Tenkara Flies
The Japanese name for a Tenkara fly is call : Sakasa (reverse hackle) Kebari (fly).
Those flies are quite simple to do, just two or three material are needed.
The fonction of the reverse hackle is to give life to the fly when you do the pulsing whit your rod. The presentation of this flie in dead drift can be really efficiant too. You can fish it in dry or wet style.
Here is three popular model :
All the videos of the tying of those flies are at the end of this page
Ishigaki Kebari
Creator : Dr. Hisao Ishigaki
One of the most respected and expert in Tenkara fly fishing in Japan. Poeple gave the name of that fly because Dr. Ishigaki create that simple fly but he didn't whant that, unfortunatly somebody saw a opportunaty and add the nerve to register the name. Nothing could be easier to do then that fly, only two material is needed, some black thread and brown hackle. Dr. Ishigaki can sometime change the thread color buy a gray one and for the hackle he will take some grizzly. He will do the fly whitout a vise. He's been fishing whit only that pattern the last ten year. He's philosophie for fishing is: It is not the fly that is the most important but the technique of presentation.
Ishigaki Kebari
Hook: Dry #12 (straight eyelet)
Saddle Hackle: Brown
Thread: Black 6/0
Only 2 material : Black thread & brown saddle hackle (Other is grey thread with grizzly hackle)
Your thread to half the body of the hook.
Put your saddle hackle that is facing the other side (light color on top)
Foward it to the eye of the hook about 3 to 4 times.
Finish the body whit the thread and lock it.
Final result
Takayama Sakasa Kebari
This Tenkara fly is a classic one. Simple and fast to do, it takes only three material, thread, soft hackle and peacock. The most popular color and size of the Takayama Sakasa Kebari is yellow on a dry or caddis #12 hook. You can play whit the color of the thread, the lenght and the kind of hackle and the size of the hook. If you what to put a little weight for nymphing just add a bead head.
Takayama Sakasa Kebari
Hook: Caddis #12 (straight eyelet)
Hackle: Any soft hackle
Thread: Yellow 6/0
Collar: Peacock
Only 3 material : Thread, peacock and any soft hackle
Stop the thread to 1/3 of the eye of the hook
The curve of the soft hackle should be on top.
Cut the extra.
Block everything in place whit the thread.
Put the peacock behing the soft hackle that will hide the thread.
Block the peacok whit a few turn of the thread.
Finish the body whit the thread making it taper if you want.
Same thing but you put a bead head to put more weight and change the color of the thread.
