Friday, March 31, 2006

Medical Examination in San Francisco


I have to thank my company for good chance to go San Francisco by anual medical check.

The day we arrived there, we went Fishermans Warf first. Many sea lions gave welcome to us.





We ate LAMIAN first at SANTA, after medical check. This shop seemed to be very popular. Actually so crowded. I orderd KAKUNI TONKOTSU, and it tastes so-so.




We tried to ride the cable car on third day. I was surprised to see its turning around. It was rotated by man using turning table.

There was so crowed in that car, but we enjoyed the sight of downtown.





Above photo is the Golden Gate Bridge from the ferryboat. It wasn't so cheap, but was good enough.

While my daughter was sleeping, my wife and I enjoyed Irish Coffee. Although it was so strong for me, tasted nice.

We really enjoyed first trip to San Francisco. I thought I would like to try to watch the Baseball game of GIANTS next time.

Thursday, March 16, 2006

The Amazing Miracle by The Old Sage of W_River

Hide and I visited W_River again and ... together for Steelhead. Today's our aim was to find a new hole which is far from car access point. Because we had been fed up with a large number of fisherman recently.

As a result, our attempt was great suceeded!Though today was Hide's day basically, I had miracle by one old sage advice in the end.

-In the morning-
Although Hide got ugly fish first at usual hole, he caught good Steelhead at 2nd hole(very popular one) the same as my March 10th trip. It seemed to be about 25.6inches(65cm) male one.

Also he seemed to catch a very beautiful residence raibow(about 13.8inches/35cm) another new hole.
But I caught only one small white fish...

-Afternoon-
We went down the river and tried the new hole whenever we found it. Maybe after 1 hour walking, we found great hole . We tried separately on each side of the river.

Hide landed amazing big one. It was native, good male and about 31.5inches(80cm)!!! It must be his memorial fish in his life.
About me... nothing to be caught.

-Evening-
We decided to return and try some good hole again. I felt I might catch nothing today, but was not so disappointed.
Just before we reached the final hole, we met the old fisherman. He advised me to fish the hole he knew. He looked like a veteran fisherman and seemed to catch many fishes today. (I remembered I met him and talked a little before in the same river.)
The hole he advised us was one of famous hole and we saw many people in the morning. So we felt fish became nervous for fishing. But he said that Steelhead was going to move to upper after 4 o'clock.

I didn't know why, but I wanted to try there. After a few cast, I hooked fish soon! It was almost unbelievable.

The old sage(wise man) advised me how to fight fish and he help me to land it. I really wanted to say thanks to him, but he had gone already while I took a photo.
Not so huge(23inches/58cm), but it became my unforgettable fish. It was also my first male Steelhead.

Just after that, I tried at same hole soon. In a little while, I hooked it again! It was so strong and difficult to pull it near. I felt really pain on my arm by continuous hit.
It was 27.5inches(70cm) female beautiful one. I was really satisfied with it.

Usually it couldn't be happened to catch two Steelhead in very short time I think. I felt it was almost miracle!

Today became great day for us. If possible, I would like to meet him again and say thank you.

Sunday, March 12, 2006

We bought first camping tent!

We bought it by 15% off today. It became our first camping tent, so my daughter frisked a lot around and in it. We are looking forward to going camping this summer(fishing also for me).

Saturday, March 11, 2006

Hoped for this moment again!


I visited the W_River again and again to meet the good Steelhead, so this was actually third trip. Today I went there alone, so woke up at four and started home at five o'clock in the morning. But there was much snow in highway on the way, it took longer time than usual. I experienced the effectiveness of studless snow tires. Was good.

When I arrived, fortunately there were not so many fishermen yet.
So I fished in the usual hole first. After a few casts, my indicator was vanished. Though it was small resident Rainbow(13inches/33cm), it was beautiful. (But as you know, I was disappointed a little...)



I went to the new hole which Hide & I found at last trip. There was not so many fishermen. I fished there and shifted to the downstream little by little.

When I intended to return the fly to cast, there was heavy tug. So I strongly pull the rod up, then it moved surely! I was excited so much but could afford to measure the time to land. It pulled so strong that my #6 SAGE rod was bent completely like a half moon. It seemed to take about five minutes to land. It was evident good Steelhead which wore spawning color(26inches/66cm). I was satisfied with it very much.

After short lunch, I tried the usual hole in the upperstream. But there was no sign of fish without one whitefish. So I ended it about two thirty in the afternoon and left there.

I was glad to land it, but I might be addicted to the Steelhead. Because as soon as I returned home, I thought of next fishing trip. Dangerous!

Thursday, March 09, 2006

An indication of Spring coming

Though I felt cold in the morning and evening, we had a very warm and beautiful sky in the daytime. Maybe the spring is coming soon.

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Not so easy...Uninvited Guest?

Hide & I took a day off and went to W-River for Steelhead fishing. He seemed to catch first Steelhead by Fly in last week fishing trip by himself.(Of course I desired to go together, but I had very busy days...).

We left home at six in the morning, and arrived there about nine o'clock. But there was two big change from last trip. The number of fishermen and amount of water flow were increased!!

Today we tried to find new hole first, and we walked over thirty minutes toward downstream. Finally we found the good pool looked like good for Steelhead! But there were many people, so we couldn't have enough space for fishing.

We returned to the upper stream on foot, and tried the previous hole which Maestro & Yokoyam3 caught good ones. But we didn't have a luck, maybe because of the rise of the river. As a result we had no fish in the morning.

After short lunch, we moved previous good hole in the upper stream. We acted separately, so I went down the stream from the parking place. When I was going to pick the fly up after drifting, feeling a tug on the line. Then I pulled the rod up quickly, felt it strongly enough. But I was disappointed a lot , when the fish appeared. It was not a trout, but a carp or something like that(24inches/60cm). To be honest with you, it did not look beautiful, but ugly. He bit the Nymph Fly not the egg dropper.

After that, I joined Hide at the upper stream. We tried the hole in front of parking, and I landed a resident Rainbow(13inches/33cm). It looked far better than the previous one, though the size was not enough big.





We could not give up soon, and fished till the sunset. Finally I caught the badlooking one again. Oh my god!