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An introduction of Japanese char "Iwana".

Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Freshwater Fishing
Forum Name: Freshwater Fission
Forum Description: The place to discuss all matters related to freshwater fishing!
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=132053
Printed Date: 29 Mar 2024 at 8:38am


Topic: An introduction of Japanese char "Iwana".
Posted By: GO-Ito
Subject: An introduction of Japanese char "Iwana".
Date Posted: 08 Oct 2019 at 11:14pm
Dear all forum members

Mr Mudfish marquand gave me a request for some pictures of "Iwana" and "Yamame". They are both popular angling targets in Japan.

Unfortunately, I can not fish Yamame near my place. So please enjoy the photos of Iwana.

"Iwana" means "fish of rocks/boulders" because they tend to stay  under the rocks or in the slits of boulders. 




I caught the char above at this pool.


Another Iwana.
 



Replies:
Posted By: Mudfish marquand
Date Posted: 11 Oct 2019 at 6:08am
Hi GO-ito.
Many thanks for posting the pictures of the iwana. Could you please tell us about the fishing method and what weight gear you use to catch these beautiful fish.
Really appreciate you sharing you pictures and knowledge.
Cheers


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On the fly or not interested.


Posted By: GO-Ito
Date Posted: 14 Oct 2019 at 4:17pm
Dear Mudfish marquand

Thank you for your reply.

To be honest, I caught those Iwana in the photos with spinning tackle and minnow type hard-plastic "lure".

I do enjoy fly fishing but these days so many fly or bait anglers are on my favourite streams. There is too much fishing pressure on the fishes. So I choose an easy and quick way to fish them.

Besides, my best fishing buddy, my uncle, does not fly fish, he does spin fishing only. He is 65 years old now and can not walk along the stream so long distance. So we fish only each likely spot by moving his car.

At any rate, what I have written so far is just my excuse.

When I fly fish to catch Iwana on my favourite streams, I use a 3-weight, 8ft-6in rod and a floating line with 12ft tapered leader and 5 to 6X, 3-4ft tippet. These setup suit for dry flies and nymphs with a yarn indicator. If I try to use two wet flies or bigger lure like a woolly bugger, I would select 4 or 5 weight, 8 to 9ft rod.

Some anglers use 2 or even 1-weight, very light rods, but I recommend 3-weight rod.

Today, among many Japanese anglers, parachute type flies are very popular and they work well. From June to September, Iwana tend to focus on the terrestrials so I use a parachute-beetle dry fly.

wing: brown hen hackle
body: peacock herl
wing post: white/pink aero dry wing(a product by Tiemco of Japan)

https://www.tiemco.co.jp/eng/groups/view/208" rel="nofollow - https://www.tiemco.co.jp/eng/groups/view/208

hook:size10-14

After my first fishing trip to NZ in 1997, I tried Royal Wulfs for Iwana, they worked quite well on Japanese mountain streams.

I have to practice fly fishing more and more to prepare my next trip to NZ!

Please ask any other question.

Cheers,

GO






Posted By: Mudfish marquand
Date Posted: 14 Oct 2019 at 5:17pm
Hi GO.
 
Thank you very much for your informative reply. I can think of nothing that would give me more pleasure than walking your small streams and creeks with a 3 weight targetting your salmonid species. Your post is very much appreciated.
 
 Cheers, Dick


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On the fly or not interested.


Posted By: spin king
Date Posted: 14 Oct 2019 at 9:41pm
I'm no fly fisherman but I'm really enjoying these posts! if you are ever in Auckland id like to show you my favorite local small rainbow trout stream, not big fish but very technical and fun


Posted By: Fraser Hocks
Date Posted: 15 Oct 2019 at 1:12pm
Yea there is some pretty cool fly fishing a short train ride out of Tokyo from what I understand.  I love fishing small streams so its the style of fishing right up my alley. 


Posted By: GO-Ito
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2019 at 3:15am
Dear spin king,

Hi! Thank you for your kind reply.

I used to live in Greenlane for 9 months to study English. Almost every Sunday, I went to the Ladies Bay and enjoyed spin fishing for kahawai by using metal jigs.

Then I moved to Hamilton and studied at the Waikato Univ. for 3 years.

So we might know the same stream! There were so many "cute" rainbows, I still love the stream so much.

Please enjoy your fishing.

Cheers,

GO


Posted By: GO-Ito
Date Posted: 17 Oct 2019 at 3:37am
Dear Fraser Hocks,

Hi! Thank you for your reply.

I live in Aichi prefecture, Japan, about 300km away from Tokyo, so I do not have much information about fly fishing near the huge urban area. I caught the Iwana in the photos of this topic in a small mountain stream near Mt. Ontake-san of Nagano prefecture.

I love fishing small streams too. But in NZ, sometimes quite a small stream holds many big trout. It is a really amazing thing for me.

Tight lines,

GO



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