Japan Fly Fishing Festa & Fly Fishing On Lake Akan

When I arrived at Kushiro Airport (on May 13th) on Hokaido there was a television crew there to meet me. They filmed me getting off the plane and went to the hotel we stayed at to film some more. As soon as we checked in we had to get our waders on and we headed out to fish on Lake Akan for rainbow trout and white spotted char. It was really cold and even snowed on us. I managed to catch two of the white spotted char while they were filming. I was using a 9 foot, six weight rod with a Rio multi tip line. The clear intermediate sink tip worked very well.

The next day (May 14th) I had a kid's class at the Kushiro Aquarium with 5th and 6th grade students. First we had a lesson on Lake Akan and how it was formed, the plants and trees in the area an the wildlife that lives on the island of Hokaido. Then I did a fly tying demonstration for the kids and showed them how to tie a Woolly Bugger. After teh fly tying we went outside and I shoed them how to cast a fly rod and they all got a chance to try it on their own.

On May 15th and May 16th I was doing demonstrations at the 2009 Fly Fishing Festa. I taught another kid's fly casting class and also did a fly tying demonstration in the tying theater. I got to meet some very nice people at the Festa, including Mr. Ken Shimazaki. He is the man that designs all the Tiemco hooks and is one of the most famous fly tyers in all of Japan. We traded flies and we also watched each others fly tying demonstrations. I picked up some new techniques from him that I can not wait to try when I get back home.

Each morning we got up super early to go fish Lake Akan before the Festa started. It was really cold but a lot of fun. I fished with Gareth Jones of Airflo fly line company each day. He is a member of the Welsh Fly Fishing Team and is a lake fishing expert. He taught me some realy good techniques that I will be able to use on many different lakes.

Here a pictures from my stay at Kushiro and fishing on Lake Akan. I hope you enjoy them and I will write more later about my Sea Bass fish adventures in Tokyo Bay in a day or two. Keep checking back.

Being greeted by the television crew in Kushiro Airport.

The group of students that I had in my class at the Kushiro Aquarium.

Getting ready to fish Lake Akan.

Fishing on Lake Akan.

Here is Gareth Jones with a landlocked Cherry Salmon from Lake Akan.

A White Spotted Char from Lake Akan.

Fishing in the early morning fog.

Teaching the kids to fly cast at the Festa with my interpreter Masa Katsumata.

Signing some Festa t-shirts form the kids after the casting class.

Doing my fly tying demonstration at the Festa.

Here is Mr. Shimazaki and my goo