Spring Steelhead Season had begun

Last weekend, I visited Clearwater river first time to check the Steelhead coming. South Folk was almost iced and seemed to be impossible to fish there. So I had to go further downstream to see no ice. Finally I reached Orofino, and it took about 5.5hours from my house.

There were some Steelheader with bobbers and jigs and some of them caught Steelhead, especially using boat like right pic.

There was no flyfisherman and it was too deep for it. I had to give up...
But I could practice my new gear there, and it was more difficult than I imagined. I need a more practice to cast it.

Through my experience of last weekend, I decided to try the Little Salmon River this week. Because I saw no ice in downstream near Riggins when I passed it last week.

In the morning I felt no sign of Steelhead, so I doubted the existence of Steelhead. There was no angler also.


So I moved to the Salmon River just for change.

Though I practiced double handed rod casting again, it was still difficult. I need more time to get used to it.

I returned the Little Salmon River again around four o'clock in the evening.

I couldn't believe it when I got the strike! But I definitely identified him as the Steelhead when he jumped some times.

I was already fascinated with his beautiful color during fighting, and noticed there was no shallow to land him.




But finally I could push him on the ice of bank. He bit the egg dropper surely.

Although he was small Steelhead(56cm/22inch), it could be valuable one for me.

My Spring Steelhead season had begun undoubtedly. But I have a concern for busy day in February.

Midge Hatch

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I headed for South Folk of Boise River after four months approximately. It was a kind of anual event for me(Last Winter).

It was cloudy and so cold about 15F(-10C) in the morning. I thought it must be one of the colder fishing trip.

I could see some midge hatch at first hole, but no fish rose. So I tried nymphing, stonefly nymph and brassie dropper.

I got two whitefish by brassie. They were about 15 inch, not bad.

It was difficult to continue fishing because of its coldness. Everything got frozen easily, and I had numbed fingers. Though I did several holes, I got nothing.

At last hole, I could see some rises. It was about 15:30. So I change the rig to the dry fly system.



I got the one(18.5inch/47cm) by midge parachute. It was my pleasure to catch it by dry fly inspite of such a coldness.

Those rises continued about one hour, but I couldn't get a strike more.

Las Vegas

I had a chance to go Las Vegas by business trip. Yes, it was first visit for me.

First, I was surprised that there were many casinos even in the airport!





It was just '24/7' city.
I deposited a little money...







Fountains of Belagio was worth to see.

My advice is 'Don't be long there, if you wanna avoid wasting!'.

Imnaha & Troy

Hide & I did Steelhead searching trip in the end of last year. This 'Searching' means to go the place where we've never been.

So we picked Imnaha river as first destination.

On the way, we dropped in Wallowa Hatchery which located in the upper Wallowa river. No Steelhead reached yet.

After six hours drive, we arrived at Imnaha River(right below pic). And we found a good hole. But we couldn't feel the fish's exsistence.


Next, we headed for Troy(Grande Ronde River) as second place.

Though the drive had a little difficulty because of much snow, it was a kind of fun like explore for us. Approximately it took over two hours.

Grande Ronde River around Troy was really 'Grande'!

I felt the necessary to have the double handed rod. (It was maybe one of reasons to have bought new gear.)

As a result, we had no luck. But I enjoyed the this trip.

Now I'm thinking of next Steel trip soon, because I guess I must be busy after February...

Gear for Dreams

I thought I didn't need to have them until quite recently, because they looked like high threshould for me. But finally, I did buy them to realize some of my dreams.

Rod: 5-PIECE CL SPEY ROD 13 FT 9/10 LW, Cortland
Reel: PRECISION XC LARGE ARBOR FLY REEL #4 (9/10), Cortland
Line: Tip Taper TT-375(Sink Tip), JIM TEENY
It costed about five hundred bucks, it sounded much cheaper than Japan.

I'm looking forward to fishing on larger river like North Umqua and Deschutes.

New Year's Day

We did the New Year's Greetings each other in the morning.

After breakfast, we played KARUTA together. Our daughter did very well though it was her first one.



We went to the nearest park afternoon. We were surprised by the ice thickness of the pond.


I made a CHAN CHAN YAKI of Steelhead for one of dinner dishes. They seemed to like it.

There was hardly any special for New Year's here.

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.