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Tenkara Kebari

takayama sakasa kebari

I barely even know what Tenkara means but I’m working on some flies for a fly tying contest and Tenkara is one of the categories. I at least need to figure out that much so here I go …

As far as I can tell, Tenkara is fly fishing done Japanese style. The style includes a specific type of fly rod, fly line, leaders, and of course, flies. The fly I have chosen to enter in the contest is called Takayama Sakasa Kebari. The word kebari translates to “hairpin” so it basically means a hair fly. The word sakasa translates to “upside down” and in this case it actually means backward or reverse. I have read that the reverse hackle style (tips pointing forward) is the easiest way to tie a fly “in hand”, i.e., without a vise and thus stream-side. I used a vise to tie my fly but it’s a pretty simple fly so I think I could actually tie it without one. Oh, and the Takayama part of the fly’s name is just the city in Japan where the fly originated and is most popular.

takayama sakasa kebari
takayama sakasa kebari

I chose this fly because it is simple. Besides the curved hook and silk thread, it has two materials – a soft hackle feather from a rooster pheasant and three herls from a peacock eye. You just can’t get much simpler than that! Here are the specifics I put on my fly tying card:

Tenkara Fly Tying Cards
Tenkara Fly Tying Cards

Click here for the video I used to learn how to tie the fly and basically everything I now know about Tenkara.

Feel free to wish me good luck in the contest.

2 thoughts on “Tenkara Kebari

  1. I am not a globe trotter and certainly don’t get out much with regard to fly fishing a lot of different places but… I did make a trip to Ireland a few years ago and the guide there had an oversize hackle/spidery looking sort of fly that he claimed he’s had decent success with. The Tenkara flies remind me of those sorts of flies. I think I first saw such a fly in the Art Flick’s book where he had tied something with a larger than typical hackle. There is definitely something to such a style of fly as I’ve heard from too many reliable people that it gets attention from trout on occasion. UB

  2. Looks fine… Good luck with it!

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