Typhoon weather made for a rough start to the week in the Oku-Kinugawa drainage, but the storms left something behind worth fishing. Rising water displaces insects, dislodges food from the banks, and tends to pull char out of their lies and into feeding mode. By the time conditions stabilized, the river was running full and the iwana were active.
Guides Takashi and Hiro got in the water themselves this week, always a good sign. The Oku-Kinugawa at altitude was in good shape, temperatures comfortable and the mountain greenery at its peak, that vivid early-summer green that follows heavy rain in Japan’s mountain valleys. The char cooperated throughout.
These storms are part of the seasonal rhythm of Japan’s mountain watersheds, and knowing when to head for the stream rather than away from it is part of what makes fishing with local guides worthwhile. The Oku-Kinugawa area continues to fish well heading into summer.
Note: Our friends at Nikko Tenkara (Hiroyuki Ishii & Takashi Sakauchi) have offered to send us brief updates on their fishing and guiding season in Japan. If you are visiting Japan and have interest in their tenkara guide services, visit their website at nikko-tenkara.com. Tell them Tenkara Angler sent you!
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