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!

Christmas!

Finally my daughter could put the last ornament on the advent calender.
So today was Christmas and her 3rd birthday!










She was crazy about the birthday cake, and me too.





We gave her TREK Bike as a birthday present. Though it was big box a little, I liked its motif and robustness.








I believe she must become a better biker than I.

Snow Angel

Yesterday we had much snow, so we could play in the yard with it.

Can you see the two angels on left pic? They are called 'Snow Angel' here.




The making of 'Snow Angel' is like the left photo.

Lie on her back, and flap arms and legs.







Snow itself was just powder and a kind of dry, so it was difficult to make the snowman and snow ball for us.

We had a fun together with snow.

Advent Calender

We bought the Advent Calender like right pic.

There are twenty five ornaments written the each number, and we can put one ornament in a day, which has the same number as the date. So the tree should be decorated with full ornaments on the Christmas day.

To put an ornament on the tree is my daughter's daily routine as a first job in the morning. She loves it.

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.

Tonight's dinner menu

I think I could help tonigh's dinner menu.

I made a boiled pork rib by beer using dutch oven. It was so easy to cook.

And the fish stuff in the salad was smoked Steelhead made by my dutch oven.

So-so good.

Botanical Garden

We went to the 'Botanical Garden' to enjoy Chiristmas illumination.

It was not so cold, and good to see.






I'm sure she had a happy time.

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.

Snow

Last night we had much snow, and I had to remve it in front of my garage this morning. It was a kind of hard work as my first one in a day.

Can you see the difference between my house's one and neighboring house's?

Zion National Park

The early morning view from the Zion Lodge we stayed. What was a fabulous location!

She liked to sit on the chair.

I really felt that it was warmer than Bryce Canyon because of the elevation difference.





We went to 'The Narrows' trail after breakfast. It was about a half hour walk from the parking lot.

But actually, it was not end of the trail but the entrance to the real Narrows where we had to walk in the shallow river. As you know, we couldn't try that with my daughter because of the coldness, but it seemed to be worth to try.






I like this contrast between the sky and the rock.






We visited the Kolob Canyons after lunch and tried 'Timber Creek Overlok Trail'.

The view from the end of trail.



She took a nap on my back while we wer climbing up.

During this trip, we realized the fun of walking trail in the national park.

Althouhg it was my first trip to the National Park without fishing pole, I think we had a very good time together.

Bryce to Zion

Sunrise at the Bryce Point







It was a kind of gorgeous!





After we enjoyed Bryce's morning view and breakfast, we headed for the Zion National Park. It took about two hours from the Bryce Canyon.

'Checkerboard Mesa' and my daughter->






'Great Arch' along the Mt.Carmel Highway.






'Great White Throne' and us->

We stayed the Zion Lodge in the park tonight. It costed a little expensive, but was worth to stay.

Bryce Canyon

It was so cold in the morning, as you can see the left pic because of high elevation(about 8000feet/2400m).









The view from Navajo Trail at Sunset Point.








I felt it was almost miracle by nature.




At Agua Canyon, can you see the a little snow left?








We could meet mule deer many times also.






Indescribable sunset at Sunset Point.

Bryce Canyon was famous for its beautiful night sky because of the clearest air in US, so we also enjoyed countless stars in the night. It was so nice to see.

Thanksgiving; Trip to Utah!

This Thanksgiving holiday, we planed a trip to the Utah by car to go Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park.

The 1st day was for just drive from Boise to the Bryce Canyon, and it estimated over 9hour's drive(over 600miles, about 1000km! one way).

My daughter was excited by the snow in the rest area of highway around Idaho-Utah border.




We enjoyed beautiful Utah's scenery.





We arrived the Motel close to the entrance of the Bryce Canyon around seven o'clock in the evening.

It took about 11hours including lunch time. I thought actual driving time was approximately 9hours.

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.

Boise Steelhead part2; Woollybugger

I knew the new hole 'G.W.' for me, so it was the closest hole from my office and home. Actually it takes about 15min from my home, and 5min from my office.

Which means I can fish 3times in a day, 1st in the morning until about 9 o'clock, 2nd in the lunch time, and 3rd after 5 o'clock!!

That should be great place for me.

I felt some short bit to my wet fly and streamer, but I couldn't hook them...

The only fish I caught today was resident rainbow. I think it was my first fish by woolly bugger.

Although I couldn' catch any STEEL by any swinging flies, I think I 'm getting better user for them than before.

Boise Steelhead part1; first fish for my swinging wet fly

As you know, STEELHEAD can't reach the Boise River because of the dam in the downstream. So IDAHO FISH & GAME carry them from Hells Canyon to the Boise River close to the downtown by their truck.

The first stock was Nov. 9th, and I tried it after two days.

I chose the P.C hole , and my thema in this fall is to catch the STEEL by the wet fly swimming without indicator.

I felt some short bite to my wet fly, but I couldn't hook them.

Finally I felt certain bite, and hooked it up.

Although it was white fish(14inch/36cm), it was first fish for my wet fly experience.

But it was too weak tug for my new #8 weight tackle...

Anniversary

We celebrated the special anniversary of my wife and me a one day before.









I made a boiled pork rib with beer by my dutch oven.

That tasted yummy!!