The season for large bigfin reef squid is just around the corner.

Let's imagine it before the fishing trip.

From March to June (spring to early summer) you can aim for large ones, and from September to November it is relatively easy to catch many small, newly hatched ones.

Bigfin reef squid are not only a target for fishing, but also a delicious, high-quality species that is highly valued in the market, earning it the title of "king of squid."

Bigfin reef squid (Aori-ika)

Bigfin Reef Squid

Category: Teuthida Loliginidae Sepioteuthis

Size: Body length approx. 30-50 cm

Distribution: Western Pacific west of Hawaii to the temperate zones of the Indian Ocean

Coastal areas south of southern Hokkaido. The largest individuals can reach over 50 cm in mantle length, making them a large species among the squid inhabiting Japan's coastal waters. Their bodies are wide and rounded, with semicircular fins along the edge of their mantle. They swim gracefully, undulating these fins. Males have short white horizontal stripes on their dorsal mantle, while females' markings are indistinct. They are also said to have excellent eyesight, capable of seeing in almost all directions except directly behind them. The kanji for "Aori-ika" is 障泥烏賊 (aori ika), and it is said to have been named "Aori-ika" because its fins resemble the "aori" (mudguards) of horse tack. The name varies by region, with some areas in Shikoku calling it "moi-ika" because it spawns in seaweed beds, some in Kyushu calling it "mizu-ika" or "kutsu-ika," and some in Okinawa calling it "shiro-ika."