Beautiful scenery and promising fields.
At 3:00 a.m., rubbing my sleepy eyes, the second day started. Our destination was Lake Kussharo, which, like Lake Akan, is located in Akan-Mashu National Park. It takes about an hour by car to get there, dodging Ezo sika deer and foxes that run along the road at night. It was still pitch dark, and when we looked up, the sky was full of stars, giving us a sense of good fortune. We met our guide for the day and proceeded through a wooded area, crossing a river to the lakeside where we would find our spot. Already, other anglers are swinging their rods. They are enjoying fishing before work.
Ichikawa:I was surprised to see so many people here even in the dark on a weekday. Trout fishing must be very familiar to people in Hokkaido.
We, too, were ready to get started! After a little while, the morning glow lit up the lake, creating a fantastic scene. Occasionally, fish would break the surface of the water and jump out of the water, keeping the tension high. The temperature is 0 degrees Celsius. The crisp cold weather, which we are experiencing for the first time this year, feels good.
Ishii:This view blew away my sleepiness. Small fish are swimming well, too, so I'd like to fish using yesterday's reflection.
Ikemoto:It's so pleasant that I feel like I'm in a daze. The fishermen next door were boiling water and eating breakfast, and the relaxed atmosphere was also pleasant.
Lake Kussharo is the largest caldera lake in Japan, and the species of fish that can be caught are the same as those of Lake Akan. Among them, rainbow trout are caught especially well. On this day, we mainly cast spoons.
Komatsu:There are quite a few fish jumping. There is a river flowing in and the terrain is steep and deep. Today looks promising!
With great anticipation, I moved the lure this way and that. Just as the sun was rising, I caught the first fish of the day! It was caught by a Daiwa staff member. It was a good-sized sea bream.
Hearing that the hit color was silver and blue, the members immediately changed lures. We tried a slightly heavier spoon, a minnow, and so on. The guide told us that if we missed the first morning, the fishing would be very slow in this area. There is still time for anglers to have a chance!
