Kebari in Focus is our free to view programme featuring some of the interesting and successful tenkara fly patterns (kebari) we’ve learned from our friends in Japan. If you’d like to learn more about choosing the right fly check out our book ” How to Fool Fish with Simple Flies” or if you’d like to learn to tie our Complete Kebari Collection check out our Complete Kebari Collection online course.
Even if you've never tied a fly before, you can get started via our FREE Fishing Discoveries Fly Tying 101 Club by registering on this link:
Episode 1: The KILLER Karasu Kebari in Focus
If you think the only Japanese tenkara flies are ones with reverse hackles, think again…And if you think stiff hackles are only found on dry flies, you might be surprised at how savvy anglers can use rooster hackles to gain big advantages for sunk fly presentations.
Here JP takes you through step-by-step on how to tie an amazing “happy accident” of a fly from the under-appreciated stiff-hackled wet fly pedigree.
Episode 2: Akiyamago Kebari
The example of the Akiyamago kebari style that JP demonstrates in this video is a combination of a couple of variations within the Yamada family line. Before he died Shigeo Yamada passed on his style of tying to his son Kazuyuki Yamada. We were fortunate to spend some time with Kazayuki in the spring of 2017 (when he was 67 years of age, and the youngest resident of Akiyamago) and have him demonstrate his tying and fishing style to us.
Episode 3: Peacock & Orange Futsū Kebari
Although derived from (and highly successful in) Japanese tenkara, this pattern is incredibly versatile. It can be fished as a WET fly as originally designed or you can add some floatant and use it as a dry fly with fly rod and reel. You can even add it to a dropper as part of a nymphing rig (on French leader or other tackle). Basically it’s got a lot going for it in terms of triggers and functional elements associated with the stiff hackle.
Episode 4: Big Sakasa Kebari
Although controversially NOT the no.1 Tenkara fly the sakasa kebari style is nonetheless iconic to many western Tenkara anglers. Again, although not the no.1 fly style in Japan, almost every Tenkara angler has some in their box. In the right conditions this pattern is indispensable... leave it out of your collection at your peril!