30.APR.2010

Lots of take, but I got nothing at all, so many turns and slight touches.
It was a blank day. Maybe tomorrow?

Data
Honmoku, Yokohama
The 4th day of Springs tide
Temperature: 12℃
High tide: 18:51, 178cm
Sunset: 18:27
Fishing: 20:30-23:00
Catch: None
Fly: Black gurgler 3 inch, My Seaworm pattern 2 inch

Want to know more? Email to me, flyfishinginjapan@mail.goo.ne.jp

29.APR.2010-2

After then we moved to Oshino fishery which is very close、still windy here as well. Shortly after
our arrival, started raining exactly weather forecast said. The gin clear water got dark and colored,
too much rain, I got nothing in the morning and we went to the shop for lunch.

At the shop I met the English gentleman who send me an email. Today's the premier fly fishing for
him. Stayed a few hours at the shop after the lunch and backed to the river. Now water got clear
and we saw fish feed in the river. I fished right next to him a little upper side and got some fish.



He's a kind very experienced fly fisher, no need to advice too much. The first catch would not
take too long for him. A small rainbow but I think it must be a kind of memorial fish for him. Then
he got more fish, It's always good to have a new friend who is a passionate fly fisher and we can go
fishing together time to time. I believe he enjoyed this premier fly fishing day in Oshino.





Where we go next time my friend? There is so many beautiful rivers in Japan!!
Looking forward to going to fishing with you again.

Data
Oshino fishery, River Katsura, Yamanashi
http://www.ffmedia.net/oshino/data/OshinoMAP_English.pdf
Day ticket ￥800, Year ticket ￥4,000
Species: Rainbow, Brown, Brook trout, Yamame and more
The reproduction and released fish
Bag limit: 10
Fishing: 09:00-19:00
Catch: Many, Size: 6-12 inch

Want to know more? Email to me, flyfishinginjapan@mail.goo.ne.jp

29.APR.2010-1

Windy day, it was really strong wind, gale. Why we go fishing this kind of windy day? This is Lake
Yamanaka we try Black Bass fishing today which is originaly from America and now spread all over
Japan and popular game fish especally for spning guys. Here this lake we have some chance to get
the big fish over 20 inch if you are lucky. Black Bass come to the sallow water to feed early in the
morning and evening, mainly the bait is small smelt. This small smelt is called WAKASAGI in Japanese,
taste good and very famous for Tempura.



Wind annoyed us too much, but it's really exciting as we sometime saw fish came up to the surface.
All three of us were waiting for the take with big expectation, Nevertheless it's getting more blight
as sun rises and more fisherman coming. Fish got away and quiet, no take, nothing happened...

WAKASAGI, Japanese Smelt
Hypomesus nipponensis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvelinus

Data
Lake Yamanaka, Yamanashi
Day ticket: JPY1000
Fishing: 04:30-06:30
Catch: None
Fly: Floating minnow

Want to know more? Email to me, flyfishinginjapan@mail.goo.ne.jp

28.APR.2010

After heavy rain, water got muddy and colored which looked like coffee with milk. The question
is if seaworms comes or not? I got to the my spot as usual and saw some swimming type seaworms,
still blight no Seabass at all. Seaworms were swimming on the surface peacefully.

I was watching the calm water surface for about 30 minutes, then the first rise. Around 19:30
fish got active and many rise. however fish took my fly, I could not hook up. From the bridge
I got one at all most end of the festival which was very short, about 10 minuets. It' very quiet
and time to go home but I tried to cast the bridge pier a few times and got much better size.



Data
Near Hamamatsucyo Station, Tokyo
The 2nd day of Springs tide, Full moon
Temperature: 14℃
High tide: 17:29, 191cm
Sunset: 18:25
Fishing: 18:30-20:30
Catch: 2 fish, 15 and 19 inch
Fly: Black gurgler 3 inch, My Seaworm pattern 2 inch

Want to know more? Email to me, flyfishinginjapan@mail.goo.ne.jp

26.APR.2010

You know it's Monday night, but I went to fishing and a friend of mine was there as well.
What a crazy guys!! It dose not matter weekday or weekend, work tomorrow or not.

It's windy day but according to the weather forecast it would be better later on. I tie my favourite
white zonker candy patter as usual, this fly works very well through the season, but tonight it
did not work. My friend used surface type fly, the gurgler pattern and got a result shortly, more
takes. I changed leader system from intermediate to floating and tied black gurgler pattern.
No seaworm, though fish eagered to take seaworm patter fly, especially black and a little bigger size.



There's "Sea Ghost" or "Fire of Sea" along with the pier caused by plankton, Noctiluca scintillans.
It is the illumination in the sea by a ghostly glow-in-the-dark plankton. You frequently see this from
Spring to Autumn at the Tokyo bay when sea water gets warmer.

Fish came up to the surface to take fly near the high concentrations of plankton zone, so many
times but I only could hook up one, too many faint take and a slight touch.

Data
Honmoku, Yokohama
The 3rd day of Half tide, toward to Full moon
Temperature: 10℃
Low tide: 21:28, 58cm
Sunset: 18:23
Fishing: 21:30-24:00
Catch: One, 8 inch
Fly: Black gurgler pattern 2 inch

Want to know more? Email to me, flyfishinginjapan@mail.goo.ne.jp

24.APR.2010

Can you believe there's the Shangri-La for Japanese fly fisher near Tokyo? It's just about 2
hours drive from my home. This mountain steam is really small and covered by overhanged
trees, nobody thinks there's plenty of nice wild, native Char. In Japan the native trout, Iwana
(Char) and Yamame (Amaga: Land rocked Cherry salmon) over 30cm (about 12 inch) is a some
kind of dream and trophy fish for Japanese fly fisher. Of course, there's bigger Rainbows and
Brownies originally from Europe and America.

Last time, I got some fish but it seemed like I did lower part of the river, email from my friend
I should go further up this river. I am getting old and it's hard work to climb up the rocky mountain
river but according the to email upper part of this river is the Shangri-la. You know you can not
get the good fish without hard work, hahaha.

As usual, tie my favourite size 16 brown parachute, walk and fish like a Ninja and cast like a sniper
without breath and sign. Time to time fish took my fly, it's beautiful native fish, some small and
some good size.



There is some very small dam at this river, what a clear water and it's really deep. Yes, here is
a real Shangri-La. You can see many fish over 30cm, a fish is almost 40cm or bigger. Water is
deep so heavy weighted nymph worked very well, I got some fish at this dam, however those big
fish are quite cleaver and nervous, they come to see the fly but hardly would not take it.



Under the dam wall, there's small pool and it's also really nice spot. I crept toward the pool and
cast my fly, the first cast, suddenly a big mouth came up to the surface and swallowed my fly.
It's a really nice fish over 30cm. At next dam, I got some more nice fish enough for today and
really satisfied.



IWANA, Japanese Char
Salvelinus leucomaenis ｐｌｕｖｉｕｓ and japonicus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvelinus

Data
River Fuefuki tributaries, Yamanashi
Day ticket: JPY800
Temperature　4-7℃
Fishing: 07:30-14:00
Catch: many IWANA Size: 6-12 inch
Fly: Blown parachute #16, Olive nymph #10

Want to know more? Email to me, flyfishinginjapan@mail.goo.ne.jp

18.APR.2010

As usual, It's Sunday Morning exercise at River Tamagawa. A few days ago I got an email from my friend
who landed a couple of good fish and I got to the same spot. Due to the yesterday's snow, water level
was high and a little coloured. When I got to the spot nobody there, could not see any fish.

Tied black woolly bugger and orange egg fly with some lead bullet, as I could fish in the bottom zone.
Just the third cast I got a sudden take, it was really strong pull, nice fight, nice fish. This fish took
my black woolly bugger. Long blank days but finally I got the first Pacific redfins of the season.



Later on I got two more takes but could not land any. It's getting crowded, now time to go home.

Data
River Tamagawa, Tokyo side
Temperature　12-10℃
Fishing: 07:00-8:00
Catch: One
Fly: Black woolly bugger, Yellow woolly bugger, Orange egg fly, #10

Want to know more? Email to me, flyfishinginjapan@mail.goo.ne.jp

17.APR.2010

Headed to the River Kano early in the morning. Weather was cold and rain, but according to the forecast
it would be fine later. Arrived the river around 800, unfortunately water level was high and coloured, it
would be more coloured after the rain, to do or no to do? We gave up and headed to the Oshino Fishery.

Sky's blue. Mountain's white. Again we could see beautiful Mt. Fuji. Forest were covered by snow, it seemed
like really heavy snow yesterday. Only 1℃ now, again backed to the winter. This fishery is spring creek,
so even if bad weather we may have chance to fish.

Covered by snow, but no so cold, see the water it's just like as usual. Fish were getting more and more
clever day by day. Drifting CDC beatis fly on the feeding lane naturally without any drug, fish came up
to see the fly but retuned to the same position, haha, now fish knew if it's real or not.



Some hatch of beatis, small mayfly, size #20, sometime fish took it on the surface, but really difficult
for me. Around 1030, the fish were getting active and beginning to feed. I saw big mayfly, Cincticostella　
elongatula, on the snow and tied #12. Yes, it was. I landed some fish and then changed to floating nymph
#12, this was more effective. Got warm and snow defrost, water was getting coloured, but we enjoyed
almost one hour.

After the lunch, slow fishing, fish were also having the beak after lunch, haha. Sometime fish took
small beatis on the surface but mostly subsurface. Fish took my fly but mostly I could not hook up with.



The dusk, we wondered if caddis would hatch in this coloured water or not. Without seeing the hatch,
I got some fish. After then, yes, the hatch and rise but not so many, because of coloured water?
It's exciting time and landed some more. The darkness and no hatch or rise any more, it's time to go home.

Data
Oshino fishery, River Katsura, Yamanashi
http://www.ffmedia.net/oshino/data/OshinoMAP_English.pdf
Day ticket ￥800, Year ticket ￥4,000
Species: Rainbow, Brown, Brook trout, Yamame and more
The reproduction and released fish
Bag limit: 10
Fishing: 09:00-19:00
Catch: Many, Size: 6-14 inch

Want to know more? Email to me, flyfishinginjapan@mail.goo.ne.jp

16.APR.2010

Rain and really cold night, 3℃ now, it's very unusual in mid April. According to the weather forecast,
it might be some snow even in Tokyo area. Even in this kind of weather I got to the my usual spot
after day's work.

It's frozen cold and stormy weather, however water temperature would be almost same as yesterday
and seaworms would be coming. Yes, as I expected around 19:30, the first take, a slight tug but no
strike, then second, third, no result. Went up to the bridge, right middle of the channel and bridge
I got a take, nice fish the first fish of the day, approx 23 inch.



Could see only a few rise but it seemed like fish got more active, I thought seaworms had come.
Later on I got two more fish and that's all for tonight. Tried small fly which worked well the day
before but bigger fly was more better tonight, it might be because of the size of seaworms. Anyway,
it depends on mother nature!



Data
Near Hamamatsucyo Station, Tokyo
The 1st day of Half tide
Temperature: 3℃
High tide: 18:41, 181cm
Sunset: 18:15
Fishing: 18:30-20:00
Catch: 3, 18-23 inch
Fly: 2.5 inch surface seaworm pattern, white

Want to know more? Email to me, flyfishinginjapan@mail.goo.ne.jp

15.APR.2010

Now it seemed like to back to winter again, even in the mid of April, it's really cold only 6℃ tonight.
Still bright and some more time till the darkness so walk and have a look around near my usual spot.

The sunset and I backed to my spot, staring the water surface for a while but very quiet, no seaworms,
no bait fish, no rise, no movement. I should wait till something happened, water colour was much more
clear now as no rain since Monday. Without any rise, casting and retrieving from the bridge, later on the
first take, second, third, forth... more than 20 times fish took my fly on the surface but I never hooked
up any fish. What a difficult take, it's like light speed. Of course I am a poor fisherman...

At last, I hooked up a fish, but I could not land it as failed to pull up the fish to the bridge. It cannot be
helped and happened without net, so no photo, hahaha. Another strike just a inch from a bridge pier and
I thought it was perfect hook up but second later I lost it, no idea... Some more take but no result...

Getting cold and time to go home.

Data
Near Hamamatsucyo Station, Tokyo
The 3rd day of Spring tide, New moon
Temperature:6-5℃
High tide: 18:01, 183cm
Sunset: 18:14
Fishing: 18:30-20:30
Catch: None
Fly: One inch tiny seaworm pattern, surface and subsurface.

Want to know more? Email to me, flyfishinginjapan@mail.goo.ne.jp

14.APR.2010

A little colder than yesterday, but warm enough, I got to the same spot and same time still bright as
daylight gets longer day by day. Water was still a bit dull colour because of the heavy rain the day before.
At the beginning, it's very quiet as yesterday and I have got a strong presentiment like yesterday...

10, 20, 30 mins has passed, nothing happened, after then just like yesterday, splash, small seabass was
chasing bait fish. Cast fly but completely ignored, haha.

About one hour later, the first rise and little by little it seemed like fish got more active, I could not see
anything but maybe seaworms came. Fish took my fly a couple of times but no strike so I went up to the
bridge and cast. It's very exciting I could see fish took my fly on the surface of the water but really difficult
to hook up, too fast. The bait, it must be tiny seaworms.



Data
Near Hamamatsucyo Station, Tokyo
The 2nd day of Spring tide, New moon
Temperature:15-12℃
High tide: 17:23, 181cm
Sunset: 18:13
Fishing: 18:30-21:00
Catch: 3, 10-16 inch
Fly: One inch tiny seaworm pattern, surface and subsurface.

Want to know more? Email to me, flyfishinginjapan@mail.goo.ne.jp

13.APR.2010

When the spring tide comes, it's the fixed point observation as my daily task, haha. But tonight, no
ragworms nor seaworms at all, it was very quiet night. All of sudden, splash of small fish ran away from
big fish and I got two takes, second one was really close fish took my fly just 10 ft ahead of me and
I felt a touch, but...

A blank day!!

Data
Near Hamamatsucyo Station, Tokyo
The 1st day of Spring tide, New moon
Temperature:19-18℃
High tide: 16:46, 176cm
Sunset: 18:12
Fishing: 18:30-20:30
Catch: None

Want to know more? Email to me, flyfishinginjapan@mail.goo.ne.jp

11.APR.2010

It's Sunday morning, every weekend morning exercise. Now end of the season, but I have not got
any Pacific redfins in this season and it would be the last chance today during this season.

I got to the river early in the morning, nobody's there it might be because of poor catching report?
Some shallow spot, I saw some spawning fish with white splash same as last weekend. Do not disturb
these spawning fish, a few step down by each cast, no touch nor take.

Suddenly I got a take but not Pacific redfins, it was a NIGOI, Japanese Barbel Steed.



NIGOI, Japanese Barbel Steed
Hemibarbus barbus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbel_(fish)
http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=61963&genusname=Hemibarbus&speciesname=barbus&lang=English

Data
River Tamagawa, Kawasaki side
Temperature　14-16℃
Fishing: 07:00-8:30
Catch: One Japanese Barbel Steed
Fly: Black woolly bugger, Red and Orange woolly bugger, #10, #8

Want to know more? Email to me, flyfishinginjapan@mail.goo.ne.jp

10.APR.2010

High mountain side, I go upstream close to the source of the river, nobody lives upstream from here.
It's pure clean water from the source. This is a place for Japanese Char, called IWANA in Japanese.
The small mountain steam is very narrow and craggy place many places are covered by trees which
is difficult to cast, so you need a very short rod like 6.0 to 7.0ft.

I got an email from my friend and he gave me many spot possible to catch nice Char if I am lucky.
We say very nice fish is still just over 12 inch, average size is 6-10 inch anyway I really love these
beautiful small fish, hahaha.



Drive about 2 hours from my home early in the morning, it's Yamanashi prefecture and maybe a Shangri
-La for me. High mountain side was still cold in the morning, the first river produced 3 small fish for me.



Then moved to the second one, a little wide, in spite of someone was already there, luckily I got 2 more
small fish from this river, parachute pattern dry flies were effective, especially brown colour. #14 and #16.



Had a late lunch and moved to the third river, but this river I only got some small AMAGO, no IWANA at all.
Probably I fished lower part of the river than I should.



At the evening, I moved to the final spot, the middle part of the Katsura river and expected the hatch of
evening caddis. No information at all about this river without just from internet, I have no idea which spot
I should try. Just select a spot I think it looks good. At dusk, many hatch and rise, however I got nothing...
Something was wrong, I should study more.

IWANA, Japanese Char
Salvelinus leucomaenis ｐｌｕｖｉｕｓ and japonicus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvelinus

Data
River Fuefuki tributaries and Middle of River Katsura, Yamanashi
Day ticket: JPY800
Temperature　8-16℃
Fishing: 07:00-19:30
Catch: 4 IWANA, 6 AMANO, Size: 6-9 inch
Fly: Adams parachute, Blown parachute, #16, #14

Want to know more? Email to me, flyfishinginjapan@mail.goo.ne.jp

08.APR.2010

It's Rockfish fishing tonight at my home spot, strong east wind and cold day. The tide was from ebb to
flood tide. Wind annoyed me too much, sometimes too strong to cast close enough to the structure.

I tried to cast as close as possible to the structure, but no life signs, walk around, keep on casting and
retrieving just like as usual. Spring has come, it should be better now, but...



Data
Honmoku, Yokohama
The 3rd day of Neap tide
Low tide 19:22, 64cm
High tide 02:41, 139cm
Sunset: 18:08
Fishing: 21:00-22:30
Catch: Two baby size