Saltwater Fly Fishing Korea’s East Coast (Gangneung, Donghae, Samcheok)- What I have learned so far
This is my first season to try and figure out how I could fish Korea’s East Sea with my fly rod. The characteristics of the East Sea are much different than that of the West Sea (Taean, Incheon, etc). To start, the east coast of Korea is relatively featureless (except for Pohang, which we will get into later). The land has a nice gentle arc until you hit the bottom of the peninsula. Whereas, the west coast features a variety of ports, islands, and a much more rugged coast line. The east coast has many sandy beaches with an equal amount of deep water ports. The water seems bluer, and there is very little vegetation (seaweed).
The tides on the east coast are also much less dramatic. They are still strong, and you should definitely be checking them before you go out, but in my experience the west coast tides and currents are significantly more substantial. The extreme tides of the west coast expose vast mud flats, and I haven’t seen any on the east coast. This makes access much easier. To launch your kayak ( or in my case a pontoon) you just have to walk down the beach. One thing I have learned the hard way ( the coast guard was called) You should not fish near any industrial looking sites. Even if you are giving them a wide berth; you shouldn’t be there. It seems they hire some of the locals to manage these waterways. I was approached by a gentleman in a very nondescript looking vessel, and he was motioning with his hands that I should avoid the channel (which I did). But it turns out the entire area was off limits. It was too bad, as I had found a nice school of mackerel and was on the hunt. There is much more boat traffic all along the east coast, so be very very careful. The coast guard was kind enough, and sent me on my way with a heart gesture with their arms and fingers pointing on the crowns of their heads.
On the west coast (Taean area) I have been able to consistently catch rockfish, flounder, and sea bass. The east coast has all of these fish plus Spanish mackerel, yellowtail (kingfish), mackerel, cod, and the odd salmon. So fishing tactics are slightly different (not so much bottom fishing). A lot of shore fishermen use jigging/casting irons of various weights and sizes. These things cast a mile and sink very quickly. From watching the flingers of metal I have noticed precise countdowns and a monastic focus to cast in the same spot every single time. The sink rate may vary, but the cast is the same again and again. This is because the dang fish move so fast. The mackerel and yellowtail form big schools and chase bait up and down. Following the contours of the coast. I talked with one angler who said- if he hasn’t caught anything in 45 minutes (or if the other anglers around haven’t caught anything), he packs it in. The idea being you missed them and should try again another day.
My tactics in my inflatable boat (with oars) are a little different. My range is further out than that of the metal chuckers. Not to mention my trusty Garmin Striker fish finder. My target this year is Spanish mackerel, and they don’t show up very well on a sonar. A big school will make it look like the bottom has risen, but an individual fish is difficult to mark. You can mark the bait though. Once I have found the bait- I try to determine which direction it is heading. If you find the bait early enough- there will always be some feeding activity. It could be birds or small macks, but there will be action. Then it is all about finding your shot. The school of fish will start breaking on the surface and you have to be within casting range. I had the most success with smaller patterns (much smaller than I would use in freshwater). You cast it in the boil and start stripping away. By the time I hook up, land, and take a photo the school has moved fifty yards and I am left scrabbling with my oars to try and catch up.
I have yet to catch one deep. I have caught other fish off the bottom though. This could be because they are line shy. I will have to play around with different leader materials and setups. There is literally no one fishing with a fly rod on the east coast. You could very easily fish the ocean in the morning and fish a trout stream in the afternoon, or vice versa. If there is anyone out there who has a kayak (you don’t have to be a fly angler) or a frameless pontoon (with oars) and wants to fish with me in the ocean, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Fishing with a partner is always a good idea in the salt.
