So Cold, but not bad; '09 1st trip to OSHINO

My wife and daughter have been visiting her parents' house this week. Which meant I could spend this weekend as I liked. So I headed for OSHINO as '09 1st visit with my colleague and fishing friend O-chi.

In the morning
We started today's fishing at the lowest hole first around 9 o'clock, too early. It was so cold there, almost under freezing point...
I thought I should find a rise first, so moved to upstream seeing what's going on there. O- chi stayed there in order to wait OHKUMA's hatch. He likely had a good OHKUMA fishing there.

About me, I reached the end of upper section finding stable rises. And there were several good rises of YAMAME trout for midges.

I could hooked several fishes by midge adult pattern, but missed them. And one of them was so gorgeous! Oh my...

Just for change, switched to sight fishing.
And this left one was this season's starter by cream marabou. Added one more fish by same one.






Right pic was second one's stomach stuff. Baetis's shuck was dominant.






Around noon
KOKAGEROU(Baetis)'s hatch got started, and their rises began to be activated!
Curved shank parachute pattern gave me this pretty colored bow, and another one also.

EveningBefore dark, spotted rises were seen around GIEITAI bridge. And got one small bow by same parachute pattern.

After getting dark, many fishes got crazy for HIGENAGA caddis.
I enjoyed HIGENAGA game, although made many mistakes.
As a whole, it was not bad start of my OSHINO today.

Bamboo Ware

Last day of consecutive holidays was rainy.

We visited my uncle, my dad's older brother's house to make bamboo ware. We thought it should be good experience for her.

My dad picked one thick bamboo and began to saw it with her.
He knew its knack well. I should remember it.

Just like 'workshop', isn't it?

They are expected to be used as our tableware, especially as camping stuff.

Her spring vacation

had already begun from mid of this week.

This weekend as three consecutive holidays, we came to my parents house in KIKUGAWA city.

This cherry blossom is 'YOUKOU-ZAKURA', one of precocious species.

She was very happy to play with her cousin.

The bulbul on cherry tree. It should look better, if they are in bloom.

SOMEIYOSHINO, it'll be in full bloom soon.

SHIDARE-ZAKURA, weeping cherry. I don't know its name exactly.

Muddy Stream...

The rainfall of last night was heavier than I expected...
Main stream of KANOGAWA was like this, coffee with the milk...



Other tributary were also colored...
I had nothing to do there...




I tried to find not colored stream around there, but couldn't.







Please give me another chance to be there, when it keeps normal condition.

Weather forecast

said that it would be rainy in the morning and cloudy later on this Saturday. It sound not good for almost all of people, but a kind of best weather for fly fishermen I believe.

Now I have a plan of fishing on this Saturday. Weekend fishing trip itself is quite after long time for me, so I'm looking forward to it. I hope not so crowded there.

Pic by her camera

Last Saturday, when we visited KISEGAWA river just for preliminary investigation, my daughter took this pic by herself.

Since I usually don't have chance to check my own casting form, it was good opportunity for me.

About KISEGAWA's condition, it seemed to be too early for dry fishing. Hatch itself was very poor, almost nothing, worse than M river.

GAGANBO

I couldn't help trying GAGAMBO(crane fly) pattern, after I read fly fishing magazine of this month.

My trial one is far from IWAI-san's original, but likely worth to tie it as first one of next fishing trip.

Hatch condition of Upper stream

We visited M river, one of KANOGAWA river system just for change
and seeing what's going on there.

Around 10:30, there seemed to be no hatch. Only some stonefly adults were seen.

One of the stonefly species

A larva of Protohermes grandis 'HEBITONBO', a kind grotesque.

Typical baetis KOKAGE's female dun, which had olive colored body. Its hatch was getting approaching noon.

And its spinner. Rusty body color and clear wing were its significant features.


Baetiella japonica, FUTABAKOKAGEROU's male dun with its shuck. For my tying , it was good to know its color was so dark.

Overall, hatch itself was slow because of low water temprature, and there were no rises yet. Probably upper stream area needs more time for dry fly fishing.

KOKAGE PARA

Since I got many inspirations on last fishing trip, tried to tie the parachute pattern tonight.

I hope they looks like KOKAGEROU mayfly's emerger on the water surface.

Need to go on next trip as soon as possible!

Today was

the just opening day of the '09 fishing season for me.

It was a little cold and cloudy, but much better than yesterday which we had much snow.

For several reason, I thought I should buy season pass of KANOGAWA river this year. It cost 6,000 JPY, a little expensive isn't it?

My plan of today was just see and feel this river, because I didn't know of this river well yet. So I decided to visit upper section first. Starting time was about 10 o'clock.

I found some rises, but couldn't see any major hatch. There were some midges, so I changed fly pattern from to midge adult.

After several miss hooking, I got first luck of this season. Small but beautiful AMAGO trout.

Last week's spent pattern gave me 2nd and 3rd luck.

It worked well and was easy to see. I liked it. Right pic is 3rd one, red spots looked nice which were symbol of AMAGO trout.

Around noon, baetis(KOKAGEROU)' hatch was getting
4th one was caught baetis parachute pattern.

This 5th one was by pheasant tail nymph as dropper. Its pattern of red spots was so unique.

I had late lunch after that, and it began to rain. After lunch I moved to lower section and tried wet fly fishing, since there wasn't any rises. But got no luck.

About hatch itself, it was good today I think. Baetis(KOKAGE) and crane fly was two major ones.
Excepting them, one of TOBIIRO mayfly species(lower left pic). And lower right one, it was first time to see for me. Is it a NAMIHIRATA mayfly?

On the whole I think it was good opening day for me today. I would like to enjoy the spring fishing in Japan as much as possible, especially this year.

Ready for the opening

of the fishing season? I think I'm not yet, need more fly stock for the opening.

This spent pattern was from the magazine 'Fly Fisher'.

I can't go fishing tomorrow, the opening day. But would like to be there soon.

Kite is

the most familiar bird of prey in Japan, I believe.

We had a plan to go to SENBONHAMA coast today, so I took a single-lens reflex camera with zoom lens after so long time.

I personally don't like to see someone feeding the wildlife, but maybe they gave a chance to take these pix.

Sign of Spring

We took a walk to the nearby park today, and felt the sign of spring.

Rape blossoms; first see of this season for us

KAWAZUZAKURA; One of cherry blossoms species which come into blossom earlier than common one like SOMEIYOSHINO.

They told me the opening of general fishing season was coming soon. I can't wait it!

Skating on National Foundation Day

Today was holiday as National Foundation Day, and was so nice day. Cherry trees were in fat bud.

As our daughter's request, we had a plan to go skating today. It was her first try, so she was so excited.

This skating rink is open all year, because they use plastic board

instead of real ice. I felt that the feeling of skating on it was almost same as on ice.

She was a little nervous at first though, got used to skating little by little. And could skate without any wall help for a short while.

She asked me to take her there again soon. Good sign!

Midge; still not beautiful...

I'm still struggling with Midge tying, because of its small hook size #20~#24, or smaller.

I would like to make them simpler, better balanced.

As my birthday gift,

they made this fishing game by colored paper for folding. And they had surprise birthday party for me tonight.

I just thanked them heartily and made a resolution of this age. Be elegant and funny always, Lance

New Tying Vise

Since vising power of my tying vise got weak, I bought new one today.

It was still one of cheap categories though, this wood case looked luxury a little.

And these were my first tying of '09. I would like to continue trying midge pattern, according to kawkoi-san's advise in fly fishing magazine of this month.