Beginner's Luck!

<2/19> I joined Steelhead fishing trip to W_River near La Grande OR. It was my first try for Steelhead. Yokoyam3, Maestro and Hide already came there on 2/18. I left my home at 6:30AM, and arrived Motel about 9 o'clock. It took about 3.5hours(There was time difference also).
When I arrived there, there were wild turkeys in front of Motel. They seemed to be familiar with people, didn't look like wild.

We moved to the river about 10 o'clock, but it was so cold and there were much pieces of ice on the water. Although I tried to cast, the nymph fly didn't go under water but on the ice. So, we had to wait until ice were melted.

After a while I tried again, but it was same result. So I decided to go down the river.

I found good hole, and did the first cast. Then my indicator looked like stopped and faded, so I hooked it. After that I felt strong tug, and the big one jumped a little. It must be Steelhead!! I was so excited!

Though hooking seemed to be succeeded, I'd never felt easy. It's tug was so strong and took a very long time to pull it close to me. Usually I used a landing net, but it was of no use for Steelhead. Finally Yokoyam3 helped me to push the fish on the ice, and I really got it! It was my fist Steelhead, and looked so beautiful. I was deeply moved and became absent-minded for a while. One of my dreams became true! There was nothing to say!!

27.5inchs(70cm)!!

<2/20>In the morning, there is also ice on the water, and It was difficult to do fly fishing. So we moved more down the river. At that hole Maestro and caught good ones, but I caught only one white fish. So Hide and I decided to return upper the river again as a last chance.

I caught good one at that hole. It was not so big(18inchs/45cm) but so beautiful and did good fight. It might not be Steelhead, but it was not important for me. I was happy to see it, which looked really beautiful for me.

I think I never forget this trip. I would like to try this river again in a short time.

First experience of Movie Theater

We went Movie Theater in Meridian to watch 'Curious George'. It was just first time for us to watch the movie at theater after my daughter's birth.

My wife and I wondered if my daughter became fretful, but she was glued herself to the movie. It was also first time for me to watch the movie in US, maybe good training for hearing Engilish?

Valuable One

Today I took a day off and went to SFOB after an interval of about a month. When I arrived there, it was about noon and fine weather but so windy and chilly. And I saw a Bald Eagle again(Though I fogot to write it down, I saw it before on 12/30/05 with Hide) . This 'Bald' seemed to have the meaning of 'white' in old English. It looked like so cool for me. Because I'd liked a bird of prey from my childhood.

I tried some hole, but didn't have any luck. So I moved to the last hole on about four o'clock. Weather got warmer than before, and it was enough to take my globes and knitted cap off.
I used stonefly nymph again, so after two or three cast it happened suddenly! My indicator vanished and I felt strong something when I did hooking. It fighted very strongly and it took much time until catch in the net.
It was so beautiful and valuable for me!

17 inches(43cm)


Just after that fish, I missed one Rainbow(I judged by fight and its color). But I caught three White Fish. That was first catch of White Fish for me. Its tug was far from Rainbow's one, not so strong.

I was almost satisfied with fishing result today after long time. I can't help fishing because of occasional luck.

My birthday(Surprise, Fishing, Super Ball)

On the day before my birthday, we had a lunch at Thai restaurant with my American colleague's family and his friends. After main meal, he prepared surprise birth day ice cake with candle for me. I felt shy a little, but very pleased.





On my birthday my daughter and I went to nearby pond(1 min. by car) for fishing together, while my wife made dinner. Although our target fish was Bass and tried with Lure tackle, couldn't get any luck. But, the old couple caught some rainbow trouts with power bait in front of us.

I didn't know there was rainbow trout! Though it might be hatchery one, it was enough for playing I thought. It may be good training for fly fishing also. After that, we played in the park with a slide, and returned home.

We really enjoyed dinner watching Super Ball on TV from 16:00. The game was continued until 20:00, but was so fun! I spent a good birthday with my family. Thanks to my wife and daughter. My slogan of this year is 'Balance(for everything)'

Terrible Rise of O river

Finally the flow of O river reached 2380cfs!
There seemed to be no fishermen there recently.
I wish it returned normal flow in the near future.