The 51st Meetup: Kasumigaura, October 2-4, 2015

 
Participants: Cob-chan, Yasuko-san, Miwa
 
On the second day afternoon, Cob-chan and his wife Yasuko-san arrived at the fishing spot. Despite the early summer-like temperature and strong headwind, they struggled to set up. Miwa arrived at 9:30 pm when the wind had already calmed down. They set up their equipment while checking the bottom of the lake. Afterward, the three of them chatted and before they knew it, it was past midnight, so they decided to continue in the morning and went to sleep.
 

 
The following morning, Miwa had three bites, but they were all small carp. Cob-chan and his wife didn't get any bites during the night. This time, they focused on catching Black Carp, using a large hook size 15 for sea bream and baiting with larger round snails to prevent small carp from approaching. It seemed like their strategy was working. They carefully cast their bait in the morning and prepared for the daytime bites. Yasuko-san took a solo walk along the embankment and the rice field path behind it. When she returned, she had a bucket full of snails. During this season, snails gather in the puddles of the rice field, and it was a delightful environment for Yasuko-san, who lives in the city.
 
They had a barbecue for lunch. They first put black-haired wagyu beef on the charcoal grill, quickly searing the surface. Then they grilled vegetables and Nagoya Cochin chicken skewers. The taste was so good that they almost forgot they came here for fishing. Cob-chan, who was in charge of cooking, never compromises on the quality of ingredients. He usually cooks at home, and his skill and efficiency are impressive.
 

 
After the meal, Yasuko-san finally had a long-awaited bite on her fishing rod. However, unfortunately, she couldn't hook the fish. She reset the bait and cast it again. Although they had high hopes for more bites, everyone ended up taking a nap due to the drowsiness caused by a full stomach. They could rest comfortably in the car with a moderate breeze passing through.
 
When they woke up during tea time, Yasuko-san's rod had another bite! It was the same rod as before. Since there was no clicking sound, they observed for a moment and noticed that the line was slackening. Cob-chan handed the rod to Yasuko-san and tried to stop the fish from moving slowly to the left by raising the rod, but the fish forcefully pulled the line. Yasuko-san squatted down, and Cob-chan assisted her by supporting her rod. Cob-chan observed the situation and went to get the landing net. However, the rod couldn't stand the pressure, and they couldn't reel in the fish. The line mercilessly continued to be pulled out. It was a desperate struggle. Cob-chan gradually reeled in the line while moving closer to the fish. Yasuko-san didn't have enough energy to make a sudden final push. It was a test of endurance until the fish exhausted itself. Cob-chan positioned himself ready to land the fish and stared at the water surface.
 
Finally, they saw a fish emerge, much larger than they expected. It was an oversized Black Carp. After a while, the fish started to lie down as if it had run out of strength. Cob-chan swiftly netted it! Miwa and Cob-chan pulled the fish out of the water. Yasuko-san, faced with a fish almost as tall as herself, felt a mixture of surprise and joy. They gently held its fin, praying that it wouldn't thrash around, and took a commemorative photo.
 

 
In the midst of the lingering excitement, it suddenly became dusk. Cob-chan, the chef, prepared a chicken hot pot once again. They enjoyed eating the hot pot and finished with a bowl of rice porridge in the slightly chilly weather under the starry sky while having a leisurely conversation.
 
While they were immersed in such a blissful mood, Cob-chan's rod suddenly had a hit! The fish swam around, tangling with the lines of the adjacent rods. It was a difficult task to untangle the lines under the illumination of the light. They made up their minds and pulled the two lines while holding them. Then they landed the fish after cutting the lines and Miwa helped. Cob-chan seemed a bit dissatisfied as he went after Yasuko-san, but they caught a splendid Black Carp. Cob-chan's setup, targeting only Black Carp, turned out to be the right choice.
 
On the final morning, there was no wind, and the lake surface was calm like a mirror. From the early morning until the golden time at 10 o'clock, the sensor didn't ring, so they decided to pack up early. Miwa caught two carp on the second day, totaling five catches. Unfortunately, they didn't catch any big fish, but they still had a good time. Cob-chan and his wife caught one Black Carp each and were extremely satisfied. They took a commemorative photo together and ended the trip.