Switch from Caddis to Flav

River; South Fork of the Boise River Temp; 96F Hatch; Caddis and Flav Time; Evening Only Hooked; 8 Caught; 5 Flow; 1740cfs

It was beautiful day.

When I arrived usual hole, I found several good stable rise. There were actually Caddis and Flav. Then I bet Caddis first.

It was right.

19inches/48cm by X-Caddis #16 Rise fishing

He was so strong and wild!

Major hatch was switched from Caddis to Flav. And I did see fish fed Flav dun surely. So I changed the fly pattern from Caddis to Flav dun. Then I got a surely strike!

18inches/46cm by Flav Dun #14 He looked like sick.

There were a bunch of Flav Dun, so rises were continued to the dark.

I got some fish also. Now Flav is getting prime!

Garden Creek Recreation Site; Upper Big Lost River

Our weekly camping was still continued this week also.

The concept of this week was close to Ketchum for my wife, and different river from Big Wood River for my self.

Then I picked the Upper Big Lost River up for this week's destination.

It took about three hours to Ketchum from our home. And keep going to the east. After another an hour with dirt road drive, we arrived the Garden Creek Recreation Site.




It was the fee free site. Though there was the rest room, no water.

And strong wind made us a little nervous, especially my daughter.






After setting up camp, we started to prepare our supper. It was close to 5 o'clock.















The main dish was the New York and Rib Eye steak by charcoal grill.

I liked them!!









After the supper, it was fishing time as usual for us!









He was my first brookie in US! Tiny but pretty one.








As usual also, we had a wine and baking marshmallow time. We loved that.









This night was good timing to see meteor stream. We checked a table of constellations carefully, and could see many shooting stars!!

It was so often, about once in a minute.

Yeah, it was definitely fantastic time for us.

Flav started, but still Caddis's prime!

River; South Fork of the Boise River Temp; Not too hot, around 90F? Hatch; Caddis and Flav Time; Evening Only Hooked; 11 Caught; 8 Flow; 1740cfs

It could be one of greatest days there.

Finally my favorite Flav hatch started there. It likely earlier start than last year. But still fish madly fed on Caddis only. There were good and continuous rises.

I did hook two fishes soon by general Caddis dry pattern. They were not huge but good fighter. Although I couldn't catch them, it was a kind of good start. I was pretty sure that my selected fly matched the hatch.

This one was so beautiful and wild with its red band! And also good well jumped fighter.

18inches/45cm

This heavy torque stream made their tug so stronger. I thought It was really difficult to catch good size, even succeeded in hooking.

He had so wide body. 16inches/40cm

This 18.5inches/47cm had injured body, so I hesitated to put his pic here. But it was well experienced good one.

After that I hooked huge one, at least over 20 incher!

During long time fight with him, I was cheered up by floating boater. The comfortable drug's reverse sound made me so excited.

When he approached me, I believed I've almost done.

Then I lost his tension... The knot of tippet got loose... It was definitely my fault...

I could catch some after that also. I had good time there.

Cheap Red Wine Review; 8th set

BOGLE 2005; 1.5star

JENICA PEAK 2004; 4star(good)

FETZER 2005; 1.5 star

I think I've covered almost all cheap wine which is under $10 and is available at general store. Maybe it is time to upgrade it.

Pine Flat Campground; South Fork of the Payette River

This weekend, we decided to go the Pine Flat Campground which was along the South Fork of the Payette River with Moto's family. It was almost after a year interval for us to have a camping together.

It took about 1.5hours to arrive there from Boise. As its name, there were a lot of pine trees.

It was famous of its hot spring. It poured into the river from the cliff.

It was not so hot but a kind of comfortable for us.

The fall of hot springs. We relaxed so well there.

It was only our pity not to have camp fire and charcoal grill for us because of high danger of wood fire.

Because of its slope where we pitched a tent, we had hard time to sleep well. We recognized the importance of its flatness.

Next morning, we tried fly fishing together.

Moto took pix for me. The left one was my second hit.

She helped me to land him. Good job, my sweetie!

She fell asleep as soon as she was took in my arms.

It was fun time for us all.

Still Caddis is going on

River; South Fork of the Boise River
Temp; Not too hot, around 90F?
Hatch; Caddis #18 Time; Evening Only
Hooked; 6 Caught; 4 Flow; 1780cfs

Now I came back to my home river. I love this river because of its strong stream and the possibility of huge and kind of strongest native rainbow.

I'd expected good reaction to Hopper, and tried it first because of no rise. But at second hole, I could see certain rises to the Caddis. So I stopped it, and focused on those rises.




Soon I got good one by #18 Elk hair Caddis. He was definitely best jumper which I'd ever seen. He did it at least 4 times!

I got some average size 14-16 inches(35-40cm) by same pattern.

After that I missed good one by same fly because of bent hook...

After giving up that fly, I changed it to #18 X-Caddis. But nothing took it. So I cut its tail to imitate just normal Elk Hair Caddis pattern.

Then I got another one. That experience was interesting for me.







Finally I found the big boy's rise in the late evening. I tried same pattern, but he ignored it. Then I changed it to Caddis Emerger. After several cast, I did succeed in hooking him up!!

But he ran so rapidly into the core of strong stream. Soon I lost its tension... My tippet was broken completely... I think he escaped just under the rock rapidly. Although I missed big one, I found this river's high potential again. Let me try him again soon.

Falls Campground; South Fork of the Snake River, Day2

This morning, I'd decided to wake up early and fish until 8 o'clock. I got up about six actually.

Though I expected good reaction for dry fly on the surface, not good. The dropper didn't work either.

Then I hit upon something. Let's try streamer just for change.

After several casts, I got surely take during swinging the corn head one. It was first catch by this pattern.

About 14inches/35cm, Yellowstone Cutthroat

After we left the campground, we found the scenic fall to the river.

Nice view from the top of that fall.

We swam a little in the river. It was a little cold, but was a kind of comfortable. Especially my daughter was so happy to get in the water.

I was happy to see native cutthroat, though I couldn't catch them by dry fly at 'Queen of the dry fly' river.

Falls Campground; South Fork of the Snake River

'Queen of the Dry Fly', the author of Fly fisher's Guide to IDAHO called this river so. It is famous for native Yellowstone Cutthroat.

We had a chance to go there as one of our camping destinations. It is likely also famous place to see the Moose. We've never seen it.

The Falls Campground was picked by us. It located 43miles east from Idaho Falls, took about 5 hours from Boise. We arrived there about 5 o'clock.

That campground was surrounded by tall cottonwoods.





There were some whirling cotton.







That time I cooked Japanese Curry with my dutch oven after long interval for our supper.

We liked it very much.











A chipmunk moved around our site.

After supper it was fishing research time for me. Through the bush trail, we reached the river.

It looked good hole for me, and I saw one small rise.

There was no major hatch, so I tried several fly pattern. Although
I thought it was not so difficult to catch some, I got no strike.



I tried to add the dropper #14 BH Pheasant Tail nymph.

Then I got it. I really enjoyed his strong tug, and its beauty.

Yellowstone Cutthroat ; 16inches/40cm







They picked pretty flowers up there.








After that reserch, I made a fire for our night.

A glass of wine made us happy also with campfire.











She also enjoyed her favorite baked marshmallow.

Cheap Red Wine Review; 7th set

MAD HOUSEWIFE; 1.5 star

MONTELLA 2004; 3 star

Ste CHAPELLE 2005(Idaho); 2 star

Not so good for me.

Henry's Fork of Snake River; Day3 One More Night

Today should have been last day at HF for me. My original schedule was to leave there around noon.


But last night's awesome rises made my mind change.


I decided to stay one more night and leave early morning on Sunday.

In the morning, Callibaetis spinner was dominant. We still saw Flav and Trico spinner also, but looked like Callibaetis was key in the morning.

Kawkoi-san got good one by his original Callibaetis spinner.

Since I'd not had Callibaetis spinner pattern, I used rusty spinner and Flav spinner. But I got no take...

Then Jimi-san arrived with H-san together. He seemed to be busy for making his original video of Henry's Fork.

He let me join his lunch together. The sandwich which his wife made was great!

H-san got good boy by his CDC PMD dun. Even in the wind, he did good job.

The PMD dun in the strong wind was really difficult, see the Kawkoi-san's Blog.

Although there was still good rises, the clever fish ignored my PMD dun...

Mr. Harrop and his group came there and fished just next to Kawkoi-san.

And he hooked up good one with his floating nymph just in front of Mr. Harrop.









He succeeded in landing good one. See his Blog now.

It was strong and awesome!!

It was a kind of unusual that rises continued until evening. Which meant we had no time to rest. Yes, we fished from noon to evening almost without break!

Though I got a bunch of advices from him, still no luck.

That evening was different from last one. It seemed fish ate heartily in the day time.

I got several take with Kawkoi-san's rusty spinner, but missed setting a hook all time... It was not easy for me.

I really would like to say thank you to Kawkoi-san for everything.

He also made special sandwich for me that night. It was so delicious!

Next early morning I said goodbye to Henry's Fork.