12 Wheels
In 2011, I let go my 12wt Hardy saltwater outfit for I don’t need tackle in that position which can be substituted with my G.Loomis Beach Rod 450 grain that handles 12wt line quite well with recently acquired Ross’ Momentum 6.
For my 17 years of fly fishing, I hope this is modest!
Now in 2012, I ought to plan my game considering which tackle I’d like to take with me. Islands of Tokyo, perhaps?
Ryouto’s Debut to Fly Fishing – Fish On Ozenji
We went out for fly fishing at Fish On Ozenji today, and my younger son, 4, successfully caught his first fish, 39cm rainbow trout, on fly. He now follows his brother’s footstep who also caught his first fish at age 4.
He used, exactly the same setting as his older brother, tenkara fly rod called “Easy Fly” with pink egg fly. He couldn’t cast with just one hand, so I led him to do it in double handed.
So, again Easy Fly with pink egg fly proved its might on youngsters who wants to bypass the learning step of fly casting and go straight into fly fishing.
My older son (6), on the other hand, now faces the challenge of casting with conventional fly fishing rod & reel whose fly line doesn’t come easy as much as fixed length tenkara leader. As he finally managed to execute “pick up & lay down”, he caught his first trout on white egg fly.
He used both my 3wt floating line tackle and 4wt sinking line tackle and caught fish on both end. Proper fly casting is yet to come, but he now asks me to take him out for practice on ground. Which is a fine first step for this young pupil to start overhead casting.
Next Step for Older Son at Age 6?
Just as I read Joan Wulff’s notes on youngster fly fishing, it is true that young kids don’t have enough physical strength to carry on single-handed fly casting too long. My 6 year old son begins to getting into shape, but he mostly needs to do two-handed casting to stay in game.
He now needs his own fly rod that can give him choice of single/two-handed casting, in which case Echo’s Gekko 4/5wt is probably the best choice. SSP is 99 USD, so let’s see how he does on his next exam.
Next Step for Younger Son at Age 4?
I couldn’t manage enough time for him to go through the same lesson as his older brother on the concept of “catch & release” and “kill for food”. So he needs to go through the same thing next time we go out camping near mountain stream.
Also, his tenkra system needs proper line winder to keep things neatly in case we want to move from one spot to another. Let’s see what I can do with DIY tools.
Tips for Mountain Streams in Eastern Japan 2: In Action
There are many small mountain streams in Japan consist of free rocks and fast running water. They look really small and almost impossible to believe fish are in there, but there are small pools and pockets that hold many fish.
A. Spotting
For instance, could you guess how many fish I pulled out in below spot made of 1 pool and 2 pockets? Pool is less than 1 m deep and pockets are ankle shallow.
Answer: 8 fish including above 30cm landlocked salmon who broke the tippet.
What about where fish actually reacted to fly?
A dozen pink spots mark where fish went to fly drifting. Even water this skinny, fish ought to position themselves suspending for breathing or wait for drifting food, yet they prefer where they can quickly hide for cover from birds from above or predators from bank.
Fish can be found where:
1) More than one current merge to bring more oxygen and drifting food
2) Close enough to take cover under rock or rough water
Interesting things is that there are actually more than dozen fish in above spot, but only dozen matched the condition to go to fly on surface.
So, you have to present your fly to where:
3) Surface of water is clear enough to see what drifts on top
B. Drifting
In above picture, I spotted 2 landlocked salmons in the pocket. However, they didn’t take the fly right where they are. I am too close to fish, so my presence already alerted them.
I had to give this much lead and let it drift naturally until salmons finally gave up and fell back to take the fly. How to drift a fly naturally in fast water like this long enough for salmons to take them? You could spend hours to master super trick cast, but there is simple solution. You could:
4) Extend the length of tippet for another 6 feet or more
Extended tippet creates a slack and this slack buy you time for longer drift and distance without dragging your fly. How to cast your leader to do this?
You lay the leader in reverse U shape then let the tippet drop in crumbled form so that it creates lots of slack.
C. Recommended Tackle & Line System?
From straight forward current to swirl pool, you ought to keep mending your fly line to stay out of fish’s sight before fish takes your hard labor of presentation. Thus you’d want to use double tapered line. To minimize the impact to water, I would use 1-3wt line.
I knot my own leader using fluorocarbon line for it holds more momentum to turn over leader. 6 feet of 30lb for butt and 2 feet x 3 sections (16lb, 8lb, and 4lb) to form quick taper. Finally, I knot 6 feet of 2lb nylon for tippet. You need to use nylon as tippet to let it float not to drag your fly when you mend the entire line system.
D. Pros & Cons of Long Tippet System
In next session, let’s cover fly selection.
Tips for Mountain Streams in Eastern Japan 1: Fundamental
This part of my tips mostly cover situations in mountain streams in Eastern Japan which is probably the same throughout this main island of Honshu. I have created this article sometimes ago to help traveling angler to Japan.
A. Nature of Mountain Streams in Eastern Japan
On the main island, mountains near metropolitan area have suffered generations of environmental challenges and the height came during the WWII when broadleaf forest vanished due to excessive demand of fire wood. After the war, government re-planted mountains into conifer forest whose soil does not hold as much rainwater or microbiology as broadleaf forest’s.
Without having proper balance or life cycle, rivers don’t have right mix of nutrients to support prosperous ecosystem. Therefore, aquatic and terrestrial insects are usually smaller and fewer. Thus fish don’t grow too big.
This is not so true as you travel to less populated northern Japan where plenty of broadleaf forest are preserved to nurture rich ecosystem. Yet, they share the next issue: dam. Most rivers are segmented by countless small dams from estuary all the way to head water.
This is why population of fish does not grow too big either and why we keep stocking waters throughout the main island.
B. Nature of Native Fish in Mountain Streams
Second consideration is how rivers flow. Japanese mountain streams consist of series of short & fast runs with gin clear water surrounded by short height vegetation casting complex light/shadow on surface. This trains fish into good hunters to identify what’s edible. Native species such as chars and land-locked salmons are accustomed to this over generations, so they can stay in fast water and stay careful on feeding. Imported species such as rainbow trout and brown trout aren’t as susceptive, but then they learn to stay in slower water to match their style.
C. Selection of Fly
So, the choice of fly aren’t so much of imitation, but impression of distinctive shape, size, and how high or low they position to surface.
My usual selections are:
Type size pattern
—————————————————————————–
Midge: #24-18 CDC floating nymph, CDC caddis, and Gnat
Mayfly: #18-14 CDC thorax dun, parachute dun, and CDC spent
Caddis: #16-12 Deer Hair Caddis
Terrestrial: #16-10 Parachute peacock and parachute spiders
—————————————————————————–
As for colour, you need both pale and dark versions to make your fly stand out in variety of light condition. Use dark for low light condition. Pale for high light condition yet never white.
Presentation requires good natural drift to mimic real situation, more likely so for native species or pressured waters. Next section will cover how it goes in action.
Tackle Mac
Tackle Mac carries range of reasonable price fly tackle from SONIK and affordable price fly tying material as well.
Hot Spot in London – Granger’s Fishing Tackle, London
This has absolutely nothing to do with the theme of this blog. I was walking South Ken other night and came across this fantastic fly fishing store. Everything fly fishing and they have magnificent collection, neigh, dream team of wall mount saltwater game fish. I’ve seen many stores, but I say this place takes your mind away from city’s bustle in speed of light.
Granger’s Fishing Tackle
46 Thurloe Street, South Kensington
London, SW7 2LT
http://www.grangersfishing.com/
Any Catch in UK?
Anything from this shop or any catch in UK during this trip? Well… I have pretty much everything already and short of quids. I had little project of mine …. which didn’t turn out to be successful. Let’s say I was overconfident about myself, my weakness, then lost the away game 0-2.
No fishing on this trip, but I met my old friend in Paddington who always gives me good smile.
Angling Hero 2: St. Andrew & His Fish
So, champion is Peter, but when it comes to actual appointment of Patron Saint, position is already taken by
St. Andrew, brother of Peter. However, there are not clear notion of how good the angler he was.
I take that Andrew was commercial fisherman with sure hands without trying to impress anyone on his art.
So, what is St. Andrew’s fish?
(link: http://www.standrewsfishandchips.com/1.html)
It comes with chips, mate.
Angling Hero 1: St. Peter & His Fish
If I were to look for one man who can become the guardian saint for fishermen, I would always go to the oldest fishing champion: St. Peter.
(Statue of St. Peter with his fish near the Sea of Galilee http://blog.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/painterlaura2/1/1282408778/tpod.html)
Originally fishing hard on the Sea of Galilee, Peter was so good at his art that impressed Jesus into telling him “from now on you will catch men”. On later account, record states that he caught 153 fish in one run to feed the entire party.
As side fact, Peter managed to pay for the temple tax with silver coins he found in the mouth of fish he caught by angling. I don’t recall anyone else who made superb practical value out of his arts in fishing, but Peter.
So, what was the game St. Peter’s was after the most?
(Illustration linked from http://www.all-fish-seafood-recipes.com/)
It is commonly said by locals to be tilapia. Considering its habitat, probability is considerably high. So, if you want to prove yourself to come closer to the greatest angler of all time, you ought to make pilgrimage to this fish.
How to Fly Fish for Tilapia
You can find tilapia in stream and bog of Hawaii and Southern Japan. Since they have been imported to all over the world for making good dinner, I’m quite sure you can find them almost all temperate countries.
They show curiosity to variety of things, so dry fly or hare’s ear nymph would do. I had experience casting #10 Elk Hair Caddis to school of tilapia in the bog of Hawaii and fish were attacking it like piranhas.
In some countries, tilapia is farmed fish for fun just like trout.
Near Tokyo?
Various source say that tilapia can be fished in Yamanashi Prefecture next to Tokyo near the town of Isawa where people used to farm tilapia with warm exhaust from spas that drain into near by river and bogs. Let’s see if we have time to find out for this holy fish.
Clear Cure Goo
Clear Cure Goo gave shockingly new way to deal with fly patterns which used to demand the use of epoxy glue which takes lots of work into preparation, application, and completion. Because it hardens with UV light, Clear Cure helps reduce time in producing fly such as surf candy, at the same time, opens new way to form as many fly patterns that require clear body.
You could see how easy it is to produce surf candy in this demo
Clear Cure Goo Flexible
It now comes with “Clear Cure Goo Flexible” which finishes in soft plastic-worm-like material.
Clear Cure Goo
Okuno Reservoir & Matsu River, Ito, Shizuoka
Okuno Reservoir also known as Lake Matsukawa is located only 10 minutes away from coastal town of Ito in Izu Peninsula. Ito, being amazing place to offer variety of fly fishing opportunities from inshore to river fishing, this is the trout water.
Lake is stocked with rainbow trout and cherry salmons. It’s open all year for single handed or two handed fly anglers. Ideal for nymph and streamer.
Head water of the lake forms mountain creek named Matsu River that can be fished with same permit. It’s open between March and October and stocked with trout, landlocked salmon, and char. Pure dry fly pleasure awaits you.
Beyond car park, all premises have small walkways for ease of access. Road surrounding lake gives you good view of what’s on surface, and road going along the river should give you enough speed to spread apart when you see next angler.
Species
Rainbow trout, cherry salmon, and white spotted char.
Open Season
Reservoir: Open All Year
Creek: 1 March – 31 October
Fishing Permit & Regulation
1,000 JPY/day
8,000 JPY/year
Free of charge for kids under 12
Map
http://maps.google.co.jp/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=ja&q=%E6%9D%BE%E5%B7%9D%E6%B9%96&aq=&sll=34.93506,139.06477&sspn=0.021356,0.038581&vpsrc=6&brcurrent=3,0x6019c3aff657dbb1:0x1d033f565b9ec021,0&ie=UTF8&t=m&st=105250506097979753968&rq=1&ev=zo&split=1&radius=1.31&hq=%E6%9D%BE%E5%B7%9D%E6%B9%96&hnear=&ll=34.970094,139.100304&spn=0.021356,0.038581&output=embed
大きな地図で見る
Access by Train (from Tokyo Station)
Will update.
