The hot days continue, don't they? It's often said that "summer heat lasts until Obon," but in recent years, due to the intense heat, I feel that the lingering summer heat remains quite severe even after Obon. I wonder what it will be like this year?
I'm incredibly sensitive to the heat, so I always try to choose the coolest possible places for my summer rides. In seasons like this, I naturally tend to incorporate rides that involve being near the water. If you also enjoy fishing, I would highly recommend trying your hand at mountain stream fishing via BikeToFishing this summer.
So, I once again biked to the mountain streams this year, which has become a summer routine for me over the past few years. However, with the recent concerns about bears, I wanted to avoid going solo as much as possible. Since Itchi, who joined our EC team this spring, wanted to try mountain stream fishing, we went together the other day. 🚲🎣
As for the results of the catch, including for Itchi on his first mountain stream trip, I'll report on that in the latter half. Since I went into this trip with significant gear updates, I'd like to share those with you.
Bike : SKLAR BIKES / PBJ
First and foremost, this is it. This was my first time using the SKLAR / PBJ for BikeToFishing. This is the biggest update.
Basically, the approach is mostly uphill = the way back is mostly downhill, and there are some unpaved sections, so any gravel-style bike would work, and drop bars would be fine too. But considering the peace of mind when carrying gear and the fun of the descent, the versatility of this PBJ as an all-terrain bike really makes a difference.
Moreover, with a style of fishing where you bike to the stream and then hike upstream to fish, you're pretty exhausted by the time you're done. When you're that tired, having the confident handling of the PBJ on the way back down is a huge help.
Wet Wading : SHIMANO
It's not a bicycle update, but for this trip, I switched from wearing waders to a style called "wet wading."
This involves choosing clothing that is meant to get wet, paired with dedicated gaiters and socks. I wouldn't recommend this in early spring when the air and water temperatures are still low, but it's perfectly fine in the summer. Thanks to this, my gear and luggage are much simpler, making it an unsung hero of these updates.
By the way,
Pants: Yamatomichi 5-Pocket Pants
Gaiters & Socks: SHIMANO / Standard Gaiters
Shoes: SHIMANO / Wading Shoes with Wool Felt Pins (successor model)
This is the combination I'm using.
If it gets even hotter, I think the Light 5-Pocket Pants would be good, but personally, I prefer the basic 5-Pocket Pants because the fabric is more durable (since I’m clumsy and worry about tearing them if I fall) and because I’m not worried about quick-drying properties, given that I'm going to get wet anyway.
Front Bag : OUTER SHELL 137 Basket Bag + RATKING FRAMES Rip Rack
As for packing, since my tour with Adam and the others last autumn, I’ve been using the combination of the OUTER SHELL 137 Basket Bag and the RATKING FRAMES Rip Rack, which has been useful for everything from daily commutes to touring. I’ve settled on just tying the rod to the top tube.
In the basket bag, I store the gaiters and socks that I take off while riding, as well as my keys and puncture repair kit. Of course, there is still plenty of space, but that was actually the point this time.
Cooler Bag : SHIMANO Mini Cooler Bag Pro
I wanted to put this cooler bag in that empty space to carry it to the fishing spot. I was worried it might fall off if I tied it directly to the rack for the descent, so my strategy was to put it in the basket bag.
It fits perfectly in the basket bag, along with the aforementioned keys, gaiters & socks, and the puncture repair kit.
I put ice packs, a frozen drink, and a Coolish in it, and I think I left it for about 7 hours. When I checked the Coolish after returning from fishing, it had melted, but it was still well-chilled and tasted great.
Honestly, when it’s this hot, regardless of the intensity of your ride, I think having a cooler bag like this is a wise choice. It's also very easy to use for bringing lunch to work, so I highly recommend it. It's definitely the number one thing I've bought this summer that I'm glad I did.
Sandal : BEDROCK SANDALS Rockhound Sandals – Premium Nubuck Leather
I wear wading shoes during the ride and fishing, but I wear the BEDROCK Rockhound sandals when driving.
I've been wearing them in earnest since this summer as they can also be used as relaxing shoes after fishing, but I highly recommend them for when you want to go out in the neighborhood or when you're driving to go for a ride or other outdoor activities.
Although I haven't gone out of my way to soak them in oil yet, the nubuck is looking nice as skin oils have soaked in (especially on the footbed), and I plan to break them in even more from here.
And as for the results of the fishing...
Due to my lack of skill, I wasn't able to help Itchi catch his first fish, and I only managed to catch one myself, which was a frustrating result.
Vowing to get my revenge, I left the mountain stream for the day.
Well, days like this happen. But I'll call it a win since I got to enjoy a rewarding forest road downhill on the way back (lol).
It looked like Icchi also enjoyed his first mountain stream BikeToFishing session on his Black Mountain Cycles La Cabra, a bike he’s been riding since his previous job. We swapped bikes midway through, and I was surprised at how much snappier it rode than I had imagined. For the record, he completely left me behind on the climbs (lol).
I highly recommend swapping bikes with someone to compare like this—it’s a great way to rediscover the characteristics of your own ride. It was a good opportunity for me to confirm that for cases where I want that extra sense of security on descents while fully loaded, or when I really want to charge hard on unpaved roads and trails, the PBJ is still the right fit for me.
And that’s it for this update on my BikeToFishing gear setup.
I’ve covered previous BikeToFishing trips on the blog as well, so if you’re thinking about giving it a try, be sure to check those out!
