【Fishing】I went to "Okutama River Trout Fishing," where you can enjoy stream fishing even during the closed season

Although it’s the closed season, I discovered information about "Okutama River Winter Rainbow Trout Fishing.” Although I have never caught a rainbow trout, just being able to return to a native stream is exciting. After trying various spots, will I be able to catch a rainbow trout!?

The Okutama River allows you to enjoy rainbow trout fishing until the end of the year, and there are many parking lots

Source: Okutama Fishing Cooperative.

In October, many areas entered their closed season for stream fishing. Amidst this, the Okutama River is a spot where you can enjoy rainbow trout fishing until the end of the year. There are also free parking lots along the riverside for tourists, so you can access the river without having to walk long distances.

However, fishing spots with good access also have high competition and seem to be difficult. For now, I decided to give it a try.

First, I came to the classic spot near the Kawai Dam. Even on a weekday, a while after the stock release, I confirmed it was a competitive area as I spotted a few anglers. I thought, "There's probably no chance of catching anything," but still descended to the river with a little hope.

Due to the river having a lot of water and many fast-flowing areas, points where fishing is easy are limited. Fish tend to gather in drops like this weir, so the expectations seem high.

With high hopes, I cast my lure, but perhaps due to the presence of anglers just moments ago, there was no response at all. I moved on to the next spot.

Ozure Sake Brewery, which has become a tourist spot, is struggling at nearby points.

Next, we headed to a spot near Ozawa Brewery, famous for its local sake "Sawanoi." This is a place where many tourists gather, and you can access the river by entering along the riverside promenade. Walking with a fishing rod in a trendy tourist area with stylish cafes might seem out of place, but I’m so focused on fish that I don't mind at all.

Unlike near the Kawai Dam earlier, the water was flowing rapidly here. It was difficult to control the lure, and I didn't feel like I could catch anything with my skills. I usually focused on narrow streams where I could easily walk upstream, so choosing the right spots was quite a challenge. I thought it would be tough since some time had passed since the last stocking, so I decided to come back to match the timing of the most recent release.

The area near Sunbashi after the release is also crowded and tough!?

The day after the release, I arrived at a spot near "Suniwa Bridge" that I had my eye on. By the time I got there, there were many cars in the parking lot, making me acutely aware of my poor foresight. As I got a little closer to the river, I saw 4 or 5 other anglers. I also noticed a few people who had already finished fishing, so the fish in the area must be more wary.

Despite unexpectedly chasing some fish, I couldn't get them to bite, and after they figured out the lure, I didn't see any more of them. When I spoke to other anglers, they mentioned that they also couldn't see any fish. I'm not sure if they were all fished out on stocking day or if they had become wary, but it certainly seems like a tough spot for amateurs like me.

Thinking that I should take a different approach from other anglers, I decided to devise a plan.

I bent my rod with a strategy to deliberately avoid rivals!

I thought the key was to find a "fishing spot with no one around," so I prioritized avoiding other anglers by seeking out areas without stocking. As a result, I ended up at a place like a camping site, "Yuzuki's Riverside," which has many campers and riverplay users. Just as planned, there were no anglers, only campers. Now all I can do is hope that the fish released upstream have flowed down here.

The current was gentle, and the environment felt very nice. While I was mindlessly casting my lure, suddenly the rod bent, and the reel's drag began to sound loudly! The opportunity I thought I had missed appeared right before my eyes, and my excitement shot up! The pull of the fish was strong, and I kept reeling in to avoid losing it while pulling in the line.

My choice paid off, and I caught a rainbow trout.

It seems that the hook was set firmly, and I was able to successfully catch it. Since stocked fish have small fins, they are often swept away from the stocking locations. I'm not sure if this individual applies, but it's certainly true that the strategy of deliberately moving away from the stocking spot worked. Trusting my own intuition of "it would be interesting if I could catch something here," I was able to thoroughly enjoy fishing.

Even in November, stocking is carried out mainly from the middle to the lower stream, so for anglers feeling a sense of loss during the closed season, how about visiting Okutama?

Interview/Article by Kazuma Tanaka

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