Hi there. It's Shige, a member of the BikeToFishing Association (which I just started on a whim).
Among my cycling friends, there are those who have enjoyed fishing for a long time, and others who have recently taken it up, so our conversations often end up revolving around fishing. This story is about a fishing trip that was decided on because we got so excited talking about it.
Yamabushi Trail Tour / Lodge Mondo's familiar West Izu boss, Matsujun. As it turns out, he's also a fishing enthusiast and guides kayak fishing tours in West Izu called Mondo Fishing.
Since Matsujun mentioned he wanted to take his kayaks out on Lake Biwa, and I consider myself somewhat knowledgeable about the lake, I organized a Lake Biwa kayak fishing trip. We aimed for a time when Matsujun would be on a business trip near Nagoya and held a two-day Lake Biwa training camp! Once they got wind of how fun this was bound to be, RAWLOW MOUNTAIN WORKS' Ryotaro and HIKER TRASH's Iwashi-kun, two guys who are always up for anything, joined in.
Since Matsujun was on a business trip to guide a kayak tour, he brought five (!) of the actual kayaks they use for tours on a trailer from Izu and met us on-site. We used a spot I had scouted out beforehand as our base for easy boat launching and immediately started our preparations.
The kayaks used by Mondo Fishing are pedal-driven kayaks called Hobie kayaks. Before we set off, Matsujun gave us lessons on everything from rigging to steering, and finally, it was time for our nerve-wracking departure.
These Hobie kayaks are built with open-ocean navigation in mind, so they move quite smoothly. I was impressed by their propulsion. Since I usually only fish from the shore and had never been out on the open water, I headed toward spots I had been curious about. However, the strong winds typical of this season meant it was dangerous to go too far out, so we decided to fish while getting used to steering in places where we could avoid the wind. Even though it's a lake, Lake Biwa gets incredibly rough, and since you're dealing with nature, complacency is forbidden.
As expected, before the prime time in the evening, the wind got stronger and stronger, and we judged that continuing would be difficult. We returned to the launch site with great caution. On the first day, despite struggling with the wind, I managed to catch one barbel steed. I had naively expected that going offshore would mean catching more fish, but it doesn't always go so smoothly (lol).
On the second day, the rough weather from the previous day had calmed down, and we headed out right after dawn.
Thanks to the experience from the first day, I got used to steering quickly and set my sights on the spots I wanted to hit. The more you pedal, the faster you go, so I ended up putting quite a bit of effort into pedaling. It feels somewhat similar to riding a recumbent bike. It's just between us, but although I didn't catch that many fish, my legs were starting to cramp up.
Matsujun's kayak was equipped with a fish finder, allowing us to explore water depth, changes in the lake bed, and the presence of small bait fish, which let us target fish more efficiently. This was very refreshing, as it's something I can't do in my normal fishing routine. Being able to see where things suddenly get deeper and comparing that to the parts I already know will definitely be useful for my future catches.
In the early hours before the sun got too high, it seemed like the fish were actively chasing bait, so I followed the shoreline in areas inaccessible from land and explored shallower spots with good rhythm. This is the real thrill of kayaking! Just when I thought I’d cast my lure along a perfect path, my rod bent sharply...
I caught a beautiful bass, though it wasn't huge. Reading the progress of the season and the conditions of the lake, building a strategy for your fishing with your own hypotheses and lures, and then getting an answer back from the fish—I think this is the joy of bass fishing.
The biggest advantage of the pedal-style Hobie kayak is that it leaves both your hands free.
Unlike standard paddle-style kayaks, you can steer while fishing, which was incredibly comfortable. Since this was the first kayak I'd ever ridden, I honestly can't imagine using anything else now.
As for our results, Matsujun also achieved his goal of catching his first bass on Lake Biwa. Ryotaro-san also caught fish consistently. Sorry for the lack of important photos; I got too absorbed in my own fishing. That's a classic fisherman thing, right?
By the way, Iwashi-kun, who didn't catch any fish on the kayak, stayed behind the next day and caught a nice bass over 50cm from the shore. A true comeback grand slam. That guy really has the magic touch (lol).
Time flew by and it was time to pack up.
Man, I really enjoyed my first kayak fishing trip. Thank you, Matsujun!
Next time, I definitely want to try fishing in the ocean off Izu. I hear you can target mahi-mahi (dorado) between July and November, and I'd love to deep-fry whatever I catch. I wonder if there’s anywhere else in the world where you can ride trails and fish from a kayak in such a location? Being able to enjoy both the mountains and the sea in all directions is truly unique to Izu, so for all you self-proclaimed cyclist-anglers out there, you should definitely go enjoy Izu to the fullest with Yamabushi Trail Tour / Lodge Mondo / Mondo Fishing!
Oh, and actually, for this Lake Biwa camp, I brought along the Shimano Icebox I introduced recently.
I used the ST grade, which is the second lowest from the bottom. Since you can tell the grade by the color, those in the know would be like, "Oh, so you're using that grade," but sand beige is a great color, and above all, don't underestimate its capabilities.
I basically brought it to keep drinks and snacks stocked during rides and fishing trips. Of course, it's great in midsummer, but even in October, when we held our camp, the temperature inside the car rises during the day. Having a drink ice-cold even in those conditions means you can quench your thirst with a delicious drink when you return to your car after a ride or fishing.
Also, thanks to the double-hinged lid, you can open it from either side, which is stress-free even when storing it in a cramped car.
I actually loaded it onto the kayak and took it out on the lake, and this feature really helped me out.
As for the cooling performance, the ice I put in on the first morning did melt a little bit, but even by the afternoon of the second day, it still hadn't completely melted away. Since it's only October, I want to thoroughly test how well it holds up in the middle of summer next year, but personally, I have a great feeling that it's going to be a real weapon for me.
It's built robustly, so an adult sitting on it is no problem. The time spent sitting and relaxing with a cold drink after an activity is the best, isn't it? It's great for various outdoor fun like riding, fishing, and camping, so I really recommend it.
The first shipment arrived at Circles recently, and I was planning to introduce it properly, but thanks to everyone, it has already sold out... sorry about that. The next shipment for the Icebox is planned for the end of the year. For those who were interested, you'll have to wait a little while, but please look forward to it!