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Post 14 May 2023, 03:25 • #1 
Guide
Joined: 09/03/20
Posts: 191
Location: Hiroshima, Japan
Hi guys,

The other day, I went back to my parents' house in my hometown. When I return home, I sometimes visit streams where I enjoyed fishing for yamame with my deceased father, for the purpose of tracing my memories with him. This time, I visited a stream in my mother's hometown and where I was born to catch yamame.

In this fishing, there was another theme besides fishing in the stream that flows through my mother's hometown. It is to enjoy both cycling and fishing. This time, I decided to use a mountain bike that had been left in my parent's garage for about 25 years. As expected, the tires and tubes must have become useless, so I bought new ones and replaced them.





After changing the tubes and tires and washing the whole bike, I tried to ride it. I noticed some serious problems with this bike. The first problem is that the rear derailleur did not work. Luckily the front derailleur worked. Another problem was that the rubber handle grips were decaying. When I held the grips, the melted rubber clung to my hands.

I had to replace the wire cables and replace the grips to use this bike comfortable, but I couldn't do it. My hometown is a small town, so there is no bike shop that stocks these parts. I was going trout fishing so I had to climb uphill. It seems that there is no choice but to endure with top gear x inner chain ring. I covered the melted rubber grips with packing tape.






It was a perfect day for biking and fishing with pleasant weather. In Japan, it is customary to celebrate the growth of young girls at the beginning of March and the growth of young boys at the beginning of May. And from April to the beginning of May, it is customary for families with young boys to put a kind of windsock called “Koinobori (鯉のぼり, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koinobori)” in their garden. This custom is gradually becoming obsolete, and I rarely see it these days, but I found it for the first time in a long time during the cycling + fishing trip this time. "Koinobori" is a windsock that resembles a carp swimming up a waterfall, and is a lucky charm for young boys to grow up strong.





I have visited this stream only once. That's over 35 years ago and I was a high school student. I remember catching a yamame with bait at that time. This time I fished in the upstream area from that time. After reaching the destination, I was surprised to find a very beautiful stream there! As I was preparing to start fishing, an angler called out to me. He said he just finished fishing here. Looks like I'll have to endure tough fishing...

Shortly after I started fishing, I was once again surprised to find such a beautiful stream so close to where I could reach by bicycle from my parents' house. Unfortunately, the hunch I had before I started fishing turned out to be true. I found a few yamame that were frightened and ran away while I was moving, but my fly didn't attract any yamame...





I didn't enjoy fishing at all, but as I moved upstream, I noticed that the stream turned into a rocky and beautiful landscape. I went fishing this time during the consecutive holidays called Golden Week in Japan. Fishing pressure is high at this time of year as most rivers are flooded with anglers. I would like to enjoy fishing and scenery here again at another time.






Thank you for looking.


Last edited by takeru on 15 May 2023, 09:46, edited 2 times in total.

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Post 14 May 2023, 06:17 • #2 
Sport
Joined: 02/11/23
Posts: 60
Location: New Jersey, USA
Such beautiful pictures - thanks for sharing! While it's a bummer not to catch much, it helps to do it in amazing surroundings. That's what I routinely tell myself, anyway


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Post 14 May 2023, 07:03 • #3 
Master Guide
Joined: 08/03/14
Posts: 945
Location: central AR
Beautiful stream!


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Post 14 May 2023, 08:06 • #4 
Guide
Joined: 03/21/22
Posts: 172
Location: US-PA
That stream looks amazing! Beautiful scenery as always. Thanks for taking us a long with you


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Post 14 May 2023, 08:22 • #5 
Guide
Joined: 04/18/20
Posts: 169
Location: Far Western 'burbs of Chicago
What a wonderful way to spend a day. Thank you for taking us along and educating us on the Koinobori tradition.


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Post 14 May 2023, 10:20 • #6 
Guide
Joined: 02/17/23
Posts: 112
Good tale, even if not a "fish story." Perhaps soon you can return to this place of boyhood memory and have an even more satisfying adventure.

My father spent time in Japan, and had great respect and appreciation for the culture. He told me of the garden flags to celebrate a family's children, and took great delight in seeing them. Thank you once again for taking the time to share with us!


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Post 14 May 2023, 10:45 • #7 
Guide
Joined: 02/18/18
Posts: 276
Location: US-TX
Time well spent, thank you for sharing.
Carl


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Post 14 May 2023, 19:00 • #8 
Master Guide
Joined: 07/12/17
Posts: 390
Location: SW B.C.
Many thanks for posting such beautiful pictures!


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Post 14 May 2023, 19:54 • #9 
Guide
Joined: 02/04/14
Posts: 181
Location: US-MA
I hope the garden flags do not disappear!

I understand the disappointment in a fishing trip turning into a hike. It happens to me fairly regularly. Sometimes fishing turns into boat rides too. I prefer the hike


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Post 14 May 2023, 21:34 • #10 
Sport
Joined: 02/09/23
Posts: 64
Gorgeous photos! I am long overdue for a return trip back to Japan, this time will make it a fishing trip!


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Post 15 May 2023, 19:48 • #11 
Master Guide
Joined: 09/29/09
Posts: 906
Location: US-MI
Enjoyed reading about your return journey. Wonderful collection of images.


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Post 15 May 2023, 21:40 • #12 
Sport
Joined: 07/04/21
Posts: 32
Location: Victoria, Australia
Wonderful post !

I heard a term ‘forest bathing’ which apparently originated in Japan. Certainly can understand why…


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Post 16 May 2023, 07:19 • #13 
Guide
Joined: 03/03/22
Posts: 131
Location: NJ
That's an amazing looking stream! WOW!


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Post 16 May 2023, 08:19 • #14 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/27/08
Posts: 936
Location: Columbia, Mo. USA
Hiking or fishing---either way it's time to be with one's own thought.


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Post 16 May 2023, 09:25 • #15 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/26/14
Posts: 3578
Location: US-MN
Beautiful water! I have a mt bike of that same vintage hanging in the garage rafters - I might have to get it down. You have inspired me!


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Post 18 May 2023, 09:03 • #16 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/22/16
Posts: 1760
Location: SJC
Beautiful photos !

Both my mountain bikes are old, too. I keep replacing parts and riding them, though. Luckily we have a shop where I live that specializes in "vintage" bikes.


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Post 25 May 2023, 12:14 • #17 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/22/11
Posts: 1720
Location: US-TX
I love hiking and fishing! I am still lamenting breaking section of my airrite rod that was my all time favorite pack rod. Takes for the pics and story!


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Post 26 May 2023, 05:06 • #18 
Guide
Joined: 09/03/20
Posts: 191
Location: Hiroshima, Japan
Thanks guys!
Fishing tends to feel like the farther we go, the better we can fish. However, through this cycling + fishing trip, I found that there are interesting discoveries in nearby areas that can be reached by bike.


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Post 01 Jun 2023, 07:56 • #19 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Bike-fish - thanks for the report and great photos.



Adding a ps here. When we go coast kayaking, the kayaking is its own end. Fish and fishing are just the sauce.



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Post 01 Jun 2023, 17:09 • #20 
Guide
Joined: 09/03/20
Posts: 191
Location: Hiroshima, Japan
bulldog

I have no experience in kayaking but I am interested. BTW, What does the first photo show in the series of kayaking photos?


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Post 01 Jun 2023, 18:11 • #21 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
Hi friend, that is a Nudibranch, hexabranchus sp., common name Spanish Dancer
It's a snail without a shell that swims instead of crawls.
The fuzzy bundle at the back are its gills.

The TX coast is the best place in the world to own a kayak.
The coast is lined with barrier islands, and behind them are 15,000 sq-mi less than 2' deep.


Last edited by bulldog1935 on 01 Jun 2023, 18:15, edited 1 time in total.

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Post 01 Jun 2023, 18:14 • #22 
Guide
Joined: 09/03/20
Posts: 191
Location: Hiroshima, Japan
bulldog,

Kayaking seems to be fun to meet creatures other than fish.


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Post 01 Jun 2023, 18:37 • #23 
Piscator
Joined: 08/10/05
Posts: 19078
Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
From what I've seen watching Yamaga Blanks youtubes, your country has some beautiful estuaries to kayak, also.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB_3X5fXS5Q


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Post 01 Jun 2023, 20:34 • #24 
Guide
Joined: 09/03/20
Posts: 191
Location: Hiroshima, Japan
You tube has a lot of videos posted by people enjoying kayaking + fishing all over Japan. In particular, Okinawa and the Amami Islands are heard to be very enjoyable just by kayaking without fishing. Hiroshima, where I live, faces the Seto Island Sea, which is very calm and has many islands scattered about, so it seems to be suitable for kayaking.


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Post 02 Jun 2023, 09:57 • #25 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/22/16
Posts: 1760
Location: SJC
I find kayaking and packrafting to be worthwhile in their own right, though I often bring a rod. I enjoy the quiet peace of being out on the water in the morning, and the meditative quality of paddling.


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