Spring Mountain Stream Fishing by Bicycle
As dawn broke, I pedaled my bike out, making my way along a dimly lit forest road with only the light from my hub dynamo to guide me. It was a bit chilly at first, but my body warmed up in no time, leaving me slightly sweaty. My Doppo is set up with a 1x9 drivetrain, which isn't exactly a light gear ratio, but for some reason, my legs felt light as I pedaled.
And so, the other day, I headed out for my first BikeToFishing trip of the season!
My buddy for the trip was Kodamatchi. I hadn't been mountain stream fishing since I was taken by master potter Oe-san two years ago, and for Kodamatchi, this was his first time challenging the mountain streams, so we both headed off to a spot that had opened for the season not long ago.
After about an hour and a half of climbing the forest road, we stashed our bikes near our target spot, sorted our gear, and headed into the stream. Fortunately, there were no anglers ahead of us, and my heart was pounding with anticipation.
I’d promised Kodamatchi we’d go fishing for a while now, and since we both prefer using lures, we actually both ended up getting the same Shimano trout rod.
We fished our way upstream, suppressing our excitement to see who would be the first to "baptize" the rod (*a term for catching your first fish with new gear). Our strategy was to rotate the lead whenever someone caught a fish.
Honestly, I thought we would get a bite relatively early on, but even though a few fish chased our lures, we got no takes. Time slipped away mercilessly, and just as I started to feel a bit anxious, my rod finally got a hit.
The long-awaited first catch was a beautiful char. Regardless of size, that first fish on a trip is always a happy milestone.
Now that we had avoided a "skunked" trip, I felt much more relaxed (haha). Kodamatchi also landed his long-awaited fish, and we moved upstream at a good rhythm. Since we were at a high altitude, I wasn't sure what to wear until the last minute, but the sun came out and it was a comfortable day, perfect for wearing my brand-new RAL Shirts.
I started to get a feel for where the fish liked to hide and the trends for the day. Just after I managed to cast my lure exactly where I thought would be a good spot, I got the most solid bite of the day.
After a careful fight, I brought in a good-sized char. I hadn't brought a scale, but after marking my landing net and measuring it at home, it turned out to be over 30cm. I managed to catch a "shaku" (30cm+) char on my very first trip of the year. Truly beginner's luck.
After a lunch break, Kodamatchi added a few more fish to his tally, and we finished the day feeling fully satisfied.
The forest road that we had climbed so desperately was a breeze to descend in no time. A downhill ride after a good day of fishing is truly special. Once we got back to the car, we cracked open some ice-cold drinks from the SHIMANO / Vaciland cooler we had packed, and then headed home.
Doppo ATB / BikeToFishing Style
This time, we both used our Doppo ATBs for BikeToFishing, but our assembly and packing styles differed, so I'd like to share them. Mountain stream fishing doesn't require a lot of gear, so I hope this helps those who are considering accessing spots by bicycle.
My trusty My Doppo. For forest road approaches, I strap my waders to the SIMWORKS BY NITTO / Burrito Rack that was released recently, and put them on once I reach the top. I strap the rod to the frame, and keep the reel and a flat repair kit in an OUTERSHELL / Half Framebag.
This is what I look like when I fish. To avoid unnecessary baggage, I wear my wading shoes during the ride as well. I chose the RAL Shirts in Sand to blend in with nature and not spook the fish.
Lightweight Setup: Doppo ATB Mountain Stream Equipment
On the other hand, Kodamatchi used an early ATB prototype with a flawless three-piece setup from tade qui (who recently held a POPUP EVENT at our shop): the "cafe racer" front bag, "Hang out" frame bag, and "camp trooper" rear bag.
And! Hosokawa-san from tade qui was kind enough to provide a dedicated roll bag for his rod, allowing him to pack it super smartly. I'm so jealous, Kodamatchi. By the way, we are planning to introduce some of tade qui's stock items soon, so stay tuned!
He packed his reel and change of clothes in the rear bag, and his food and landing net in the front bag. He wore felt-soled wading shoes from the start, and it was impressive how he was able to pedal without stress thanks to the SIMWORKS BY MKS / Taco Pedal he’s been using for a while now.
That's Kodamatchi's style.
Unlike the waders I wear, the "wet wading" style—wearing tights and gaiters with the assumption that you'll get wet—isn't bulky and makes it easier to move, with the added benefit of being able to bike in that gear. Because of this, his luggage remained quite light.
You can bike while wearing waders, but it does get humid and uncomfortable, so it's wiser to pack them for the approach. As it gets hotter, wet wading gear will become the better choice, so I'm thinking about setting up that gear, all while wondering which mountain stream I should head to next.
