Not easy rise

Owyhee River, Hatch; Baetis, Caddis, Midge, Hooked; 4 Caught;2

I could see some certain rise in early evening.

Though I tried some baetis patterns, he refused all of them. Maybe the 6X tippet was not sunk well. My next theme is to get the rise in the daytime.

I saw the Baetis spinner. It made me confused to identify what they fed.


I missed a bunch of rise...




After miss hooking using Baetis dun pattern, I got the one eventually.

Although the number of rise increased, that dun pattern was not effective any more.

I got one take by Batis nymph, but missed it because of line break...




The last one was caught by dun again.

To get the rise was not easy, and I had to learn many things. But it was also fun of fly fishing.

Her Watercolor Painting

Recently our weekday, my daughter and I've been able to communicate each other only during breakfast time.

And she eagerly explained me what she did yesterday at preschool and so on.

I was always surprised by her rapid growth everyday. Especially she was likely interested to paint a watercolor. Though my wife seemed to help a part of above pic, yet she made it all by herself for the right pic.


That was a kind of surprise for me!

Summer is here

85F(29C) was observed at highest around Owyhee river on that day. I thought Summer was just here!

I could see several rise in the early evening. I tied midge dry first without hesitating, because I saw many midges there.

I tried bunch of midge patterns, yet there was no take.

I checked drifters again with care, then I found the moving baetis nymph close to surface.

So I change my strategy from midge to baetis.

After several trial and error, it took about two hours, I eventually found the pattern.

They sip tiny baetis dun only.

After I figured it out, I got three luck on the trot.

I took pains to find it, yet I could enjoy whole process. Everything there trained me up every time.

Saturday as usual

We spent together as usual today.

She's become sensible recently, I think. So I could play with her and do a part of housework mutually.

She hoped to ride a bicycle, but had to give it up because of very strong wind.

I'm writing this during her nap.

Smaller catch, shorter season likely this year's Chinook

According to the newspaper's article, this year's Chinook(King) Salmon is also likely severe.

And it was a surprise that South Fork Salmon River is not opened.
But I think I can't but try some times maybe...

Spirit, Technique, and physical strength

I don't know these words can express exactly present my feeling for fly fishing.

But I think I'm getting able to enjoy whole process of fly fishing, not only the result, how big, how many... like that. I would like to behave modestly especially to mother nature.

River; Owyhee , Weather; Sunny just after light rain(54F/12C at highest), Hatch; midge(very small amount), Caught; one

Although it was late evening, there was very little rise because of low temperature. The Spring weather was really erratic, there was huge difference compared with last trip.

I enjoyed to find some rise, but they were very unstable, severe as a target.

As soon as I found one, I casted half sink type midge dry.

Then I got strike as I aimed! He gave me great gratification. Thanks a lot.

Midge Dry Game

Owyhee River, Sunny(79F/26C at highest), Hatch: Midge, Caddis Caught: 5,

1. Today's my purpose was definitely to enjoy dry fly fishing for rise.

I stopped at famous pool, and checked the rise very carefully.

Then I found one, though it looked not stable.

I decided to try there first. After a few casts, I felt something heavy just before I picked my midge dry fly up. Fortunately I had a luck accidentally around 6:30PM, but it was not my target rise...

Although I waited another rise, I couldn't see any. So I moved to upstream.

I had to change the tactics to nymphing, because there was not any rise.

During my nymphing, one fish rose and sip tiny something very close to me! I stepped back slowly with care, and changed it to midge dry fly again.

After changing dry patten several times, he took it finally(around 8:30PM).

He was average, but strong one. Maybe strong flow supported him. I was glad to have it just as I intended.



I could catch three more fish all by midge dry pattern at same side channel. It was about 9:10PM for the last one.

I really satisfied with them. Thanks a lot!

Cheap Red Wine Review

I would like to review the cheap red wine which I tasted. This is only based on my preference , and not for all people but just for my memory. In addition, I'm not also good wine commentator.

Review for 1st set;
1. dog house: 1.5 star
2. PEPPERWOODGROVE: 4 star
3. BERINGER: 2.5 star

5 star is the best in my rank.

2nd set;
4. MERIDIAN: 3 star
5. BLACKSTONE: 2star
6. MIRASSOU: 5star!

Now, I'm looking forward to 3rd set.

Saturday Market

Annual Saturday Market in Downtown Boise seemed to have started since last Saturday.

That is one of our fun to walk through it. There is fresh Vegetable, Cheese and some Industrial art etc.









When we went there today, it was really nice, comfortable weather.

I felt I need to walk downtown sometimes, not only along the river...

Now is the time to resume my trout fishing

Since I said good bye for my spring steelhead fishing, I've been thinking of the time to resume my trout fishing.

I have no destination except Owyhee in Oregon now, because almost all major river basin in Idaho is closed until the Memorial Day.

The trout fishing itself is after an interval of about three months from the last one, and the last trip to Owyhee was over half year ago. On the way there, everything I saw recalled sweet(sometimes bitter) memory to my mind.

As the general fising report, there was no rise when I arrived there.

Although I saw some midge's shuck close to the bank, I decided to try nymphing first.

My precious first one was by the Brassie. I was pleased to see you(17inches/43cm)!

The second one was a kind of surprise for me.

It was 21inches/53cm Rainbow, and first species caught at this river except Brownie for me.

My San Juan worm gave me a luck.

When I released it, it was getting dark. In a short time, I found the certain rise just in front of me.

He refused the Griffith's Gnat several times. So I changed it to a

bit suspended one.

Then he took it! But he was hooked off soon... Maybe my timing to set a hook was not good.

Though it was only regret not to catch by dry fly, I was happy to see some trout again today!

Her bike practice

We had a time to spend almost a whole day yesterday.

So we headed for her favorite park near our house wiht her bike. Her riding skill was getting better.

Although it was cloudy, she enjoyed herself in that park.

Maybe I should also start biking to enjoy spring day.

Cheap Red Wine

Recently, I've started to drink Red Wine instead of Beer. One or two glasses per day are fine for me.

The reason why I started was just for my own health, especially to increase beneficial cholesterol.

In this pic, they were all less than $10.

The right one was not so good, but I liked the center one. I'm looking forward to trying the left one next.

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.

Olympic National Park; Part1

My younger sister in-laws came to Boise, and we were glad that she joined our trip to the Olympic National Park in WA. It took ten hours one way approximately.

We went up to the Hurricane Ridge, 5242feet elevation, by the car. There was still snow scene, it was so cold.

On the way to top, we saw a herd of deer. They were so close.

After that we headed for the Lake Crescent, and we tried the trail to the Marymere Falls.

We enjoyed its unique rain forest. Almost all trees were coverd with moss.

This is the our destination, the Marymere Falls. I think it took about thirty minutes one way.

This trail had a charm of variety, so I strongly recommend to walk.

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!