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!!

Memory Game and Cycling again

My daughter took a first place in the Memory Game of Card!

To tell the truth, I was compeletely serious... Is it age problem?






In the afternoon, we enjoyed family cycling again.

I think it is good for us.

Silver Creek again

This is the my 2nd visit to the Silver Creek.

It was just the end of fall or the beginning of winter and there was some ice on the bank.

About hatch, I could see only some of midges. Baetis which I expected was not seen.






Only small but pretty one was caught by my nymph by chance.
I think I never could say that I caught it...






Probably it was my last trip to the Silver Creek in this year.

I would like to visit this river more next year.

Pumpkin Patch

We tried to pick the pumpkin in the Pumkin Patch.









The pumkin bus took us to the pampkin patch. We were seated in the straw chare. It was tasteful.





We picked each pumkins together. My daughter could carry her one by herself!







The straw maze was also fun, especially for my daughter.

Halloween Philharmonsters

We went to the halloween concert called 'Philharmonsters' in Boise Downtown.

My daughter did face painting as the same design as her costume there.





She also tried the violin first time.










And we enjoyed 'Philharmonsters' very much.






After concert, we moved the Boise Zoo to join the halloween's specila event.

She got much treat by her loud 'Trick or Treat!'.

Family Cycling

We did family cycling at the Green Belt of Boise River.

Do you know that I was a biker in Japan? Even I've almost forgot it...

The trailer which my daughter rides in the right photo is popular here. It seems to be her favorite.




About 10 minites after starting, my daughter fell asleep completely.

Although it was about 1 hour's exercise for us, we enjoyed it.

I think we'll try it again in the near future.

Red and Yellow leaves of autumn?

We headed for the Red Fish Lake in Stanley to see the Red and Yellow leaves of autumn.

But the weather was not so good, and we had a little rain and strong wind there.

Although we could only see a few yellow leaves, we enjoyed one hour stay there and six hours drive for both ways...

Baetis

O_River, Sunny but so windy, Only evening, hatch:Baetis
Hooking:3, Caught:3









I got the 1st one(18inches/46cm) by Baetis CDC Dun.














As soon as I released 1st one, I hooked the 2nd one by same fly.
Size was average, but it tugged well and was good fish.

After that, I had to wait strong wind for a long time.









Beautiful sunset.





The last one(18.5inches/47cm) by Baetis Nymph.

MK nature center and home party

Usually my daughter and I spent a lot of time together on Saturday. It is a kind of a 'date' for us maybe.

We went MK nature center together. It was first time for me.

Though there were some aquatic life(like crayfish; left photo) tank, main exhibition was trout's ecology.










We enjoyed the autumn's sky and color of leaves.





Sunday, we invited my wife's friend Kelly and her boyfried Ben to luncheon at my house.

My role was to cook a roast chicken by the dutch oven. It was succeeded and they praised me. It was my pleasure.







We tried Sawtooth red wine also.

Although I liked the design of cork, it tasted a little strong for me.

About Marriage

I was asked by my daughter in the bath, 'Dady's finger ring looks fine, doesn't it?'

I explained, 'It's called a wedding ring. I got it from your mother when we are married.'

She said, 'I wanna get married!'

I asked, 'to whom?'

She answerd, 'to my dolls!'

I commented, 'Dolls! It sounds not bad for me...'

Iris Caddis

O_river(after long time!) , Evening only
Hatch: Baetis, Caddis Hooking:5, Caught:3











Jimi-san and Yokoyam3's information helped me a lot!

Silver Creek!

Yokoyam3 and I went to the Silver Creek together by his drive. It was first visit for me.

It was about 2h drive from his house, probably it should have taken 2.5h from my house. Not so far.

We signed at the visitors center(right photo) of Nature Conservancy.


It was very scenic and tastefull!

Water was so clear because of its spring, so it was just spring creek.





We tried Sullivan Lake first. It was a kind of Slough, so there were no flow but some springs.

I tried Callibaetis imager first and there was a take of fish. But I missed it...



There were many fish but they are so spooky.

Although I found one Callibaetis(Speckle-Wing Quill) dun, I couldn't identify what they was feeding.

We moved next hole after 1.5hours because there was almost no rise.


2nd hole was around the junction of Loving Creek.

There were some unstable and intermittent rises, but no hatch.




In the evening, there were many baetis(BWO) and I could see some dun.

My BWO dun was took several times, but they were not hooked. And Almost all fish ignored my fly.

Although I got skunked finally, I was not so disappointed.

I think my Silver Creek Story has just begun.