Monday

serendipity

This is time for lenoks. The weather was proudly perfect for their habitat (and us anglers, too). It was an earlier Sunday morning that Ksanchun and I decided to go on a long-overdue expedition in gangwon-province. Ksanchun’s invincible “remote office” is indeed a vehicle to perform various tasks including running at 65 mph.

Destination: HJ Valley - a two-hour east of Seoul, a small creek running through villages. I’ve never been to the place but my utmost trust for Ksanchun’s animal instinct and his experience told me that this is the place we can have total fun.

We started throwing lines around 9 am and for a while there hasn’t even been a nibble. Water temperature rose to 6 deg C but still cold for lenoks being active. Ksanchun caught the first one and we both witnessed the decent sized lenoks.

Just before the lunch break, we arrived at a shallow run right next to a local bed & breakfast. Ksanchun ostentatiously threw a long cast, and holy mother of Budda, a 28 cm-long lenok was fighting at the end of the line. I couldn’t do anything but sneak to the place where he caught the big one. And I started throwing lines wishing I had the same luck. My brown caddis was gliding on the surface passing the spot. Nothing happened. “Hey, Ksanchun, what did you use for the hook? Mine doesn’t...” Even before I finished the sentence, there was a splash catching my attention. Another big one from the point - a bigger one, exactly 31 cm! It was 대박. We didn’t expect the second one from the spot!

We were ready to take off to lunch. But, you know Ksanchun, he never stops. He decided to give it another try. We heard that big ones gather together and usually you see more than one big boy in a pool. But we already met 2 relatively big ones here! I don’t think Ksanchun truly expected to catch another one there, either.

He successfully presented the line where he should. His light brown midge naturally flowed down the run and moved toward the shore. The color of water, the bottom of the water to be exact, was too light, which means there are no sizable rocks for fish to hide. But, what do you know? There was a big movement, and that time we both knew this was the biggest of the three!

A 38-cm, sepia-colored body with vivid black dots.

I called it a pure luck and Ksanchun doesn’t think it is.









10 comments:

  1. 형 – 역쉬이 – 내가 그동안 나름대로 감성적인 글로 형에게 잘보이려고 하다가, 그냥 조용히 컴퓨터를 닫아버리고 싶네요. 형 글쓰는것은 알아줘야해 - 정말 잘쓰시네요. 절제되었지만 왕웃낀 농담, 무겁지 않지만 정곡을 찌르는 관찰력, 그리고 내가 제일 좋아하는 형 표정이랑 똑같은 형에 서법. 즐겁게 읽었습니다.

    Way to go bro.

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  2. 아이고 별말씀. 이거 왜 이러십니까? You were totally missed, GF. We mean it. Let's plan a trip before the icy winter's coming.

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  3. BTW - the photo of the tail is really nice. Just look at the depth of the color on that thing.

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  4. Man~ reading this, I feel like I am there again. Soboro, thanks for the great words and photos.

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  5. 쌩쑈들하고있네.. 허리아파 낚시 못하는사람 서러워서 참나...

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  6. you guys rule. I can't believe I'm here and not fishing. I can go when I find a job!

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  7. mrlee, looking forward to meeting you and fishing together soon.

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  8. Charles, I was just testing to see where to take you when you come on over to Korea next time. Just get well with you back, I am all ready to guide you to great locations bro.

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  9. CharlesTheFishFinder, stop giving excuses and start packing! (Get well soon.)

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  10. Thanks for warm wishes. I will make sure to get some steroid shots before the trip.

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