Henry's Fork of Snake River; Day2 Fish On by Dry Fly

Last night, we had supper at Trout Hunter's dining.　Since it was too late, the kitchen was closed already. But we could have the pizza. Definitely I celebrated my first luck with bunch of beers.

After a while Katsumata-san joined us. I knew him only by several media, like Fly Fisher(famous Japanese Fly Fishing magazine), so it was just first time to meet him.

I think we had a good time together with beer. I asked him something about his video of Henry's Fork. Then he took Rene to our table. It was also first time to see and talk with him. Just a kind of exciting!

I think I drunk the beer a little too much this night to celebrate my first fish there.


This pic is famous motel ' A-Bar ' there. I joined their room.

This morning, I had a little hangover, not so bad one but...







We headed for Wood Road as a first this morning. Kawkoi-san was already there.

Soon Jimi-san arrived there. It was also first time to see for me. He gave me his strong ant pattern! He was so openhearted and kind to me.


I found several rises just in front of me, and tried them. But I got nothing...



We decided to move to Pine Heaven next.


I did try sight nymphing again because there was almost no rise, but had no luck this time.

Ichigou and his party had to leave around one o'clock because of their tomorrow's flight.

We moved to Last Chance for souvenir pic. I really thanked them all, and we said good-bye each other.



I was going to return to Pine Heaven to set up camp there. On the way to there, Jimi-san and I met on the dart road. And he gave me a special advise for today's strategy.

I needed one beer before pitching a tent.









Maybe it was first time to use this tent alone.







In the evening, I was at Wood Road to expect good rises there.

There were Kawkoi-san and me only. And the good rises started! Soon we were surrounded by bunch of rises, just like paradise!!

I had several their take with PMD's para spinner, but couldn't set a hook well. Kawkoi-san landed good one, and he gave me his special Rusty Spinner pattern. It looked so elegant!

Then I could set a hook well! And his so strong tug made me crazy. Yes, it was big boy!! Kawkoi-san pleased and approached to help me.

But he stopped suddenly and wasn't move any more, because he dug into the weed. When I approached and checked there, he'd gone already...

We were disappointed a lot, but I got some confidence to succeed hooking by dry fly. Maybe tomorrow will be nice day for me.







When I checked my Kawkoi-san's Rusty Spinner fly next morning, its hook was completely bent...

Henry's Fork of Snake River; Day1 Beginner's Luck

Henry's Fork of Snake River, it must be one of dream places for whomever like fly fishing. I thought it was too difficult for me to challenge. But my fishing friend changed my mind.

I met him, Ichigou, at Tekapo of South Island NZ at first time, through my friend Curryman. I heard he planned to visit there with his friend. It sounded for me that it might be first and last chance to go there.

I made a final decision to go there just one day before, for the reasons of my own work. I left my house just four o'clock in the morning, arrived there about nine thirty after 5.5h drive. It located in Eastern Idaho.

We met together second time after 6 years interval. It sounded funny because we've never met in Japan.

According to their information, we could see some rises only around Wood Road and Pine Heaven, and it sounded so tough condition because of its high temperature. So we tried first between Wood Road and Piny.

Look this beauty! I was happy only to see it.

Although I did see some good fish there, almost no rise.

So they decided to move to Pine Heaven, it likely was good place to find fish due to high Cliff.

There was only small one's rise, but I did see big boy's moving. It looked like he was feeding nymph so often in the water.

I tied PMD parachute and #16 pheasant tail dropper based on their advise.

I casted so many times for him, but he didn't seem to be interested in that. I was about to give it up over and over again.But I couldn't. Because he looked so nice for me.

After 1hour try, I didn't know exactly how long it took but I felt it took at lease one hour, lead fly looked like stopped and sank. I set a hook strongly, then something struggled.

I wondered 'Did I hooked him really?'. But It was true. Wow what a lucky guy am I!!

But I got so nervous after I saw the tippet and leader got tangled. I felt it should cause line break. He ran so strong regardless of my concern. So I took pix of him before I missed him.

It was definitely beginner's luck at Henry's Fork to catch him.

He was marvelous for me.

20inches/51cm, Buck

I needed to have a nap before evening, because I got up so early today, about three o'clock.

The view at Wood Road in the evening. Though there were several good rises there, I couldn't have any luck by dry fly.

I met Kawkoi-san there first time. He gave me a lot of things as a expert for everything. I would like to write the detail later.

Next step should be to get one by dry fly.

Glacier View Campground; Redfish Lake near Stanley

Camping is now a kind of weekly summer event for us. This week's destination was the Redfish Lake near Stanley, which was one of the most popular destinations in Idaho.

The right pic was taken on the way to Stanley.

Thought we couldn't make a reservation beforehand, fortunately we found some room on that day. Its name was Glacier View Campground which was not located along the lake shore, but was close to.







One pretty doe welcomed us there. She looked so tame.










We did boating in the lake this time.

She likely couldn't wait until getting in the water.

The lake shore was just beach in the mountain.

Everybody looked like enjoying their own time.

A glass of wine made our supper better. The menu was sauteed fresh vegetables(from Meridian Saturday Market this time also), steamed corn by my dutch oven, and pork and chicken by charcoal grill. The cooking itself was my routine job at camping.



I think I'm getting better little by little. The best one on that day was the steamed corn because of dutch oven's magic.




We did fly fishing a little after supper around the outlet of the lake.

Only tiny one(whitefish?) was caught, but beautiful stream gave us a fun.

I thought the night and morning should be so cold there near Stanley, but it was just comfortable. I slept with T-shirts in my sleeping bag.

Totally camping itself was nice there except fishing this time. But now, I'm looking forward to next camping destination.

Missed Chinook was huge...

I bought a Salmon fishing license only for one day, which was first and last chance for me to try Chinook in Idaho on July 11th. It was closing date this year at South Fork of Salmon River.

I had a plan to go there last week, but I couldn't do that because of my busy work.

It was almost a year interval, since I'd visited there last year.





This year, I decided not to use my fly tackle for Chinook until I saw it visually. Which meant I thought I should try sight Salmon fishing especially at this river.

So I grabbed #5 single handed rod and #9/10 double handed spey rod both, and tried dry fly fishing with #5. Because there was no Chinook that I found. Small native rainbow saved me from boring.



Then I did see something huge one moved to upper passing by me.

That was definitely Chinook Salmon, and he was a kind of huge. It was so easy to judge from the bank. And he hided just behind the big rock. I did see his large tail fin moving.





I casted the Babine pattern to him, but he was not interested in that.

I realized that the weight was too light because of strong flow there. Finally, I added four heavy shots as total.

After several casts again, I got surely strike!



Yes, I got it!!




Its tug was the strongest one in the past my fish, including B-run Steelie.

Though he ran around the big rock for while, he rushed to the upper riffle suddenly.



My past bitter experience of B-run Steelie reminded me that it was dangerous to let big boy run freely. So I tightened my fly reel's drug a little bit. Then he was hooked off, during his large jump...



Oh my gosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

................................



There was just silence... It looked awesome buck Chinook, and a kind of 40inches class...
No, stop talking of missed fish anymore, Lance. It definitely nasty habit of fisherman.

After this nightmare, I did see several smaller Chinook in front of me. Although I tried many times, they ignored my flies. I had to give it up by the regulation, 1hour after sunset, about 22:20...


It took several days for me to recover myself from that tragedy. Forget it, Lance! Then say goodbye to Idaho's Chinook, and let's start another one!!

BAUMGARTNER CAMPGROUND; Upper South Fork of Boise River

We all, my wife, daughter and I, did our first camping this summer together on the Festival of the Weaver.

We bought fresh stuff at the Meridian Saturday Market on the way to there.






Our destination was BAUMGARTNER Campground, which was located 12miles east of Featherville, along the Upper South Fork of Boise River. I usually fished at Lower South Fork, so it was first time to fish the upper for me also.

It took about 2.5 hours drive from our house.

After lunch there, we, my daughter and I started fly fishing together.

Sometimes groups of tubing bothered us.







Fish were a kind of tiny, but almost all were native ones, so beautiful. Just an attractor did work well like Mr.Beam Tan in t hedaytime.

In the evening, I did see several rises. Then Caddis Emerger was effective as match the hatch.







There was good pool in the river, so we enjoyed swimming there.

After cold swimming, hot springs pool gave us warmness! Yes, this campground was famous its hot springs also.











We had a lot of fun there, and now we are thinking next camping destination!

4th of July

We'd decided to celebrate US birthday with typical American food.

My part was to bake a meat pate by charcoal cooking grill.

My wife's steak sauce matched it well. It tasted 'Wow'!

Although there were many place which had fireworks around here, we enjoyed the sparkler in our yard. Because my daughter likely didn't like the large shock sounds of fireworks.

It was first experience for her, and it made her so excited!

Cheap Red Wine Review; 6th set

Sockeye 2005; 3.5 star

TRINCHERO FAMILY 2004; 3.5 star

Gallo FAMILY 2004; 3.5 star

This set was not bad for me.

Big Wood River; Day2

As a start of 2nd day, we enjoyed hot drink in the cold morning.

Her one of favorites at camping was hot chocolate with a tiny marshmallow .








She gave me one more chance to fish with pleasure.

Then we went the river again together.






I found the small rise for something. I guessed it was Caddis Emerger maybe.

After several silences, there was surely splash to my Caddis Emerger! His run was so strong, so I did it very carefully to avoid repeating yesterday's deepest regret.

Look this superb body! He was obviously native and wild one.

His size, 15inches/37cm, pleased me a lot, greater than I expected.

She never minded being got wet, if anything, walked into the water with much joy.

Again, thank you for everything, sweetie. I did have a great time with you. That must be our one of memorable days.

Wood River Campground; Daughter and Father's first overnight trip

I'd decided already the first camping destination this year. It was a 'Wood River Campground' along famous Big Wood River. According to my estimation, it should have take about three hours one way. And Ketchum resort sightseeing must have been one of our fun, since we'd never been there. Then, Big Wood River had been one of my fly fishing destination, it would be first visit for me. I wished a little I had a fun with the Green Drake's hatch.

However, that morning, we had a kind of accident. My wife caught a bad cold and likely was not able to go camping. I thought we had to give it up to go there today.

But my daughter never would like to give it up. And she said, 'I wanna go camping today, even mom can't go there .' I asked her, 'Which means, can you go there and spend night with me only?' She answered 'Yes, sure daddy!'. Though I asked her twice, her answer never changed...

Wow, I wondered how to do that. However I decided to try that. It was definitely our first overnight trip.



About 11:20, we left Fred Meyer buying some food stuff. And we reached the destination just after 3hours.


Her first job was helping to post the fee envelop. Not bad start.

My first job was to cook our late lunch.

It was typical American Hot Dog. Our starving made it good one.
Although I had to do all preparation for camping by myself, I could feel good with her.

Then it was fishing time! Small trail led us to the river soon.


She'd been looking forward to fishing with me.(It is not my bullshit, guys!)

She was doing so hard.

There was no major hatch and rise, so I had to give the Green Drake's one.

Though I got several attacks with a kind of attractor, I succeeded to set a hook only one. He was so fast that I couldn't loose my left hand's line before he rushed. Then I got my tippet break, gosh!

I saw his awesome body, especially his red band was marvelous...






We enjoyed camping night.
I thought she did so well for everything today.

New Lens!

I bought it on impulse at summer sale!

But it must bring me lots of fun with my EOS Kiss Digital.






This is my first shot today. Not bad, isn't it?
I think I must have found a new pleasure to take a wild life at Camping or something like that.

Still need something...

River; South Fork of Boise River(below Anderson Ranch Reservoir) Stream flow; 1800 cfs Weather; Pretty Sunny/98F(37C) Hatch; Still Caddis Hooked; 4 Caught; 3


Now summer is in full swing here, it was almost one hundred degrees Fahrenheit today.

I still saw a bunch of Caddis, but I didn't know whether they were just hatched or laying eggs.





At first, I missed several rises of good one. I didn't know the reason why, fly pattern, size... But it was true that I still need something to get big boy's rise by match the hatch.

This was the second one, caught by Elk Hair Caddis #18(19inches/49cm).



Although I was really happy to catch him, I couldn't have a confidence to identify what they were feeding now.

Maybe my choice was correct. Because I could catch another one(14inches/35cm) just after this one with same fly.




I did succeed in setting hook the fourth one, but it was hooked off soon because of this bent hook.

Anyway I need more skill up for everything... But it is a kind of fun also, that is fly fishing.

Caddis; Importance of Size

River; South Fork of Boise River(below Anderson Ranch Reservoir) Stream flow; 1780 cfs
Hatch; Bunch of Caddis! Hooked; 2 Caught; 1

I finally came here! It was definitely my place!! I was just happy only to come certain fly fishing river. There were many trucks for the boat fishing.



Although I expected some Salmonfly hatch, I didn't see any.

Instead of it, there were a bunch of Caddis! It likely first time for me to see such a huge amount.

Until this trip, I thought that Caddis was not difficult. But I realized it was my silly thought at that time.

Yes, there were some rises for them, and I could see some big boy, 20inches over, rose them.
I was pretty sure that I would catch soon, but any fly pattern which I had didn't work well, including Emerger and Nymph dropper.

I realized it was because of size difference between my fly and actual Caddis. They looked like #16 or #18.

I had only a tiny one like them. After several try and error, I got luck.





This average one(17inches/43cm) gave me a lot of learning.

I should be back again soon.