately, these did not hook up. Inchiku was no good as well.

The tides changed and the water temp went up by 1.5 degrees.

This produced a hookup on Mr. Kawakami's E-Cup!!

Unfortunately, it was a small shark....

First Shark for Mr. Kawakami. Caught on the E-Cup

Next Mr. Arai got a bite.

As the fish didn't shake its head at all, he thought it was a shark.....

As he was lazy, Mr. Kawakami and Mr.Unigame helped out.

However, the fish which surfaced was a GT, but hooked on the side.

No wonder it didn't shake its head, the hook was set in its ass.

For punishment, we got him to hug the fish and take the picture.

139cm and about a little over 40kg

Caught on Shakure 7F.

It looks like the punishment set in. Mr. Arai got a hookup.

This time it was shaking its head.

Huge stomach. It spat out about a 45cm fish. Couldn't tell what it was due to its digestion.

This time he landed it alone. A fat 30kg GT.

Caught on Shakure 7F

On the first day, I was.......

R0d：HAMMERHEAD FAUBE 77H （Prototype

Playing with a Shark. Hooked on its fin....

Caught on the E-Cup.

After that, it was shark after shark...

2nd day was very calm.

Mr. Arai hooked up on the P. Pencil.

About 3 GTs were fighting over the lure and the small one got it

Nice! The smaller one was this fat 35kg GT.

Broke his personal record! Congratulations.
Caught on Poping pencil 20

Successfully landed a 20kg GT. Caught on Shakure 8F

While I was playing with the inchiku, Mr. Arai hooked up again.

Surfaced.

Mr. Arai. 30kg over fish. Congratulations.

Shakure 7F

Next, I was fired up. I started casting and got a bite!

Rod：HAMMERHEAD FAUBE 77H （prototype)

A shark.... I thought it was shaking its head violently, but it was hooked on the tail

With the inchiku, Yagara.... a Blue one....

While I was taking a picture, Mr. Kawakami hooked up at the bow.

Mr. Unigame looks on Mr. Kawakami's fight.

Successfully landed. Fat boy

We all help to get the fish back in the water as soon as possible.

A fat 35kg GT.

Congratulations on breaking your record.

Caught on Shakure 8F

It looked great at dawn, so I am trying hard.

Finally! Looks like a Trevally.

Rod ： HAMMERHEAD FAUBE 77H （Prototype）

Its shaking its head violently.

Rod ： HAMMERHEAD FAUBE 77H （Prototype）

My legs are giving way.....

Rod ： HAMMERHEAD FAUBE 77H （Prototype）

A fat 30kg over GT.

Caught on the G-Cup 41.

Mr. Unigame got a bite on the E-Cup on the second day, but busted by a shark.....

Unfortunately, he wasn't able to catch a GT, but it looks like he got some good experience for next time.

On the way back to the port, the boys are getting excited about something.

About girls??? Let me in!

I have damaged my knee again while fishing so, icing back at the motel.

On the 3rd day, my left knee was awful so I was going to give fishing a miss, but as the weather was bad, we couldn't go anyway.

We went to check out the rockets.

From the left, me, Mr. Arai (186cm), Captain Iwamoto, Mr. Kawakami, and Mr. Unigame.

Good friend, Mr. Arai and my self.

Last day, 3 of us went fishing. The swell was pretty big during the morning.

I was checking out the situation for a while, and got a bite on my first cast.

My leg was killing but I managed.

30kg over, caught on the Shakure 23.

On the last day, the first cast was my last....

Mr. Arai hooked up.

Surfaced successfully.

Mr. Kawakami: "Captain, its got a hook in its mouth".

Captain: "Where, ohhhhh".

Looks like a long line fishing rig.

The captain took the hook off.

Approx 25kg GT.

Currently, total of 9 GT's.
I put pressure on Mr. Kawakami, by saying "If you catch another one, its number 10".

Then Mr. Kawakami hooked up, but was busted off the rocks....

Shakure.

Broke from the main line.

No more bites that day.

As for me, it was Inchiku all day.

A little competition between me and the captain.

Super small, but caught a corral trout!!

All 3 days of fishing successfully over.

During this trip, we had many sharks.

Although we didn't take many pictures, there were plenty of them hooked and released.

We also lost about 6 - 7 lures to these predators. (Me losing the most....)

As for the GT's they must have been having big meals. They were all fat!

The average size of the GT's in Tanegashima are amazing!

As for the rod test, I couldn't give it too much due to my leg, but focused on the guide balance, grip, and reel seat position.

Managed to get some good results.

The blank its self is also improving a lot!

We are hoping to release it by Spring this year!