30.SEP.2012

Due to typhoon, my last Mahi trip in this season has been cancelled. I needed some thing to
confront me. Yes, I love you naughty boys!

Data
A small pond
Weather: Fair
Temperature: 25.4 - 26.4 ℃
Wind: SW 3.2 - 2.4 mps
Fishing: 08:15 - 10:45
Catch: Gills
Fly: Foam Black Beetle and Parachute Ant
Want to know more? Email to me.

29.SEP.2012

It's always nice to fish together with my blog readers, especially with beautiful ladies!!



Data
Ozenji, Kawasaki, Kanagawa prefecture
http://www.fishon-oz.jp/
TEL: 044-959-0037
Three hours ticket: JPY2900, bag limit: 20
Six hours ticket: JPY4100, bag limit: 30
Night ticket: JPY1400
Fishing: Apr - Oct: 06:00 - 20:00, Nov - Mar: 06:00 - 22:00
Catch: Rainbow
Want to know more? Email to me.

26.SEP.2012

I was originaly thinking about to fish in Yokosuka for Mebaru but weather dose not cooperative
in these days. Nearly 10 meter per second wind in Yokosuka area and 2 meters waves means
no chance to fish in saltwater. Cats came into my mind as it's almost end of the season and
would be the last in this year. My favourite stretch was quiet and water was high because of
recent rain. I fished here nearly a month ago, and if no one fished for a while, I was expecting
it might be a great night. Water flow as very fast and frog popper moved too fast. Expectation
was an expectation as I know, no bite from upper stretch where used to be good in this season.

About an hour later, I got a first bite was really short bite, it's very difficult to move popper
slowly and get firm bite in this strong and fast flow water. Later two straight attacks middle of
the river and I thought second one was firmly hooked up. But actually it's not. Soon another
attack, this time it's firmly on and was probably the biggest cat I ever got.



The season has not ended, I should fish again in next week, hahaha

Data
River Tsurumi, Yokohama
Weather: Passing cloud
Temperature: 21.7 - 21.1℃
Wind: NE 2.8 - 2.6 mps
Fishing: 20:30 - 22:45
Catch: One
Fly: Yellow frog popper
Want to know more? Email to me.

25.SEP.2012

Just an hour and half early morning excises before go to hospital, same as last time only
nano fries were aggressive. Size 16 ant worked well today.

Data
A small pond
Weather: Passing cloud
Temperature: 18.0 - 18.2 ℃
Wind: N 5.7 - 5.9 mps
Fishing: 0５:15 - 06:45
Catch: four
Fly: Black parachute ant #16
Want to know more? Email to me.

22.SEP.2012

The long long firght way back my home, I realized my right foot were getting bigger and nearly
a double when I got to Narita. At the hospital, doc said it's a infectious disease and I had to
be hospitalized. As you know I am not a hard worker at all but got something to do after a week
holiday without PC and also I have to earn to fish and feed my wife and kids. So hospitalize was
no choice, after a brief negotiation I successfully got some pills and a tube cream. No beers
for about a week and I slept as much as possible. Foot colour and size was nearly nomal buy
still it's painful but was getting better. No wet wading, no long walk, no waders on so I decided
to fish at Oshino fishery today.



Protecting the wounds, I tightly bandaged and wore wool socks and rubber boots. It's still painful
to walk, especially up and down as the wounds were touching to boots. As first I tried just under
the bridge, fish were staying and occasionally feeding something in bottom lane but not paying
any attention on surface and not interest in my flies. Walked a bit down the creek, some fish
were already coloured and busy to got married.



Found a rising baby Yamame and I was trying to fool it over an hour, but no success. I changed
my mind easy way to catch and landed a couple of brook and rainbows on nymph. This season
we see more brook than previous years, maybe big sales from farm.

Landed a few fish on black form beetle, but strangely ant did not work well. Around ten-thirty
fish became aggressive and started feeding on surface. Landed some more fish on red body
baetis. I rocked on a rising brownie, it came up to see my flies but would not take it. Finally
it took floating nymph, a small but beautiful fish.



Most trout and char rivers including this creek close at end September, so only a week to go
for river trout anglers.

Data
Oshino Fishery, Yamanashi
Day ticket: JPY 800
Weather: Parcaly sunny
Temperature: 17.0 - 19.5 ℃
Wind: NW 0.6 - SE 3.0 mps
Fishing: 08:30 - 13:30
Catch: Brook, Rainbow, Brown
Fly: Gold Bead Czech nymph, Foam beetle, Red baetis, etc
Want to know more? Email to me

14.SEP.2012

Since our arrival, only one tarpon had been landed on bait in this world class premier tarpon
village. More than ten boats, twenty or more anglers from all over the world fished here and
there, but no good news at all. So far I only got a few bite on the afternoon of our arrival day
and after then struck out swinging. Only a day, about eight hours were left, I felt like as if I
was playing in last fifteen minuets to the whistle by one point behind.



Anyway, we had to be on sea to fish, I tried various colour combination, standard red/white,
red/yellow, orange/black, etc and searched various depth. Hooks were sharpen enough and
knots were tight enough, but no bite. My back, neck, head and foot were badly paining me.
We tried north near to the Nicaragua border and only Solis saw a tarpon was rolling on blue
water. Like others we backed to the river mouth muddy shallow I again saw a dolphin and
a rolling tarpon. At guide on the Jungle Tarpon lodge boat suddenly rose this rod to set hook,
but nothing was on.



In the afternoon, weather improved very much, we fished muddy shallow to blue deep water,
north to south again and again. It seemed like even a veteran and one of the best guide in
the Barra village had no idea where to fish. Just like yesterday, all boats were back now to
the muddy shallow river mouth for the last chance of the day. Only one hour to go, I tied the
beggest red/white whistler on new 130 lbs bite leader. No luck, it's time to go, the end of my
dream tarpon fishing in Rio Colorado, Costa Rica.



We enjoyed the last night partly, somewhat with Nicaraguan rum.



Again thunderstorm, heavy hind, rain and lighting all night long and we were very much worried
about if the plane come or not. Luckily on the way to airport no more rain, lighting and we
were safely on our fright back to San Jose.



People say the best Tarpon place in the world is Rio Colorado.
People say the best season in Rio Colorado is September and October.
People say September and October is dry season and clam seas.
People say extreme and weird weather of the World.

Back home and saw the fishing report from Rio Colorado lodge、what a poor week we were.
My dream did not come ture but still I have a reason to come back. Anyway we found more
reasonable rate, for sure I will be back, anyone come with me? hahaha!

Data
Joruki Lodge Colorado: http://www.facebook.com/jorukilodge.colorado
Rio Colorado river mouth and coast. the Barra del Colorado, Limon, Costa Rica
Moon age: 27.4
Tide: San Juan del Norte (Greytown), Nicaragua
http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/tideshow.cgi?site=San+Juan+del+Norte+%28Greytown%29%2C+Nicaragua
05:15 CST 0.10 feet Low Tide
05:24 CST Sunrise
11:21 CST 0.84 feet High Tide
16:29 CST Moonset
17:32 CST 0.09 feet Low Tide
17:35 CST Sunset
23:40 CST 0.88 feet High Tide
Weather: Light Rain / Passing cloud
Temperature: 31 - 23 ℃
http://www.accuweather.com/en/cr/barra-del-colorado/113971/weather-forecast/113971
Fishing: 06:30 - 11:00, 13:30 - 16:45
Catch: None
0 bite on Oscar's boat, 0 bite on Solis's boat
Fly: CR Tarpon Whistler (Various)
Want to know more? Email to me

Travel information
Fright: Tokyo Narita - San Jose, Costa Rica: United Airline: https://www.united.com/
Fright: San Jose - Tortuguero: Nature Air: http://www.natureair.com/
Hotel: Isla Verde, San Jose: http://www.hotelislaverde.com/
Lodge: Joruki Lodge Colorado: http://www.facebook.com/jorukilodge.colorado

Tackle information
Rod: TFO BW MD, 8.6ft, 12-15wt
Reel: Tibor Gulfstream
Line: Airflo Big game 700 grain
Backing: 50lbs Nylon 25 meter + 50lbs Micron
Bite leader: Frollocarbon 130lbs
Class tippet: Frollocarbon 30lbs
Fly: 3/0 - 6/0 Costa Rica Tarpon Whistler

Costa Rica 2012

13.SEP.2012

Yesterday I went to bed quite early because of my foot and back pain. Actually before dinner,
when the lodge chef was treating my right foot I was almost about to pass out. It made me
felt very weak. My buddy gave me a good poultice treatment on my back and neck and in the
morning still hurt, but I felt much better.



When we first got to the lodge, we were very confident and full of hope to land a few 100
pounders. Now three poor days had gone already and only two days to go, we were seriously
in a tight corner. Same as yesterday no landing, even some boat gave up to fish on the sea
as it's very heavy seas and went to jungle for Snook, Machaca, Mojarra, whatever they could
hook up. It's also very attractive if we landed enough tarpon, but now we had to be on the
sea as long as possible to increase the chance get a bite.



Despite budget rate, food was really nice as the chef used to worked a good hotel kitchen.
Every lunch and dinner she cooked different delicious dishes. At my first lunch on arrival day
I immediately became her fan. Also it's so nice she gently took after my injury very day.



Without painkiller, it's very painful and surely very hard work to fish all day long. When we
started to fish in muddy shallow water, a Silver king lodge boat far behind us was fighting with
tarpon and we saw a few other tarpons were rolling in shallow. A couple of minutes later, as
usual, we found they lost fish and were about to move back to shallow again. Later on our
guide Solis got a short bite and nothing any more.



Ooops, just one day to go!

Data
Joruki Lodge Colorado: http://www.facebook.com/jorukilodge.colorado
Rio Colorado river mouth and coast. the Barra del Colorado, Limon, Costa Rica
Moon age: 26.4
Tide: San Juan del Norte (Greytown), Nicaragua
http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/tideshow.cgi?site=San+Juan+del+Norte+%28Greytown%29%2C+Nicaragua
04:32 CST 0.15 feet Low Tide
05:24 CST Sunrise
10:35 CST 0.78 feet High Tide
15:44 CST Moonset
16:42 CST 0.14 feet Low Tide
17:36 CST Sunset
22:54 CST 0.85 feet High Tide
Weather: Light Rain / Passing cloud
Temperature: 31 - 23 ℃
http://www.accuweather.com/en/cr/barra-del-colorado/113971/weather-forecast/113971
Fishing: 06:30 - 11:00, 13:30 - 16:45
Catch: None
1 bite on Oscar's boat, 0 bite on Solis's boat
Fly: CR Tarpon Whistler (Various)
Want to know more? Email to me

12.SEP.2012

On the third day of our dream fishing trip, weather was much better than previous days.
At breakfast we heard there's no landing in yesterday. As far as I have heard September
and October are the premier month for the Silver King in Caribbean Costa Rica and people
said if you can get out to the sea you get at least 10 -20 bites a day, fight with a half or a
quarter of them, and will be immediately exhausted and like to fish in jungle to play with other
spices on light tackle. I know only I can see the truth if I fish there, however I have never
imagined like this poor days.



After breakfast as usual we headed out to fishing ground. The morning sunshine shine and
blue skies were like what we imagined to fish in tropic Caribbean sea from magazine and
internet. It seemed like weather was going to improve but waves were still high especially
at shallow river mouth. When our boat was clearing high waves at muddy river mouth to fishing
ground the accident occurred. All of sudden when our guide, Oscar was controlling his boat
to right angle to clear the big wave, the engine suddenly stalled and the big wave hit us very
hard. I was sitting on the stern passenger sheet, life jacket was on when the wave hit and
pushed me hard and I thought I fell down on the water, but was pushed right next to the engine
and upside down. It was very hard shot and the engine cover hit my neck, shoulder and head,
stern deck hit my back really hard. Soon I realized my right foot was badly injured and bleeding,
the FRP or glass fiber pilot sheet scraped my right instep badly when I fell down and we immediately
backed to the lodge for first aid. The injury was really bad, a couple of right scratch was not
really bad as it's just skin off, but some part, not only the skin but also the flesh were deeply
scraped and I thought I should go to hospital to sew up them. Since shin and flesh were removed
I understood it's no chance to sew up and we decided to put antibiotics and bandaged up my
foot.



After a short rest, still it's very painful and hard to walk, but I decided to back to the sea to
fish, as I would not like to loose any chance to hook up my dream. Almost no chance to stand
on rocking boat and all I could to was shit tight not to weight on my right leg and keep on jigging
and stripping. Despite my painful hard work, no contact from sea at all. As if our guide, Oscar
hit up something, he set up yesterday's dead ribbon fish on jig and send it to the bottom. No
longer than five minuets, when the boat was in blue and muddy water current line, something
attacked it. It's a very hard take almost broking the rod holder. Immediately Oscar handed the
rod to me and the fight had begun.



Soon I knew it's not a tarpon as it run deep and deep, no tuna, as it's not like a rocket run.
My foot, back, neck were scramming but after a short battle a good Jack was on board and
released.



As you know tarpon is a great fighter but almost no commercial value in seafood industry and
I believe This is the one important factor still this kind of huge prehistoric fish can survive
and keep their population. Only local people eat tarpon like bonefish in Hawaii mince and fry,
then you never know what you are really eating. Our lunch was pasta with Tarpon meatball,
actually it's no so bad as tomato taste was very good. Our buddies on Solis's boat each one
of them got a bite in the morning, unfortunately both got immediate broken off at class tippet.
We switched from Oscar's to Solis's boat and we worked hard, but all we saw was a few rolling
tarpon and a dolphin.



Now, only two days left.

Data
Joruki Lodge Colorado: http://www.facebook.com/jorukilodge.colorado
Rio Colorado river mouth and coast. the Barra del Colorado, Limon, Costa Rica
Moon age: 25.4
Tide: San Juan del Norte (Greytown), Nicaragua
http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/tideshow.cgi?site=San+Juan+del+Norte+%28Greytown%29%2C+Nicaragua
05:24 CST Sunrise
09:44 CST 0.72 feet High Tide
14:58 CST Moonset
15:49 CST 0.18 feet Low Tide
17:37 CST Sunset
22:06 CST 0.82 feet High Tide
Weather: Light Rain / Passing cloud
Temperature: 31 - 24 ℃
http://www.accuweather.com/en/cr/barra-del-colorado/113971/weather-forecast/113971
Fishing: 08:30 - 11:00, 13:30 - 16:45
Catch: None
0 bite on Oscar's boat, 2 bites (AM) on Solis's boat (One bite on Solis's jig)
Fly: CR Tarpon Whistler (Various)
Want to know more? Email to me

11.SEP.2012

In this village, Barra del Colorado, three famous lodges, such as the world famous Silver King
Lodge, Rio Colorado Lodge and Jungle Tarpon Lodge offer Tarpon and jungle fishing besides
Eco tours. I cannot afford to stay and fish at these deluxe and high-end lodge which world
class anglers use. My friends who fished here a few times found a budget fishing lodge. Still
expensive but compared to other lodge offer, it's very reasonable rate and it made me decide
to join them.

In the morning at the lodge meeting and dinning house, we heard yesterday only one tarpon
was landed by bait angler, none on fly, none on lure, even about 10 boats fished all day long.
Our first day was not so nice but at least I got a few baits on my own flies was a good for me
as it seemed like the Silver King liked my tying.



Same as yesterday, as first we tried muddy shallow river mouth and I saw a tarpon was rolling
on brown water surface in front of our boat. Huge silver back in between waves and I was so
exited as it's first time in my life to see real tarpon. Along the shallow water, nearly ten boats
were up and down just like yesterday, but none was fighting. We headed south again to look
for tarpon school, and moved here and there. I saw a few more rolling tarpon in blue water
but no bite. Just like yesterday, thunderstorm, lightning and rain came, it should be dry season
now in Caribbean coast but something was wrong.



In the afternoon, it seemed like weather cooperated to us, no more lighting. We were very
much expected fish would start to bite like yesterday afternoon. After shallow water we fished
again in north deep water where we got bites yesterday, but no current line today, because
wind was blowing from the opposite direction. Other lodge boats were also moving around,
no good radio report at all, we moved back to the shallow as we saw a few tarpon were rolling
at the beginning of afternoon section. All of sudden my buddy right next to me made a move
to set hook as he got a slight touch on his fly. It's on as he sharply respond it but was a
miniature Silver predator, a baby ribbon fish. Shortly then I got two bites seemed like ribbon
fish and that's all for our the second day.



The lobster dinner and beers were so good, still we have three days to fish, maybe tomorrow.

Data
Joruki Lodge Colorado: http://www.facebook.com/jorukilodge.colorado
Rio Colorado river mouth and coast. the Barra del Colorado, Limon, Costa Rica
Moon age: 23.4
Tide: San Juan del Norte (Greytown), Nicaragua
http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/tideshow.cgi?site=San+Juan+del+Norte+%28Greytown%29%2C+Nicaragua
05:24 CST Sunrise
08:49 CST 0.68 feet High Tide
14:12 CST Moonset
14:52 CST 0.21 feet Low Tide
17:37 CST Sunset
21:15 CST 0.79 feet High Tide
Weather: Thunder storm / Rain / Passing cloud
Temperature: 31 - 24 ℃
http://www.accuweather.com/en/cr/barra-del-colorado/113971/weather-forecast/113971
Fishing: 06:30 - 11:00, 13:30 - 16:45
Catch: None
0 bite on Oscar's(our) boat, 0 bite on Solis's boat
Fly: CR Tarpon Whistler (Various)
Want to know more? Email to me

10.SEP.2012

The long way to chase the Silver King, the prehistoric giant sardine to the world famous Rio
Colorado in Caribbean Costa Rica from Japan started nearly fourteen hours fright from Tokyo,
Narita to Newark, NJ, then another five hours fright to San Jose, Costa Rica, as it's the cheapest
rate when I had booked about six month ago. The best and easy way fly down to San Jose, Costa
Rica from Japan is as first fly to Huston, TX, then to San Jose, but it's a little bit expensive
for me.



My fright to San Jose was delayed and finally I got to the hotel where my friends were waiting
was nearly midnight. After a few beers and chat we jumped into the bed.



Next morning we got up quite early, had a mini breakfast then get to the airport for the final
fright to Tortuguero in Caribbean coast. It's not a charter fright but no other passengers, except
pilot and co-pilot on the eleven seater propeller and only about 20 minuets fright in blue skies
we got to the Tortuguero airport where was no control tower, no bridge, only a tiny passenger's
hut beside the runway where people jog and ride through on bicycle in the rain forest jungle.
Our guide, Solis was already awaiting for us and we headed to the lodge on calm seas. After
another nearly one hour boat trip we got to the lodge we were going to stay for a week then
soon we were again on boat to hook up my first dream fish.



Here my dream to fish here finally came true, I was dreaming like this since I decided to fish
here. Four of us we hired two guide boats and split into two each. Today's our guide was one
of the best guide in this village, Oscar who used to work at the Casa Mar Lodge used to be
the oldest and the most popular and famous lodge, all famous anglers from all over the world
stayed and fished, but sadly dose not exist any more.



As first we tried the shallow muddy area of the river mouth where usually most productive,
starting from only 15 ft depth to about 50 ft at the end of drift. Tarpon on fly in Rio Colorado
is very special, no casting, just sink your fly and jig or strip it. Stop the engine and drift the boat.
Wind and current push your boat and 600 - 1000 grain heavy sinking head line or shooting head
line deliver your fly to deep enough to get a bite. All you have to do is ask your guide how long
the line should be in water and keep on jigging. Once you feel any slight touch or bite, immediately
hit it a couple of times as hard as possible to set the hook into it's concrete hard mouth.



No bite at shallow muddy water so we moved to south blue water. Oscar and my buddy saw
a few rolling tarpon on surface but we could not get any bite at all. Dark skies with rain, thunder
and lighting came to us and we had to back to lodge earlier.



After lunch break we tried shallow again. There's already a couple of boats as they also had
to back to lodge earlier and started earlier in the afternoon. Soon I got a sudden slight touch
and tried to hit hard but nothing was on. No bite for a while then we moved to north where we
clearly could see the line of brown and blue water, as we got a radio call from our buddies on
other boat got a few bite. When we arrived, fish was on and one of them was fighting with 100
ponder. Unfortunately fish was off after a jump. Fish were there and we were so exited. At the
first drift in blue water, soon I got a bite, but no hook up. It was as if the hook point was slipping
on hard glass. The second bite was really hard take and I sharply pulled rod and line a few times
to set hard but at the last pull fish violently run and it was like an explosion, immediately the
30 lbs class tippet was broken at my weak bimini twist.



Black and orange and my dream fish had gone and I tied green and yellow for nest drift. When
our boat just got into the brown water, fly was still in blue water I got another hard take and it
was exactly same as last bite double lined class tippet was broken again at my poor slim beauty
knot with 130 lbs bite leader. Our guide, Oscar said an angry silver giant jumped and disappeared
in the current line. What a bite and poor knot. Shit, no more class tippet and I tied 130 lbs bite
leader to 60 lbs, however no bite any more on our first day.

Data
Joruki Lodge Colorado: http://www.facebook.com/jorukilodge.colorado
Rio Colorado river mouth and coast. the Barra del Colorado, Limon, Costa Rica
Moon age: 22.4
Tide: San Juan del Norte (Greytown), Nicaragua
http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/tideshow.cgi?site=San+Juan+del+Norte+%28Greytown%29%2C+Nicaragua
05:24 CST Sunrise
06:47 CST 0.64 feet High Tide
12:38 CST Moonset
12:50 CST 0.23 feet Low Tide
17:38 CST Sunset
19:20 CST 0.75 feet High Tide
Weather: Thunder storm / Rain / Passing cloud
http://www.accuweather.com/en/cr/barra-del-colorado/113971/weather-forecast/113971
Temperature: 32 - 22 ℃
Fishing: 08:30 - 11:00, 13:30 - 16:45
Catch: None
4 bites on Oscar's(our) boat, 6 bites and 2 fights on Solis's boat
Fly: CR Tarpon Whistler (Black/Orange, Green/Yellow)
Want to know more? Email to me

08.SEP.2012

Probably the last wet wading in this season, as I will be out of home for a while. Early in the
morning, luckily the gate was open and I could park my usual spot. In Japan, of course there's
always some exception but most trout and char rivers are closed at end September so we
only have a few weekends to go in this season. I usually come to this creek one or two hours
later as I think fish get more active after a few hours when the sun is up in deep mountain
creek. At the beginning was very slow, all I got was a few bites.



Hungry new born babies were extremely aggressive, they attacked whatever they see on water
to bite. It's a good sign if they can survive fishing will be good in next year. Hopefully they are
not taken away. As you know we are traditionally fish eaters and some people do not care whatever
regulation says, they take away whatever they catch. I am not a catch and release purist as
I know some people fish only to eat.



Later on fish got active and aggressively bite. Some small pool I could see fish was right middle
of the pool to feed and they attacked even fly was presented behind them. The best one was
about 27cm yellow belly from ankle depth small pool.



Data
Tributaries of River Fuefuki, Yamanashi
Day ticket: JPY800
Weather: Fair / Hot
Wind: NE 0.4 - ENE 1.2 mps
Temperature: 20.4 - 29.4 ℃
Fishing: 07:00-12:00
Catch: IWANA
Fly: Grizzly Parachute #14, Cherno ant #6
Want to know more? Email to me.

07.SEP.2012

Waked up four in the morning to hit local bass pond since June for about one hour. Got a good
bite in a few cast but missed it. A few more bits and hooked up none as it's too small to hook
up. Baby was on #12 beetle, hahaha. Glass has been cut and easy to fish but It's a very slow
day, because of yesterday's rain?

Data
A small pond
Weather: Passing cloud
Temperature: 24.0 ℃
Wind: NNW 2.0 - N 2.0 mps
Fishing: 04:50 - 06:00
Catch: One
Fly: Black foam beetle
Want to know more? Email to me.

05.SEP.2012

It's a extremely slow night, got only one bite and that's all...

Data
Maborikaigan, Kanagawa
The 2nd day of Half tide
Moon age: 18.4
high tide: 19:03 178 cm, Low tide: 01:49, 56 cm
Sunrise: 05:16, Sunset: 18:03
Moonrise: 20:22, Moonset: 09:32
Weather: Passing cloud
Wind: SSW 2.7 - 2.3 mps
Temperature: 27.0 - 26.5 ℃
Fishing: 20:45 - 22:15
Catch: Mebaru
Fly: Dark olive Woolly fly, wool fly (1.5 - 2 cm)
Want to know more? Email to me

02.SEP.2012

After chatting over a few beers, we slept like logs and waked up at five in the morning, as
we were going to leave jetty at six to hit Mahi at Ensyu-nada today. Everybody looked like
very much refreshed after an enough and deep sleep. Water was not so good as forecast
said 40% rain in the morning and it already rained when we left hotel. Anyway, nothing gonna
stop us we were on board from the jetty in lake Hamanako and headed out to Ensyu-nada.
Same as other seas, here is also small Mahi are very aggressive late at the season, but it's
also a good fun to hit small Mahi with buddies.



It's a little bit wavy and windy day but soon we found a good log and started teasing by lure.
Immediately Mahi was on lure and on fly as well. I cast small crazy charley by 6 wt as close
as possible to the log to hit baby Amberjack or Lather Jacket, strange nothing was under log.
Probably it's a quite new in the water, as there's no weeds. Only a couple of Mahi were with
this log and had already gone, so we again started to search the biting birds.



Yes, Luckily we found a big festival, no teaser needed. The captain carefully controlled his boat
to get to windward side of the festival, did not rush into it not to scare anything, gently we got
closer by wind. Fish started biting our flies. The festival on board had begun, nearly everyone
hooked up. Everyone got so excited, lines were crossing, fish were dancing on the sea, anglers
were dancing on the boat.



Unfortunately, another fishing boat found our festival. The boat was really naughty as it got
directly into the fish and birds to kick them out. As we imagined no more bites and we had
to search again.



Next festal was also very exciting. Fish were small and aggressive, more or less same as previous
one. Everyone hooked 2 -3 fish and enjoyed fighting with strong Mahi. After this festival it got
really really slow, because of rain. wind, swell? We hit here and there, and some fish were up
and tired to bite lure or fly but others had no interest at all or even would not come up to surface.
Wind and wave were picking up, unfortunately we could not go further out where is usually much
better, but enjoyed today's trip very much.



Data
Ensyu-nada, Shizuoka
Guide boat: http://ra-kaikou.ddo.jp/top.html
2nd day of Spring tide, Moon age: 15.5
High tide: 06:32, 130cm, Low tide: 12:59, 39cm
Sunrise: 05:23 Sunset: 18:15
Moonrise: 18:51, Moonset: 06:48
http://sio.mieyell.jp/select?po=42218
Weather: Passing cloud / Rain
Temperature: 24.0 - 30.7 ℃
Wind: NE 2.3 - ENE 5.0 - 4.1 mps
Fishing: 06:00-11:30
Catch: Mahi
Fly: Crouser Minnow
Want to know more? Email to me.

01.SEP.2012

September has come but summer has not gone yet. It's old boys fishing trip to the west, lake
Hamanako and gulf Ensyu. We were going to stay in Hamamatsu a night to hit Seabream, called
Kurodai in Japanese on day1 and Mahi on day2. With my buddy we left my house after midnight.
The mid night traffic was pretty good and approx 250km drive way to the west to lake Hamanako
was only three and half an hour including two stops. Two years ago it took me over six hours
to get there because of 3 - 4 traffic accident on highway and finally I forced to drive off the
highway at nearly 70km to go. Now new highway has opened in Sizukoka prefecture, less traffic
jam and accident.



Got a quick sleep at parking and we were on board before the sunrise as usual. The small, 5
-6 meter long, Japanese traditional boat, with gasoline engine is very useful in this blackish
water lake. As first we tried popping in open shallow area and I tied local favourite prawn popper
on my 8 wt. The rich sandy lake bed is covered by weeds here and there, these weeds and
sand hold a lot of creatures, such as prawn, crab, crustaceans and worm, shellfish, etc which
are good bait for Kurodai.

Full cast and pop and popping, early in the morning baby seabass were very aggressive, they
were going to attack the big popper nearly same as their body size. The attach of Kurodai
and Seabass is different, you hear a sucking sound when Kurodai attack your popper. I just
got a Kurodai bait here then we moved to oyster shell bed where I landed two fish before.
We cast and popped very tight to structures and drop off, but could not get any bite.



The tide got lower and we diced to get of the boat to start sight fishing from the tidal flats.
Set up 6 wt with EP merkin, anchored out boat and jumped in the water. Walked like ninja
and hunted like hawk. Wind and ebb tide made a good flow, we saw many baby seabass splash
aggressively hunting small bait fish which was really attractive for me and I was about to change
my fly to baby seabass, then I found the baby bass fly box was on boat and was already
200 - 300 meter away. So I decided to hunt only Kurodai on this flat. As I imagined it's
very hard to find a fish even in ankle depth shallow flat. No idea if there's fish or not but I
could not see any fish at all.



After lunch we tried another flats, at first one I bound a bunch of baby seabass and this time
I did not forget flies for them. In the afternoon, the food tide was completely against the wind.
These baby bass were not aggressive any more, just come close to fly but never bit it. Finally
I got a bite. When I was about to hold the tippet it's gone.



Got a nap on boat, about on hour later I heard my Brazilian friend landed a baby yellowfin on
shrimp fly while we were sleeping. Again we tried the flat and no result, then we popped again
where we fished in this morning

The wind was picking up and it's annoyed us, but fish got really aggressive at evening. I got more
than twenty bites, but hooked up none of them. A couple of them must be Kurodai but I never
knew.

After dinner and hot springs, it's another happy time!!



Data
Lake Hamanako, Shizuoka
Rental Boat Fishing: Fishing Oki, 7000 YEN per day rental
2nd day of Spring tide, Moon age: 14.5
High tide: 05:53, 130cm, Low tide: 12:28, 33cm, High tide: 18:31, 128cm
Sunrise: 05:22 Sunset: 18:19
Moonrise: 18:16, Moonset: 05:48
http://sio.mieyell.jp/select?po=42218
Weather: Fair. Hot.
Temperature: 23.8 - 30.3 - 28.2 ℃
Wind: NE 2.4 - SE 5.7 - SW 3.8 mps
Fishing: 06:00-13:30 and 15:00-17:00
Catch: None
Fly: Prawn popper
Want to know more? Email to me.