Japan – Fly Fishing Packlist 

An old timer once said “If you don’t pack it, you absolutely won’t have it at camp” We’ve compiled an abbreviated but essential packlist that will provide for a comfortable and successful flyfishing expedition. For this trip, rods and reels are available on site. For the prepared angler, here is a suggested list of items to enhance your days and nights afield. 

Fly fishing Rods – Hokkaido, Japan

• Rod #2 to #3 Cherry Trout & Iwana Char 
• Rod #4 to #5  – White Spotted Char – Miyabei
• Rod #5 to 6 Dace – Rainbow & Brown Trout

Trout Terminal Tackle

• 9ft-14ft Nylon leaders
• Tippet 1X – 8X
• Floatant / Sinkers
• Dessicant for Dry Flies
• Small Indicator (Airlock NZ)

Must have tools  

• Line Cutter “nips”
• Forceps + barb crusher
• Amadou Drying patch (Orvis)
• Hook Sharpening Hone

Wearables  

• Drab colored clothes
• Polarized Glasses
• Cap or Hat (Drab color)
• Warm hat “beanie”
• Rain Jacket
• Running leggings or shorts
• Fleece Jacket
• 2 pair of socks per day
• Camp shoes or slippers

Wading Gear

• Chest wader – Spring / Fall
• Wet Wader Socks (Late July to Early August)
• Studded Boots – Felt [ Disinefect before travel] 
• Staff – Optional [ Recommened] 

Camp Supplies

• Sleeping Bag rated to 32F / Zero C
• Camp Pillow
• Headlamp or Torch “Flashlight”
• Multi-tool / Knife
• Waterproof Bag or Pack
• Toilet Paper, Personal Kit

 Lodging & Camp Options

Welcome to the the heart of Japan’s trout, taimen, and char country. Great fishing, hospitable hosts & excellent cusine await the traveling fly fishing angler in Japan. The majority of guests opt for a local inn – campsite. We are currently working on an all-inclusive option and will update this page later this year. 

Area Information

Tokachi, Eastern Hokkaido and surrounded by Daisetsu-zan National Park to the north, Hidaka Sanmyaku-Erimo Quasi-National Park to the west with Akan National Park and Shiranuka Hills  to the east, and to the south the mouth of the Tokachi River greets the Pacific Ocean. From Sapporo, the drive takes around 2 hrs, 35 mintues.

The ecosystem of the Tokachi plain is rich in wildlife diversity with many unique species rarely observed elsewhere.  The Sakhalin “Itou” taimen is found in several streams and reservoirs in the area including the unique Miyabe char in Lake Shikaribetsu.

Lodging Options

 For more information on lodging, send us an email at [email protected]

For expat anglers living in Asia’s major cities, two days and one night at the lodge is a rejuvenating experience that is only a few hours flight from Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong or Singapore. 

Prime Fly Fishing 

Spring, Early Summer and Autumn host the most productive fly fishing in Japan.  For these reasons, spring and autumn dates are also the most popular with clients and tend to book up quickly

The Tokachi River

The Tokachi river is home to a variety of species including chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta, cherry salmon Oncorhynchus masou, white spotted char “Kundzha” Salvelinus leucomaenis leucomaenis plus a variety of other coastal and Pacific estuarine species.

The Tokachi watershed is the 2nd largest in Hokkaido only to the Ishikari River and her tributaries. Wading is not difficult with a stable gravel to sand bottom. The flow of the river is light to moderate.

Please indicate clearly your targeted species of pursuit in your message to provide you with  a more accurate snapshot in our email response.

• Rainbows – March to December
• Browns – March to December
• White Spotted Char – May to Oct
• Iwana Char – May to Oct
• Miyabe Char – June/Sept/Oct

Flyfishing Strategy 

There is an enormous amount of insects present in the summer months from mayflies, ants, caddis, moths, beetles, bugs, tree worms, and of course the infamous cicada hatch. Due to the sheer variety of food options, Hokkaido’s trout, especially the big boys, can get extremely selective from nature’s bountiful buffet.

Sometimes smaller fly patterns aren’t better. Bigger triggers in some cases. Medium to long, precision casts may be required in knee deep water for working dries through prime trout lays.

Stay hydrated! The hikes are not intense but you’ll be outdoors all day. Be alert for bears, wasps, and watch out for the greatest danger of all; tripping on a stump or rock. A sprained ankle can quickly put a damper on a good day on the water. Set hard when the strike happens and look for a safe place to land the fish. 3wts to 5wts are best suited for most applications.

Flyfishing Strategy 

Dry fly fishing with light tippets on small rods in the #2-3 class is the preferred method of fishing for many and can be very productive. Visually, dry fly fishing is also the most exciting for the angler. The swirl and take of a large cherry trout can be spectacularly slow or sudden and violent. Either way, dry fly fishing can be a lot of fun.

Remember to keep your fly riding high. Apply floatant as often as possible. If you can’t see it, you may as well be fishing an emerger. In our opinion it also requires the most skill and maintenance when compared to other fly fishing methods.

There are several other ways that include suspension nymphing, Czech nymphing, micro-streamers, and of course the dry-dropper technique. You might be surprised to discover that sizes of flies that can be productive may vary from a size #12 to a size #24 or even smaller. Your fly fishing  guide will have an arsenal of proven patterns. More info on specific patterns in the Pre-Trip PDF  planner

 Guided Flyfishing – Hokkaido, Japan

 Fly Fishing Japan
– Native Trout II Day & III Day

Included in Every Trip 

• Flies + Tippet / Leader
• Guide Service x 2 Days
• Lunch & Bottled Water
• Insurance through outfitter
• Conservation Donation 
• Fuel, Taxes, Highway Tolls
• Transport & Shuttle
• Morning coffee, tea, snacks
• Wader Boots Rental
• Rod & Reel Rental
• All Taxes & Fees

  Guided Flyfishing – Hokkaido, Japan

 Fly Fishing Japan – Native Trout

 [2] Full Days –  Guided Fly Fishing 
 (1) Angler – From $795
 (2) Anglers – From $1200

 [3] Full Days –  Guided Fly Fishing 
 (1) Angler – From $1200
 (2) Anglers – From $1490

 Booking & Deposits

(Japan) Full payment for trip is due (90)  calendar days from the confirmed start date of the trip to finalize the booking. If the client (s) are booking inside of 90 days, the total balance of the trip is due at the time of booking excluding rental gear or tackle. After invoice is emailed to client, client has (3) calendar days to complete payment. Trip dates will not be confirmed if payments are not completed within 3 days

The following terms and conditions apply to all offers or trips organized or operated by Far East Outfitters, LLC (“Far East”) We encourage you to read through all terms and conditions carefully before sending deposits or making the final payment.

Clients who book trips, send deposits, or send final payments shall be considered acknowledged and aware that all clients involved have read and accepted and agreed to all the terms and conditions contained herein.

Cancellations & Refunds  

Far East Reserves the right to cancel trips due to extreme weather events and will offer to reschedule the trip or offer a full or partial refund pro-rated for time and services provided.

• Far East shall not be liable for any nonperformance or delay in performance caused by any act or event beyond its reasonable control, including without limitation acts or omissions of Third Parties, unavailability of supplies or labor, equipment failure, war, protests, lock-outs, fire, flood, COVID-19 restrictions, earthquake, poor flight conditions (helicopter delays) hurricane, disease, epidemic, pandemic, plague, quarantine, any other Act of God, any law, regulation, ordinance, or other act or order of any court, government, or governmental agency. Should the client choose to completely cancel the trip and forfeit a one-time, no cost complimentary date chance, refunds will be issued according to the table below

Japan / Far East Fly Fishing Co.

90+ Days  Cancellation 75% Balance Refund

89-31 Days Cancellation 50% Balance Refund

30-15  Days Cancellation 25% Balance Refund

No Refunds for trips canceled by the client 14 days before the start of the first day of the trip. Should Far East, the lodge, guide or outfitter cancel or postpone the trip, the client will receive 100% of their deposit / payments. Far East nor the operator is responsible for client (s) missed flights or transportation connections nor meal, hotel or travel expenses incurred due to missed or delayed transport connections. We strongly suggest protecting your investment with travel insurance in the event of a sudden cancellation or date change. – Cancellations Notification  – Clients must notify Far East their intent to cancel the trip in writing by email or call during business hours to start the reimbursement process