www.kensawada.com
In the River OSHINO  --Vol.52--

A Brown Trout Gone Away

For a moment I could not move in front of the brown trout, which was still moving its gill covers in the river in Oshino. Then I looked around. To my surprise, there was another brown trout a little downstream. Because my eyes had been riveted on the first one, I missed the second one. It was as big as the first one, over 50cm, which was a fair estimation, not including my expectation.

I was in two minds. I want to go back immediately to the car to fetch the rod. But if I move even a little, the fish will go away. I want to catch now but also love to watch this beautiful fish as long as possible.

I walked back with a stoop slowly and left there. Fortunately the brown trout stayed still. I ran up the embankment. I hurried to put the pieces of rod together and put the leader to it. Then I was at a loss. Which fly should I choose?
ff-52-1
The lower reaches of the river in Oshino in early 1970's. Both banks were completely covered with thickets. The brown trout was found at the opposite bank downstream in this photo. 10 years later Fujikyu Hotel was built on the mountain on the right side.

I had no time to lose. I put a big streamer in my fly box to the leader and dashed down the embankment. I thought that such a big brown trout never ate a tiny dry fly.

I stopped in front of reedy bush and watched the river. Here it is! The brown trout moved only a little upstream but stayed still there. I pushed reeds aside quietly and walked to the waterfront very carefully. The reed stalks were broken under my feet, making noises. I was nervous of those noises but the brown trout stayed still as if it heard nothing.

Walking through the reedy bush I let the streamer gone out of my right hand and began to swing the rod. The brown trout stayed within 5m. The fly settled on the surface above the fish head soon. It was about 1m deep. If the fish turn over, he will catch it in a moment. I waited for that moment, holding my breath.

But nothing happened. My streamer, yellow Taupo Tiger, was floating for a while and began to sink slowly beside the fish, while the fish did not move like it was sleeping.

If the fly moves, the fish might attack it. I raised the rod slowly. The fly in the water like a wasted thing moved quickly. On that moment I felt as if I had exchanged looks with the brown trout. However, it turned slowly and disappeared out of sight. Oh my God! Then I took a breath after holding it for so many minutes.
ff-52-2
Wild rose covered on the banks, watercress on the surface and hornwort under the water.

A Daydream

My experience was not an illusion. It happened in midday. It might be unbelievable but actually I saw trout in this river. I saw brown trout, the most difficult trout to catch, the wildest ones and also graceful ones in Schubert's music. They really stayed here!

I walked back downstream. I looked for that brown trout thoroughly at the missing point, then downstream. I could not find a tiny killifish, much less a brown trout. The water was clear and fish had nowhere to hide in the bottom. Where has such a big fish gone? I walked among the reedy bush but found nothing. I gave up and headed upstream although I had left my heart behind.

I had to make a detour of steep embankment and then the river flowed through the field. Large lava boulder appeared here and there. The river flowed calmly but swiftly. As trees stretched their branches along the river, I could not see through the water.

Then I reached a place with a fine view. But the water surface was completely covered with watercress, which did not allow me to see through it. The flow hit the bank, where the tree roots stretched. There was a hollow under roots but I could not see through the water from the bank again.

I walked farther upstream and crossed a red bridge. The river bottom was covered with many pieces of fine hornwort here. They grew up long and were dancing in the flow. There were a lot of empty spaces under them but I could not see through them again. What a good river! The whole river has so many hiding places! I would not have noticed a 60cm fish, even 1m one.

ff-52-3
A mountain stream in the Japan South Alps. It is light and open, unlike Oshino.
I enjoyed casting the line far away to fish this large pool. Later I made it my rule to fish char and yamame trout here and drop in at Oshino on the way home.

The Self-Defense Force Bridge

There were plenty of footsteps along the river. I walked farther upstream, following them. After I walked up a steep slope I saw the river take a big curve. The place looked like a garden and actually there was an old hot-spring hotel of Oshino. Outside the curve big trees stretched their roots. There was a long hollow under the roots, which made me impossible to see through the water. There was no single ripple. It was very quiet.

There was a channel at the edge of the hot spring. The second sluice gate was ahead of it. I made a detour of the barrier of artificial dam. Then I saw paddy fields on the right bank side. Ahead of them there was an old bridge that I had seen on my first visit. I learned later that it was called the Self-Defense Force Bridge because it led to the Self-Defense Force.

I headed for the bridge and found some people in strange costumes. Some others had a large reflector board or a megaphone. I thought they were making a film. Then I found two men with topknots and swords sitting. They were taking a period film.

When I first came here the scenery looked somehow familiar to me. Now an actor of an ancient gambler walking on the bridge reminded me of the scenery. A lot of period films had been taken here. The river flowed through the paddy fields and there was an old crumbling wooden bridge. Over the paddy fields there was a pine wood, over there Mt.Fuji. It was surely the desirable location for period films.
ff-52-4
The lower reaches of the river in the spa of Oshino. At my first visit I miserably failed in casting. Later this spot became very popular among anglers who wanted to show their casting technique. Walking into the river for fishing gave trouble to other anglers and was not allowed.

I saw cameramen and actors several times again before the old wooden bridge was changed into a new concrete one several years later. Then only cameramen that wanted to take photos of Mt. Fuji came here. This spot looked still popular among them since I often saw my old scenery in many calendars and photo collections.

I headed upstream, walking under the old bridge. The paddy and other fields spread on the right bank side, while a thicket on the left bank. The bottom had more variety than the lower reaches and there were some deep pools here and there, too deep to see through. What fish were hiding here? I was excited and expected much because I had seen such big brown trout at the very ordinary lower reaches. I often stopped and saw through the bottom. I once saw a grey shadow move on the bottom farther upstream. There are some fish here upstream!

I cast the fly here and there. But I knew that I just swung the rod. It was not proper fishing. Soon the sun was clouded and it suddenly became cold. I could not see through the bottom at all. Probably the season was too early for fishing. I left Oshino. But I could not forget that pale green brown trout all the way home.

-- To be continued --
2002/08/18  KEN SAWADA
Tranlated into English by Miyoko Ohtake