Monday, July 30, 2007

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.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

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.


Thursday, July 26, 2007

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.

Saturday, July 21, 2007

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.

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...

Friday, July 20, 2007

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.

Monday, July 16, 2007

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.

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

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!!

Saturday, July 07, 2007

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!