From friend of my friend,

these hot pix were sent to me.

Steelie, nice buck!!! Good job, K-san!

He likely caught this one at upper stream of Salmon river ID.

It reminded me of something strong feeling before.

I once changed the title of this blog to "Lance's favorite" after back to Japan, but changed to the current one again. Because I thought I shouldn't forget everything I saw and experienced there in Boise ID. Yeah, it was definitely special place for me. If possible, would like to visit there again. And to Montana and Oregon and...

Anyway, thank you for sending these nice pix, K-san.

Four B-Runs, All Native

In the last trip, I leaned the followings;

1. Landing Net was necessary for the B-Run Steelie
2. Chest bag was obstacke for double handed rod casting
3. Sink Tip line which I bought was too heavy for that river
4. Swing method was not good now because of low temprature
5. It was painstaking job to catch the B-Run by #8 single handed rod

My solution for each was;

1. I bought cheap but large net
2. I also bought new fishing vest ( a little expensive... Forgive me, honey!)
3. I also bought the floating line(spey line)
4. the same as 3.
5. Use the double handed-rod more frequently not for swinging but for nymphing

When I arrived the South Fork of Clearwater in the morning, I could see several steelies in the shallow. Although I paid attension not to threaten them, it seemed that I did.

I also tried swinging because I felt the water temp was not so cold. But nothing in the mornig.

I got sure strike wih double handed one with nymph around one o'clock afternoon, and felt strong tug. But my knot to the fly got loose, and I missed it. Gosh!

I used #8 single handed one just for change, then there was Steel's take after three o'clock. Though I took a great pain because of her so strong tug, I landed well with the new net by myself!

She was so healthy and beauty one(36inches/92cm), and was native one also. Can you see her unclipped adipose fin?

She bit my nymph surely, it is the same one as before.







I got the second one with double handed system just after I released the first one. It was first steelie with my #9/#10 double handed one. I felt It worked much better than #8 single rod for B-Run Steelie.

Although she was 32inches/82cm length, it looked like small just after I saw the first one. She was also native one, and fly was big egg pattern.

The 3rd one was caught just around 17:30.

She was 34inches/86cm, and the native again. The fly was same nymph as first one.






This unclipped adipose fin was the proof of the native not the hatchary one.





The last one bit the eggleech pattern. I couldn't measure her exactly because she escaped from me, but it looked like over 31inches/80cm at least. And she was native too.

What a great day was today! I cought four native B-run Steelie in a day!! I thought I've alomst done all what I wanted to do in spring steelhead fishing.

Maybe it is time to come back to trout fishing.

One of my dreams

I got it !!!

38inches(96cm) B-run Steelhead at the South Fork of Clearwater

I can't believe it. She is longer than current my daughter's height!

One of my dreams came true. But there was long story, a kind of drama on this day.
Maybe I'll update the detal of it in the near future.

Olympic National Park; Part2

You may know the reason why I chose this place at this time. Yes, the Olympic National Park is also famous for its Steelhead because of short distance from the ocean. I believed that it was good time for its Steelhead fishing now.

I tried some times in this trip, but I got skunked. The high flow water might affect my fishing. This pic is the high flow Sol Duc River in the early morning.

On the second day, we visited the Riato Beach.

The weather was perfect, and it was great view. There was much driftwood.





She must have liked it.







This afternoon we tried to go the Hoh rain forest.

Unfortunately the upper road was closed, but we could see some Elks.

First One by Double Handed gears

Definitely I' d been swamped with work for two weeks, so that was the reason why there was no update on my blog.

As a result, I missed the golden one week for Steelhead fishing at the South Fork of Clearwater... This 'Golden' included the number of Steel's coming up and the streamflow amount.

Now, although the number increased, the streamflow was getting overflow. But I had no time to hesitate. Yes, I should have gone there to catch the B-run Steelhead.

As I expected, its stream showed five times as much as previous trip's. This trip I used two method, the nymphing as usual and the swinging by the double handed rod.

I got the luck by the swinging, but it was not the B-run's but the whitefish's... It was the first one by the double handed gears.

As a conclusion, I got one more whitefish only, no steel this time.

But I think I should never give the B-run Steelhead up!

First One at South Fork of Clearwater

I had a chance to go the South Fork of Clearwater again. On the way, I dropped in the Little Samon River again, but no luck for this time.

So I arrived SFOC around eleven o'clock in the morning.

At the first hole, which I thought one of better holes through previous trip's experience, I had a luck. I couldn't believe it was Steel's take at first!

He surely bit my nymph!

Though his size(26inches/66cm) might be under average in this river, I was really satisfied with his tug and beauty. He was so healthy one.

I think I liked this river by its flow and water color, only exception is its location(close to 5 hours is too far!).

By the way, I felt my double haul casting technique was getting better.

President Day's Native

Last weekend we spent a day together on Saturday, and I did 'Honey Do' on Sunday. So I've gone for fly fishing on Moday, President Day's holiday.

I decided to go the South Fork of Clearwater as a destination for Steelhead. And I checked the Little Salmon River on the way.


I could catch one in an hour morning. She was a small as Steelhead(23inches/59cm), but was definitely native one, a kind of lucky.

I left this river around Riggins about ten o'clock, and arrived the South Fork of Clearwater River around eleven.




It was my first time to try there except ice watching. It showed moderate flow and water color.

Although I got two white fish, no Steelhead there.
I think I need to try again.

Muddy Wallowa

We family all'd suffered from a kind of cold for two weeks. So I had no chance to go fishing.

But I had a chance to go Wallowa River after long silence. As soon as I arrived there, I was so surprised. There was no ice, and it colored so much , in other word, just muddy. I also noticed a difference of the amount of flowing water. We had much smaller at last year's trip.

I had no way except to give it up... I'm wondering where should I go next.

Spring Steelhead Season had begun

Last weekend, I visited Clearwater river first time to check the Steelhead coming. South Folk was almost iced and seemed to be impossible to fish there. So I had to go further downstream to see no ice. Finally I reached Orofino, and it took about 5.5hours from my house.

There were some Steelheader with bobbers and jigs and some of them caught Steelhead, especially using boat like right pic.

There was no flyfisherman and it was too deep for it. I had to give up...
But I could practice my new gear there, and it was more difficult than I imagined. I need a more practice to cast it.

Through my experience of last weekend, I decided to try the Little Salmon River this week. Because I saw no ice in downstream near Riggins when I passed it last week.

In the morning I felt no sign of Steelhead, so I doubted the existence of Steelhead. There was no angler also.


So I moved to the Salmon River just for change.

Though I practiced double handed rod casting again, it was still difficult. I need more time to get used to it.

I returned the Little Salmon River again around four o'clock in the evening.

I couldn't believe it when I got the strike! But I definitely identified him as the Steelhead when he jumped some times.

I was already fascinated with his beautiful color during fighting, and noticed there was no shallow to land him.




But finally I could push him on the ice of bank. He bit the egg dropper surely.

Although he was small Steelhead(56cm/22inch), it could be valuable one for me.

My Spring Steelhead season had begun undoubtedly. But I have a concern for busy day in February.

Imnaha & Troy

Hide & I did Steelhead searching trip in the end of last year. This 'Searching' means to go the place where we've never been.

So we picked Imnaha river as first destination.

On the way, we dropped in Wallowa Hatchery which located in the upper Wallowa river. No Steelhead reached yet.

After six hours drive, we arrived at Imnaha River(right below pic). And we found a good hole. But we couldn't feel the fish's exsistence.


Next, we headed for Troy(Grande Ronde River) as second place.

Though the drive had a little difficulty because of much snow, it was a kind of fun like explore for us. Approximately it took over two hours.

Grande Ronde River around Troy was really 'Grande'!

I felt the necessary to have the double handed rod. (It was maybe one of reasons to have bought new gear.)

As a result, we had no luck. But I enjoyed the this trip.

Now I'm thinking of next Steel trip soon, because I guess I must be busy after February...

Gear for Dreams

I thought I didn't need to have them until quite recently, because they looked like high threshould for me. But finally, I did buy them to realize some of my dreams.

Rod: 5-PIECE CL SPEY ROD 13 FT 9/10 LW, Cortland
Reel: PRECISION XC LARGE ARBOR FLY REEL #4 (9/10), Cortland
Line: Tip Taper TT-375(Sink Tip), JIM TEENY
It costed about five hundred bucks, it sounded much cheaper than Japan.

I'm looking forward to fishing on larger river like North Umqua and Deschutes.

Christmas Presents for me

The Chirstmas Present from my wife delighted me a lot. It was titled 'FIFTY PLACES TO FLY FISH BEFORE YOU DIE'.

I liked pix and its selection of the destination. Henry's Folk and Middle Folk of Salmon River were picked from Idaho.

I wish I could fly fish all of these. It should be added to one of my dreams.





I was given another one also today.

It was hard fight for my #6 rod, because he struggled so much. I thought I should have used #8 as the usual.

He was so healthy(26inches/66cm). A kind of handsome boy isn't it? To tell the truth, I missed the good Steel before him because of line break in obstacle.

I'd never imagined that there was still some Steels in the Down Town Boise River. Yes, definitely it was surprise present!

Lucky again!

I had a luck again in today's lunch time also(24inch/61cm)!

He bit not the dropper but the large nymph this time.






Maybe the cloudy day gave me a good fortune.

Recently my catch rate has become within 1hour/fish. It sounds almost miracle for Steelhead fishing. What a lucky guy am I!

3rd one : Boise River Steelhead

We had a little rain today.

I avoided the famous hole because I saw some fisherman there.

And in another hole, I got Brownie(13inch/34cm) with large nymph pattern. It was a little unusual.






As soon as that, I felt certain tug when the indicator sank down.

It took a about 10min to land him in spite of his size(23inch/59cm; not so large).




The reason why it took long time was the fly hooked position I think. It looked like he tried to feed my egg dropper but failed.

Anyway I was happy to catch him. I like his face around his jaw.

2nd one in Boise River

I went to the Boise River to check the posibility of Steelhead luck with my colleague in our lunch time.

After investigating two major hole, we felt nothing.

But finally I got the one at the 3rd hole within five minutes. Although his fight was not so strong, I enjoyed it.





I think it was lucky that there was not crowded despite famous hole.

If possible, I would like to catch female one next in order to taste yummy IKURA.

Boise Steelhead part4; I got it!

I went the P.C. hole just for a change in today's lunch time.

There was a little rain, and no anglers around there.

After several casts, my indicator disappeared slowly. I could hook him. He tugged so strong, and jumped many times. I was so excited, you know!

He wouldn't give up easily and it took at least 15min by my watch to catch him. And he bit not the egg but the nymph.

Though the length was short as the steelhead(24.5inch/62cm), he fought so powerful. Even I used #8 weight tacke, my both arms became numb.

Yes, it was definitely STEEL's tug, I've almost forgot it.
I think my STEEL season has just begun.








My daughter was also excited to see him.

Boise Steelhead part3; change the policy and nightmare...

I changed the my policy to use the indicator, nymph, and egg dropper.

The reason why I changed was that I experienced many short bites to my swinging wet fly and it was difficult to set the hook them.
I thought the carried STEEL was so spooky, and they were so nervous to the any flies. And I believed the indicator could catch short bite easily.


So from this morning, I used the new strategy to catch the first STEEL.

After a few cast, my indicator faded surely. So I set the hook strongly.

I felt the strong tug from it, so I was pretty sure that it was my first STEEL. But I was so disappointed as soon as I saw his face.

He was definitely ugly SUCKER. He didn't bite the egg as a dropper but the nymph.

After that I caught some resident raibow and white fish.

And the last 10 minites to my morning fishing end time, I saw my indicator sank slowly.
I raised my pole a little, then the STEEL jumped up and escaped from my poor hooking!!

Oh boy!!! I should have set a hook so strongly as I do usually!!!

It was really my regret, but I felt my hypothesis was right.