Yellowstone National Park(3rd day)

This morning, I got up early and tried the Lamar River again. As soon as I began to fish, there was first strike to large stonefly dry. It was surely big boy, and I could hook it. Then it tug so strong and my #5 rod was bent compeletely.

When he closed to me, it was not hooked its mouth but its back. Then it ran again deeply, and I lost its tension suddenly... It was not line break but the link plastic parts broken, which is between fly line and leader. I couldn't believe it, but it was true.

After that, I could catch beatiful cutthroats by some huge dry fly.
I couldn't forget my first fish's nightmare...

Today's our plan was to move from Mammoth Hot springs to Yellowstone Lake through Old Faithful.

This is the terrace mountain in Mommoth which seemed to consist of the lime.



That trees were bunrned by the wood wire before. There were many young trees among the old ones.





It was called a mud pot which was boiling.




We saw the big Elk on the way to Old Faithful. It had a good antler. We could see some Bison also.




It was the geyser in Old Faithful. It was so high and spectacle.





We stayed the Lake Cabins in front of Yellostone Lake. It was the cutthroat which was used the bed cover's design. Needles to say it reminded me of missed big boy in the early morning...

Yellowstone National Park(2nd day)

I woke up early for fishing and left the lodge about 5AM.
When I was approaching the exit of lodge area, I saw huge something black. It was a bison! He was between the building and parking lot, so I could see him very closely. Needless to say, I was so excited!!

And I could see the elk two times between lodge and the river. I was happy to see them.

My destination was Gibbon River which was close to the CANYON LODGE.

Although I got the some strikes, I got skunked because of my unskilled fishing technique...


We visited the Lower Fall which is part of yellowstone river in the morning.
I was tired from giving my daughter a piggyback, but It was so spectacular and was worth to see.







This afternoon I got a chance to fish while my daughter was taking a nap. Though I wanted to fish in Slough Creek which was very famous for its Cutthroat, there was so crowded.

So I gave it up and decided to fish in the river that was close to the road. It was the Lamar River that met my wish.

I tried the hopper pattern first without hesitating, because there was no rise and it was hot. I casted it to the just behind the big rock, then the big boy rose to the surface from the bottom to feed it! But he stopped biting it just in front of it... Maybe the drag influenced him.

As a result, I got a small but beautiful Cutthroat by the orange stimulator. It was my memorial first Cut!


Tonight we had a reservation for Mammoth Hot Springs Cabin. The bath and restroom was out of the cabin, but we enjoyed it.

I decided to fish the Lamar River again next early morning to try the big one again.

Yellowstone National Park(1st day)

We planed to go Yellowstone & Grand Teton National park in this summer, and made a reservation(5nights, 6days) about three months ago. I was looking forward to seeing everything in the park, including beatiful fish. But I knew this trip was not fishing trip but family trip, and I should spend the time with my precious family as long as possible.

But it sholud be good time to try the yellowstone cutthroat trout! It is one of my desires in the fishing here(U.S.) to catch the beautiful cutthroat.

We left home at nine in the morning, and the driving was going well. After 7 hours(including long lunch time), we could see a certain river near St. Anthony. Yes, it was Henry's Folk of the Snake River!!
We took a rest and I observed the river. It was more beautiful than I had imagined, and there were some PMD hatches.

Then I saw one rise close the bank! I couldn't help casting, so I did a few cast with my daughter. Though I had no luck, I thought strongly that I would like to try again!


As a result, we arrived at Canyon area in the Yellowstone about 7 PM.

This photo was our first animal which we saw in the park. That was chipmunk. My wife and daughter were pleased to see it.



After we had a good dinner at the restaurant, we headed for the lodge to sleep. Before falling into the sleep, I promised my family that I would go fishing early morning and return untill 8 AM.

I had already decided the river to go by the pre-check on the way to CANYON from the park gate. I hope I can catch first fish here.

Summer Chinook Season was ended...

The Chinook fishing in South Folk of Salmon River was closed on July 13th. Which means Summer Chinook Season in Idaho was ended...

I would like to try it in fall again!

1st try for Chinook

Today I took a half day off and visited the South Folk of Salmon river first time to challenge the Chinook(King) Salmon in Idaho. As you know it is not so huge in Idaho, but Chinook is Chinook, he is king of salmon.

I knew the present situation was not so easy because the number from the ocean was a few, but I couldn't give it up.

The width of the river was narrow and water was so clear. 'Were there any salmon really? 'I wondered. And at the same time, I was surprised by the number of anglers! Was today really weekday?

I checked the almost evry hole first, and tried some of them. But I got nothing and see no fish which other people caught.

Though I was beat completely, I think I will continue to try. But I became busy recently...

Stonefly!

I went the SFO Boise river after a long interval, because the stonefly's hatch had started.

I could see some of them in the afternoon. It was first time for me to see them, surely they were huge! And there was also a caddis's hatch near the bank.

The amount flowing water was about 1,600cfs.

So it was not so good for wading, but I could wade near the bank. Which means that I could aim the side chanel only.

Needless to say, I tried stonefly pattern first. There was some attack by small one, but they couldn't bite it.

I found the good one was attacking it, but he missed it. So I change it to elk hair caddis which I tied long time ago.

Then he was hooked! It was not huge but beautiful one(15inches/37cm) .

I caught small one by smaller elk hair caddis and caught smallest one by BH caddis pupa as a dropper.

Although I had to leave around five o'clock PM, I had a good time there.

The power of hopper!

I wanted to try huge terrestrial pattern in O_river through my experience of being robbed indicator.

When there was no rise, I tried the beatle dropper(bh copper johns). But nothing...
I change them to huge hopper pattern with dropper(bh brassie).

There was huge splash!! I got it! Though the size was average, it was valuable one for me! Because it was first time to catch fish by hopper in O_river.

Next one was more impressive. I casted the hopper tight to the bank, and it was dropped on the water after touching the weed.

Then he attacked soon with large splash!! That was beatiful male one.










After that, I added one more fish by the same pattern. Hopper fishing was so exciting! I should have tried earlier.

In the late evening, I caught rising small one by Trico spinner. I could see the midge and was bitten by mosquito. It was wonderfuly day.

First Camping for us

We tried one night camping around the lake which located upper stream of O_river.
We enjoyed everything, because all things were first time for us.
Especially my daughter was pleased with the tent.

We tried fishing in the lake from the shore. Although there was nothing, we had a good time together.

We were surprised by the the beauty of the stars in the night sky. We knew the real meaning of 'twinkle'. That was spectacle!

Next morning, I did fishin in O_river. That was first time for me to fish early morning there. There were some good stable rises, and they ate spinner surely. I hooked one good one, but the tippet was broken... I missed it

Indicator was robbed!

Today I had a some tactics in O_river.

1. Ant
I had realized there were so many ants, and I had found them in Brown's stomach before.
I tried ant pattern around the bank tightly while there was no rise, but the river was still quiet.

2. Indicator was robbed
Then I change the fly to the nymph with yellow yarn indicator(my favorite). When I drifted them in the shallow close to the bank, there was huge splash suddenly! It was surely trout!
He aimed my yellow indicator, it was robbed by him because rubber was already damaged and easy to be torn. Though I did hooking reflexively, my pole wasn't bent.

I couldn't believe it, because it jumped so high! Although I looked into my fly box, there was nothing like huge terrestrial pattern. I left it in may car...
I tried caddis pattern which was biggest one I had then, but there was no splash.

3. Late Evening Spinner
I changed the hole looking for stable rises. I tried sppiner pattern there, so there were some strikes. But I missed them...

As a result, I got skunked. But I could see the impressive scene! I hit on something for the next.

Nymph and Spinner

Synopsis: In the late evening, threre were some stable rises and PMD spinner was effective. BH nymph was effective in the day time(early evening).
Weather : Sunny, sometimes a little windy Water : 277cfs, still colored(like cafe latte)
Hooked: 3 Caught : 3
Today's object :
1. Catch the fish under the no rise situation(80% achieved)
2. Approaching and Casting carefully without giving caution to the fish.(50% achieved)
3. Observation with care, and match the hatch(70% achieved)

I tried double nymph dropper, because there was no rise.

It bit BH-brassie. Size was average, but it was precious first fish for me caught without rise these days.

Though I expected a more fish with same one, it didn't continue biting.


I got good male which was rising by PMD spinner.(18inches /46cm) He looks like snake a little?

But I couldn't get another two stable rises. Fly pattern or approaching was wrong? Maybe both.





Last one was also by same pattern.(18inches/45cm)

Seattle

We took a travel to Seattle first time. It was also first challenge for us to drive long time with our little daugter. Actually it took 8.5hours one way by car. I was almost worn-out...

First evening in Seattle, we watched MLB game Mariners vs. Giants. Japanese player(Ichiro & Jojima) did very well, so we were really excited. That was nice game, and Mariners won by 5-4. Though I saw Bonds's home run, I was surprised by the boo for him.

Next morning, we went the market in the downtown. There were many shops; seafoods,fruts, vegetables etc. They all looked fresh, so we bought some.

We also enjoyed stylish cafe, it was good time for us.



Next, we went the aquarium. I was glad to see the chinook salmon in a glass tank. Unfortunately we couldn't see that they are going upstream.

This photo is fish ladder for them. Can they go up really?

I hooked them, but...

Synopsis: They are still selective and nervous. Rises are unstable.
Weather : Sunny, sometimes a little windy Water : 277cfs, colored
hooked : 4, caught : 1(21inches/54cm, good looking male)

When I arrived O_River, there were no rises. So I decided to try nymph first. Though there was no reaction for non-sinker PMD nymph, I had a strike for BH brassie. It tugged so strong, and ran downstream soon. After it stopped, it was hooked out... I looked up at the sky. I missed a big boy.

After a while, I could see some rises. But they are so nervous and selective. Although I hooked the one by PMD dun, missed it again!

Finally I could land good one by PMD emerger. It was valuable one for me, because I experienced two hooking miss just before.
His stomach was full of PMD spinner(almost all were white). Should I have use dry spinner pattern? I don't know.

And I couldn't see rises very much, then I moved last hole.

There were several rises, and I hooked it by Phesant Tail. But I missed it! This was third time!

There were still some rises, but they were unstable. I had to give up them, when the rise ended completely.

So selective...

Synopsis : There were PMD’s everywhere and not a consistent riser to cast to.(quote from Anglers Habitat's June 15th report)
Weather : Sunny but sometimes so windy Water : 277cfs, colored
Result : 3 fishes( almost average size)


1st one; 18:57 PMD emerger in first hole













Sight around the last hole






2nd one;

21:48 PMD dun in the last hole





Last one ;

22:06 PMD dun(not hooked around mouse)

Fun day in Eagle

We participated the fun day in Eagle. We were looking forward to 'Wet & Wild parade'. It was good weather for it.

We especially my daughter enjoyed it. She shot by her small squirt gun many times.

I got soaked a little, because I approached the car and attempted to shoot them. People looked so enjoyable!

Revenge

I couldn't help fishing again to clear myself of disgrace.

I thought they were feeding something under the surface judging by their rises. So I tied PMD emerger without hesitation.

Size was average, but I was glad to catch it!

The emerger was dominant in its stomach.




I caught him soon by same pattern(18inches/46cm beautiful male).




Though I landed two fishes at the same hole, there still was a rise.
I tried it by same pattern, then it attacked it.

It tugged so strong, was good size 20inches/51cm. I could catch three fishes at the same hole within 30minites. So lucky!



I found another rise a little upper, and had a luck again(18inches/46cm). After that, I changed the hole because I couldn't see any rises

There weren't so many rises in the next hole, but I could see some.

They seemed to feed something under the surface, so I tried PMD emerger again. But they ingnored it. Then I change it to PMD dun.

It seemed to be a good choice. I got 20inches/51cm good fish. It looks a little skinny, but fighted strongly.

I was pleased with today's harvest.