Lake Akan sits in a caldera of the eastern Hokkaido highlands, a cold volcanic lake ringed by spruce and steam, where the Ainu have lived alongside the water for centuries and the green marimo grow on its floor. For the fly angler it is amemasu — the white-spotted char — with rainbow trout and the landlocked kokanee, fished in the clear cold windows of spring and autumn.
A side-water session, not the main event
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
49% confidence — limited data
Live now
Conditions on the water
Trends shown where the gauge supports them
Wind
SW 13 km/h
Gentle breeze
Wave
20 cm ripple
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
15°C
Cloud
Overcast
Pressure
1018 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
How to fish · for white spotted char
The brief
When · where · method · kit
How to fish it · for white spotted char
When
Mid-May to late June and mid-October to late November
Where
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
Today's tactical plan
The plan
Plan A · Plan B · what to watch · bank or boat
The plan
Plan A
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
Plan B
If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.
Watch for
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Boat — drift
A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.
Hatches & runs
What's on, when
Twelve months at a glance
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
1
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Today's fly · curated pack
Top pattern + the box
5 patterns from this venue's curated pack
Evidence
Why today scores what it does
The factors driving today's verdict
Why this score
- Temperature (cool) is in the sweet spot for summer fishing.
The water
On the lough
2 photos + lough map
Gallery · 3
An amemasu (white-spotted char) from Lake Akan 
Caldera lake in volcanic Akan-Mashū National Park. Terrain map
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
About this water
Lake Akan, on the water
Field guide · contributor-editedLake Akan · about
What this water is
Background · character · contributors
About this water
Lake Akan sits in a caldera of the eastern Hokkaido highlands, a cold volcanic lake ringed by spruce and steam, where the Ainu have lived alongside the water for centuries and the green marimo grow on its floor. For the fly angler it is amemasu — the white-spotted char — with rainbow trout and the landlocked kokanee, fished in the clear cold windows of spring and autumn.
Under the surface
A caldera lake in the volcanic country of Akan-Mashū, cold and clear under the spruce, hot springs steaming at its margins and an Ainu kotan on its shore. The fishing is a spring-and-autumn affair; high summer sends the fish deep and the lake falls quiet.
Wading: Cold deep lake, sudden mountain weather — boat/shore
- Lake
- Volcanic
- Stillwater
- Shoal
Lake Akan · directions
How to get to the water
Directions
Lake Akan · zones
Where the rules change
Seasons · zones · per-species rules
Seasons & zones
- Charspring → late autumn
Lake Akan · permits
Good to know
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- Local recreational charge and current Lake Akan rules apply; check zones, boat rules and any C&R requirement.
Lake Akan · learn
Related guides
Learn-zone playbooks for this water
Related guides
Lake Akan
Editorial photo
An amemasu (white-spotted char) from Lake Akan
Rick Wallace
Lake Akan sits in a caldera of the eastern Hokkaido highlands, a cold volcanic lake ringed by spruce and steam, where the Ainu have lived alongside the water for centuries and the green marimo grow on its floor.
Species
A side-water session, not the main event
Good wave on — drift country. A useful wave. Work the productive shore.
49% confidence — limited data
Conditions
Wind
SW 13 km/h
Gentle breeze
Wave
20 cm ripple
Water temp
—
No reading
Air temp
15°C
Cloud
Overcast
Pressure
1018 hPa
Rain · 24h
0.0 mm
No rain
Some readings unavailable — check directly before fishing.
Condition match
71%
Cloud50%
Wind65%
Temp100%
A good match for this venue — most conditions are close to what it fishes best in.
How to fish it · for white spotted char
When
Mid-May to late June and mid-October to late November
Where
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
The plan
Plan A
Set up a broadside drift and cover the water systematically. Work a bushy searching pattern on the bob and drop a contrasting nymph on the point.
Plan B
If the main plan is not working, switch to a smaller, more imitative pattern fished slower and deeper. A change of drift angle can also make a difference.
Watch for
Evening tends to be the best period in summer — stay late if you can for a sedge or spinner fall.
Boat — drift
A gentle ripple is ideal for drifting — broadside drift covering the wind lanes should be productive.
Why this score
- Temperature (cool) is in the sweet spot for summer fishing.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Daddy Long LegsHatch
2
3
2
Lake OliveHatch
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
Silverhorns & LonghornsHatch
1
2
2
2
1
Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.
Gallery · 3
An amemasu (white-spotted char) from Lake Akan Caldera lake in volcanic Akan-Mashū National Park. Terrain map
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
- Local recreational charge and current Lake Akan rules apply; check zones, boat rules and any C&R requirement.
Directions
About this water
Lake Akan sits in a caldera of the eastern Hokkaido highlands, a cold volcanic lake ringed by spruce and steam, where the Ainu have lived alongside the water for centuries and the green marimo grow on its floor. For the fly angler it is amemasu — the white-spotted char — with rainbow trout and the landlocked kokanee, fished in the clear cold windows of spring and autumn.
Under the surface
A caldera lake in the volcanic country of Akan-Mashū, cold and clear under the spruce, hot springs steaming at its margins and an Ainu kotan on its shore. The fishing is a spring-and-autumn affair; high summer sends the fish deep and the lake falls quiet.
Wading: Cold deep lake, sudden mountain weather — boat/shore
- Lake
- Volcanic
- Stillwater
- Shoal
Seasons & zones
- Charspring → late autumn
About this water · Lough note · 4 min read
Lake Akan sits in a caldera of the eastern Hokkaido highlands, a cold volcanic lake ringed by spruce and steam, where the Ainu have lived alongside the water for centuries and the green marimo grow on its floor. For the fly angler it is amemasu — the white-spotted char — with rainbow trout and the landlocked kokanee, fished in the clear cold windows of spring and autumn.
Other water nearby · 1
Related guides