Saltwater · Winter peak for fatty fish; deep-boat season most of the year
Rosy Seabass
Doederleinia berycoides
A deep-water luxury fish known in the trade as nodoguro — 'black throat' — for the black lining of its mouth and throat. In Japan it is akamutsu, a rosy-red seabass-like fish taken by electric-reel boats over deep slope ground. Winter fish are fattest and most prized.
Seasons · Peak
Identifying features
- Rosy red body with a silvery sheen
- Black lining inside the mouth and throat — the key mark
- Large dark eye for deep water
- Deeply forked tail and a fairly deep body
- No black throat lining in similar red seabreams — check the mouth first
Habits
- Lives on deep slope ground and rises only slightly off the bottom
- Feeds on shrimp, small squid, lanternfish and other deep prey
- Moves to shallower slope water to spawn in summer in some areas
- Bites are light for its size — deep rigs need watching
- Its close trade name nodoguro is used across Japan for this species
Distribution
Regional coverage expanding
Where to find them
- Toyama Bay deep grounds in the Sea of Japan
- Suruga Bay deep slope grounds
- Sea of Japan grounds off Shimane and the Noto Peninsula
Where they live
How to catch them
Electric-reel deep drop Boat
Rig: Multi-hook deep-drop rig with an electric reel and a heavy sinker, lowered to deep slope ground from a boat
Bait/lure: Squid strips, shrimp or mackerel
Key tip: Keep the rig just off the bottom and watch for very light bites at depth.
Deep tenbin fishing Boat
Rig: Single- or two-hook tenbin rig fished deep from a drifting boat over slope edges
Bait/lure: Shrimp and squid strips
Key tip: Use fresh, firm bait that survives the long drop and retrieve slowly.
Best baits & lures
Baseline setup
- Rod: Stiff deep-water boat rod rated for heavy sinkers, with an electric reel
- Line: 30-50 lb braid
- Terminal: Multi-hook deep-drop and tenbin rigs, heavy sinkers for 330-985 ft (100-300 m)
Recommended gear for this species
Rod · Best value
7'3" medium-heavy casting rod
≈ US$100-150
One rod for jigs, Texas rigs and frogs — the bass workhorse.
Reel · Budget
7.1:1 baitcasting reel
≈ US$80-120
Fast retrieve for pitching and quickly taking up slack on hooksets.
Line · Budget
15 lb fluorocarbon (200 yd)
≈ US$18-25
Invisible in clear water, sensitive on rock, abrasion resistant.
Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.
Typical size
Common 8-12 in (20-30 cm); large fish to about 16 in (40 cm)
On the table
Excellent — rich, fatty white flesh, prized grilled, simmered or as sashimi from professionally handled fish.
Similar species
Splendid AlfonsinoSplendid alfonsino is brilliant scarlet with a huge golden eye and no black throat; rosy seabass is softer rosy-red and is identified by its black mouth and throat lining
Crimson SeabreamCrimson seabream is a shallower-water seabream with longer dorsal spines and no black throat; rosy seabass is a deep-slope fish with a black-lined mouthRegulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →
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