Photo: Takahashi / Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Trichiurus lepturus
Largehead Hairtail
Saltwater
About this species
A long, ribbon-like silver fish with fang-like teeth, a highly popular food and night-fishing target in Korea. It rises toward the surface after dark to hunt small fish and squid. Baited drift rigs and glowing jigs fished under lights at night are the classic tactics.
Season
123456789101112
Depth
10 – 100 m
Habitat Spots
NearshoreOffshoreHarbor
Fishing Methods
JiggingFloatBottom
Bait & Rig
Glow-in-the-dark jigs and baited drift rigs with cutbait or saury fished under lights at night; ship-based nocturnal jigging is the premier method.
Edibility & Taste
Highly prized; the silvery, mild-flavored flesh is beloved salt-grilled, meunière or as sashimi in Korean and Japanese cuisine.
Similar Species
Smallhead hairtail (Trichiurus brevis) is nearly identical but grows shorter; all hairtails have the same ribbon shape but snout-tip ridge and tooth count separate species.
Record Weight
5 kg