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In the Lake Kamloops  --Vol.31--

Canada Again

In 1980 I had the second fishing chance in Canada. Almost 10 years had passed since my first tour to Vancouver and Terrace. This time I headed inland. I was going to fish lakes scattered in Kamloops. I hear there are 3000 big and little lakes there. Kamloops has long been said to be a sacred place for fly fishermen aiming at trout in the lake. The trout there is called Kamloops trout and one of the most famous kinds as an original breed.

I read a lot of fishing essays about Kamloops, a famous fishing place and learned a wide variety of fishing experiences. Later I found the area of Kamloops was so large that the height from the sea level was very different between lakes on the hill and those in the plain. The weather is different and fishing seasons and methods were different, too. I was going there without knowing where my place lay or how was the fishing condition of the season. It meant I had no means of preparing in advance. Don't say that is my usual story!
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The Thompson River. Its huge stream overwhelmed me when I first saw it.

Vancouver in September had mild weather. Bright sunshine was pouring down on us. It was the heaven for the angler who came from hot and humid Japan. However, when we changed to the domestic airline and got off at Kamloops, I felt something tense in the fresh air. Vancouver lies on the coast, whereas Kamloops is rather inland. The weather is not mild there. Fresh air in the airport made me anticipate awfully cold morning and evening.

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Two lakes stretched from the end of the lodge yard. The smaller one is Flapjack.
The people waiting for us gave us a lift and we headed straight for the mountain area. The mountains were not high but stretched long and low suitable for hiking.

On the way we saw strange scenery of bare mountains. It was unlikely that all the trees were cut down. Our guide said it was a desert. My image of desert had been limited to Arizona's or Australia's but I knew the dry land with scarce rain in any season is called a desert, too.

When I was impressed with bits of knowledge another scenery suddenly amazed me. A huge river I had never seen flowed in front of me. How wide and how rich it flows! Clear blue huge channel flowed calmly. I did not believe it was a river but felt as if the whole lake was flowing. I was surprised at its extraordinary scale and just stood in utter amazement at the bank.

It was the Thompson River. Its name rang a bell but I could not imagine I would fish there some years later.
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A Kamloops trout of 30cm. It is not big enough to show its character.

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Meadow Lake in the evening. Soon small rainbow trout began to rise.

Meadow Lake

At the entrance of mountain road we changed into a large car with four-wheel drive and arrived at the lodge. The sign read "Meadow Lake Lodge" on the log house. A lake spread to the both sides in front. It looked like one lake but actually two separated lakes. One was named Meadow Lake. It was almost the evening and countless rises were found on the calm surface. People taught all the rises were made by rainbow trout. A tip of new information drove away my fatigue of the journey. Immediately I started preparation for next morning fishing.

Jet lag made me wake up early in the morning and I took a walk near the cabin. Like in the previous night, some rises appeared and disappeared on Meadow Lake and the next lake, Flapjack. A lot of fish seemed to stay there.

The lodge owner explained the detail of the situation as the first morning service. There were 10 lakes around the lodge and 5 of them were within 10-minute walk. There were only 10 anglers. It was heaven, indeed.
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I fished Meadow Lake in the afternoon. An average fish size of this lake was from 30 to 40cm. Both their bite and fighting were wilder than the same sized fish in Japan.

My first day fishing started in Meadow Lake in front of the lodge. The weather was fine and there was no wind. The lake was completely calm except for occasional ripples. Birds sang only sometimes. I sailed towards the opposite side of the lodge and started fishing at the spot where I had been taught.

At first I cast dry fly without any expectation because I had read the story about a lot of catch with Sedge. I kept casting Sedge for half an hour, moving the boat. Apart from scenery I felt as if I were fishing in Marunuma in Japan. Unfortunately only young of rainbow trout under 20cm came to Sedge.

Then the lake became calmer and calmer. I dropped the anchor. Then I changed dry fly into wet fly. I chose type II sinking line, 2X leader and size 10 Alexandra. It was almost 9a.m.

I cast the line as far as possible, waited for a while and retrieved the line. I got no bite although I changed the waiting seconds or wet fly pattern. I remembered the lodge owner had said that I would be able to catch after 10a.m. I continued to fish as I checked the watch.
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In the evening fish made rises to insects on the surface but most of them were small fish.

Breakfast Time

It was 10a.m. But the lake was still calm and there was no wind or sound. Nothing was changed. He said I would be able to catch after 10a.m. but what made him say so. There has been no change today, so is it an exceptional day?

Suddenly my line was pulled. It was a wild pull I had never experienced in Japan. Immediately after I raised the rod, a fish jumped from the surface. A rainbow trout! I knew the lake had only rainbow trout. But when the fish I hooked jumped high in the air, I said aloud unnecessarily, "A rainbow trout!"

Then I caught 3 rainbow trout one after another. They were from 30 to 40cm but pulled the line powerfully. I felt terrific to know how wild Kamloops trout were.

-- To be continued --
2001/12/16  KEN SAWADA
Tranlated into English by Miyoko Ohtake