Insights on Kebari

If I were to narrow the chief differences between traditional kebari patterns and those tied by conventional western fly anglers, I'd say it was the choice of materials and the common reverse hackle technique. A note about the reverse hackle tying technique: first, many kebari patterns do not utilize the reverse hackle – and I'd say from the research I did for this book – the majority do not have it. Often because it's such a distinguishing feature found on Japanese pattern’s; the reverse hackle technique often gets attention out of proportion to the actual number of kebari designs that use it. That said, nothing can take away the pulsating effectiveness of the patterns that deploy the reverse hackle technique. Outside of a few traditional kebari fly patterns (I would call some of them a bit flashy), most kebari are designed to look and act like a range of insects instead of an exact imitation. Traditional western fly tyers, for the most part, look to tie to "match the hatch," and so our fly boxes are packed with all kinds of different imitation patterns for almost any situation and time of year we find ourselves fishing. Many western anglers are confounded that some tenkara anglers carry only a few patterns within a narrow band of hook sizes. It’s hard for some westernstyle anglers to wrap their heads around the fact that simplicity has its own type of effectiveness. Even more puzzling for some western-style anglers is the discipline of few tenkara anglers who prefer to fish with only one specific kebari pattern – at all times during the season. Oh, the audacity! However, if you look at the choices those anglers make when they decide to commit to fishing just one design – you'll often note how remarkably effective those patterns are based on the material and colors selected when tying them.

I am most justified in saying that if any angler decided to fish with just

one pattern, it’s fairly certain they would pick the one pattern that doesn't imitate any specific insect but has the look and feel of many types of insects to give them the maximum advantage on the water. Like everything else in the angling world, it often boils down to our personal preferences, in which there are infinite combinations to consider –which makes fly fishing such a worthy pursuit for many of us. For this book – I don't argue for one preference or the other, and I care less about how you fish or with what kebari patterns. It's about what designs work best for you. It's also important to consider that in the high mountain streams of Japan, trout are like their brethren in the high mountain streams we have here in the U.S. - faster running, less fertile, and trout perhaps a little less fussy. Their desire to eat and do it with speed provides the backdrop of why traditional tenkara anglers in Japan had little reason to carry multiple patterns when fishing. Another consideration is that many of the conventional kebari designs have stayed at the forefront of tenkara fly fishing primarily because they had hundreds of years of experience catching trout. In the end, the consideration and selection of what kebari patterns to use is your responsibility, right based on your preferences and opinions. Don’t be bluffed or bothered with purists who argue that their method is the “true” way to fly fish. I know plenty of purist dry fly anglers who'd rather stand in the middle of a river – not fishing, mind you – but waiting for the "hatch." Many of us just want to fish. Use the patterns you have confidence in and have proved themselves over time to provide you with more productive angling days. My goal with this book was to organize and showcase those traditional and kebari-inspired patterns that have survived the test of time and are worthy of consideration. Indeed, you may find a few patterns of interest that you'll add to your fly box. After some use on the water, you can determine if they are worth keeping and stocking in it.

KEBARI MATERIALS

Japanese tenkara anglers from hundreds of years ago were no different from today's anglers in that they used the materials at hand to craft their kebari patterns. Silk and sewing type threads were the most common early kebari materials used – not much different from today's materials except for the varied thickness of modern tying silks and threads. Another material commonly found in areas of Japan is called zenmai. According to Daniel Galhardo of TenkaraUSA

“The zenmai is a type of fern that, in early spring, has a cottonlike material on its body. This cotton-like material makes for excellent dubbing material. It is relatively waterproof and can be easily made into a tight thread. Depending on the time it is picked or the plant it is picked from, the zenmai will vary slightly in color, with some being darker, and more commonly found in a light tan color.” Peacock herl is another traditional material – widely found just about anywhere – and commonly used on many traditional kebari patterns. In Japan, early tenkara anglers most likely appreciated the color and flashy virtues provided by peacock herl like we continue to do today. Whether used in the thorax or body of a kebari pattern, peacock herl offers the right amount of color to catch trout's attention. It has made it a favorite for so many patterns, whether eastern or western in origin. Traditional hackle selection varies based on what area of Japan and the types of birds available. For this book's purposes, we are not endeavoring to uncover what the ancients used in Japan. Some kebari patterns, whether traditional or not, using either a soft or stiffer hackle depending on the type of water they were fishing. Stiffer hackles on some traditional kebari provide the distinct advantage of staying higher on the water surface but can still become subsurface when needed. You have to remember that many of the early Japanese tenkara anglers where fishing commercially – not in the recreational context many of us fish today. Of the types of trout foods available in many Japanese streams, included are small fish. For example, the Japanese Dace called "Ugii" (also known as Tribolodon hakonensis) is widely distributed throughout Japan. While Dace and other small fish exist in Japan's mountain streams, my research did not uncover much in the way of traditional kebari patterns that

mimic Dace and different minnow types. Even today, few would consider using a traditional western streamer pattern for tenkara fishing. They would be wrong about that. Streamers and bucktails can be fished effectively using traditional tenkara rods. It seems that most of the traditional mountain fishing focused on creating patterns that mimicked the almost endless number of insects found there. According to The Entomological Society of Japan, which has researched the diversity of insects available there:

“Japan is considered a global hot spot of biodiversity. With regard to species diversity, insects are no exception. To date, more than 32,000 insect species have been identified in Japan, while around 100,000 species of insects are estimated to inhabit this country. In this paper, we outline background factors having contributed to diversification of Japanese insects. Of course, the high degree of Japanese insect diversity is the result of many complex factors. In addition to the humid Asian monsoon climate and the extensive latitudinal gradient of habitats, the extremely complex geological history has contributed as an important factor to generate and maintain the high species diversity and endemism. In particular, the independent origins of northeastern and southwestern Japan from the Eurasian continent have greatly contributed to the diverse composition of Japanese insect fauna.” To the extent that gives you some idea of the origins of the traditional kebari patterns is what we are trying to accomplish here. Today we use the materials – natural or synthetic – that meet the demands we set for the patterns we want to tie. Traditional Japanese hooks are another story. In the Japanese kebari tradition, there were none of the eyed hooks we all take for granted today. Instead, Japanese anglers had to generally use silk thread to create the "eye" of the hook. If you are so moved to engage and purchase eyeless hooks and create your hook eyes, we salute you. Those who do prefer to tie their favorite kebari patterns using a threaded hook eye have felt that the threaded loop provides a more realistic movement to the fly when it is in the water. This is very similar to the arguments you'll hear about using a loop knot when attaching a streamer pattern to a fly leader.

The technique used to create a hook eye is not the subject of this book, and in most cases, many of us will use the eyed hooks available today. For any pattern in this book – traditional or kebari-inspired, please feel free to substitute with the material you have on hand or can obtain.

ADDITIONAL KEBARI INSIGHTS

ROB WORTHING, MD

“Fly fishing is a game. The object of the game is to trick fish with your fly. Tenkara is one method for achieving this objective. The tenkara method emphasizes the dynamic fly presentation. In this method, the fly's water behavior is more important than the static image of the fly resting in the vice. To be successful at tricking fish, the tenkara angler must learn to manipulate the fly's behavior; when the tenkara angler's fly manipulation is right, the fish bites. The behavior of the fish follows the action of the fly. There's a lot that goes into getting it right. It takes a lifetime to master fly manipulation. Like most things worth doing in life, there is no short cut, no guaranteed path, no flawless algorithm, and no absolute truths. Ultimately, that's a good thing. The game would get pretty dull pretty quick if success were so easy. We at least need a starting point, and the kebari provides as good a starting point as any. Tenkara kebari were designed with the tenkara method in mind. They are pretty effective at what they were intended, but not all kebari are equal in all circumstances. To get fly manipulation right, to successfully present the fly, the tenkara angler must match the right kebari to the correct manipulation technique under the right conditions. Luckily, there isn't one right solution. This is a lock that can be opened with multiple combinations. Finding a successful combination starts at the vise. A kebari's construct influences its behavior. The hackle may have the most significant influence on a kebari's behavior. Hackle tied long and thick provides a larger surface area to catch water. This may be useful as a sea anchor for maintaining contact at long distances, holding long rigs off the water, grabbing attention in low visibility conditions, or riding currents to alternatively sink the fly deep and float it on the surface. It may catch so much attention that fish spook in calmer waters or prevent a fly from

sinking where little current is available. In windy conditions, it can prove hard to cast. A sparsely tied hackle might be preferred.

Soft hackle moves readily, adding life-like motion to the fly in the slightest current. Soft hackle may also collapse against the body in the heavier current. This may be desired, say, when the fly is meant to behave more like an emerging pupa or move the fly rapidly through the water as a baitfish might move. If not desired, a stiff hackle is resistant to collapsing against the body of the fly. Stiff hackle can prove useful for maintaining the illusion of movement in heavier currents. Some anglers rely on stiff hackle to float a fly on the surface as well. There are other means of achieving the same behaviors in kebari. Tying hackle fibers upright also presents a larger surface area. Sweeping the hackle forward toward the hook eye is another strategy to prevent the fibers' collapse against the fly body. Alternatively, the addition of a collar pushed up behind the hackle can be used to avoid collapse. The combination of a sparse, soft hackle about the hook shaft's length tied in facing toward the hook bend with a collar behind is a powerful combo in most caddis waters. Master tenkara angler, Masami Sakakibara, can alternatively sink or float his large Oni kebari without drying. How he ties the Oni kebari helps in achieving this. A soft hackle hen pheasant is used. The fibers about the shoulders of the bird are often chosen for their webbing. The feather is tied in first, the body second. To finish, the thread is carefully woven forward through the hackle to the eye. Some describe the same method in the construct of classic English wet flies. Some authors say it improves the durability of the finished fly. It may also splay the soft webbed hackle apart, increasing the surface area available for a skilled tenkara angler. Bodies tied sparsely or with a low profile sink faster. The use of dense material can further aid in descending kebari. Contrasting the buoyancy of a thick and long hackle near the eye with a dense material near the bend may allow a kebari to ride upright in the water column. Contrast a buoyant tail with a thick collar, and the hook rides nose down. These are just a few examples of strategies relating to kebari construction to kebari behavior. With experience, each tenkara angler develops preferences among these strategies. With more experience, recognizing the construct

that makes for a winning combination becomes second nature. The choice of the right kebari becomes nearly automatic.”

JASON SPARKS

"The first Japanese pattern that most see when introduced to tenkara is the sakasa kebari. The unique forward-swept hackle has become an iconic image that is recognizable as a tenkara fly. My kebari story started with these. I tied the soft feather sakasa flies for the first two seasons I worked my local waters with a tenkara rod. There is a lot to be learned, and re-learned, when using a particular fly pattern over and over again. I spent a great deal of time learning how to dance this fly in different situations. How do you learn to control other presentation styles and manipulations? That takes attentive thinking when you are on the water and lots of practice. Soon I started tying them in ways that suited different conditions. You can add weight with more bulk of body material. There is a controlling sink rate with the sparseness of the fullness of the hackle itself. How about where you place the fly at the end of your cast? Learning how to use the water to help you drift to a location or pull your fly deeper underwater can be significant. Characteristics of the fly materials and design can help or hinder your use of currents. The soft hen feather is excellent at providing exceptional movement in the water. The soft hackle sakasa kebari comes to life right before the fish's eyes. What a great fly to have in your box. Now flip through these pages and look at all the fly patterns here. These are traditional Japanese patterns derived from decades and, in some cases, centuries of design. Some of these are "inspired" patterns. When I started learning about the multitude of traditional patterns beyond the sakasa fly, it was enlightening. This drove me to understand how characteristics and the quantity of the materials combined for a smart pattern. Once I learned how to tie many of these patterns, I then focused on when and why to use them. Much of the practical application of these fly patterns overlap with each other on the water. It may be essential to understand the roots of kebari even if you don't incorporate all of it into your tying. Once you have that knowledge, you can apply it however you like. I tend to tie most of my flies with stiff barbs with what I know now, and the size of the Indian rooster feather is pretty good for this. The feather's stiffness holds form in the water

and will provide movement to the fly body itself as a current push against the hackle. In moving waters, that can also offer a more extensive profile for the fish to target. One thing I genuinely love about the kebari patterns is the concept of "bug inspired" flies. I've never been interested in studying aquatic or terrestrial insects in water bodies that I fish. The revelation of "scratch the hatch" really spoke to me. I took on this idea of presenting flies and kebari that resemble a food source as a challenge to my angling skill. A developmental program if you will. Can I take any non-descript buggy looking fly in my box and present it in a way that the fish will take it, especially when they are feeding on something specific. Indeed, some days I don't succeed with this method, but I always learn something along the way. I like to think that my angling skill is more reliable than a hatch chart.

Having a resource like this book at your fingertips will help you understand established patterns' design features. You will also begin to see how different materials are combined to change the presentation dynamics of them. Understanding these things as a fly tier is excellent. As a fly fisher, though, there is as much or more value from the experience of the water. Choose a pattern and commit to fishing it until you understand it. Once I began paying attention to the nuances of kebari action and how best to control presentations, I started catching more fish. I've used my tenkara rods and kebari patterns chasing trout and char through the Appalachian range. I enjoy the simplicity of design in these bugs."

JASON KLASS

“I remember when glass beads came onto the fly tying scene. People were mostly using them for midge patterns, but some people got creative and used them for bodies on caddis larvae or even steelhead patterns. They were great because they added weight, sparkle, and translucence that you couldn't match with the day's popular brass beads. At the time, fly tying companies didn't offer very many colors. Luckily, a bead shop was right down the street from our shop that sold hundreds of different sizes and colors for making jewelry. The possibilities for fly tying were endless! And we took advantage of it! We were the pioneers of the glassbead trend in tying and paved the way for the use of them that most

people employ today. That was a long time ago, but like everything in life, things tend to circle back around and meet again eventually. When I first got into tenkara, the sakasa kebari immediately appealed to me, particularly the Takayama Sakasa Kebari. It's one of the most iconic flies in tenkara, and I immediately recognized the characteristics that would make it a good fly. So I started tying them and fishing them with success. But as a consummate fly tyer, you always want (maybe need) to add your signature to even the most venerable pattern. I knew there was something I could add to this ancient pattern that would make it even more effective. Then it finally occurred to me: glass beads!

At first, I experimented with just one glass bead at the front. It looked ok, but glass beads are light compared to brass or tungsten. So it wasn't quite as heavy as I wanted. Also, most sakasa kebari start the hackle about 1/3 down the hook shank from the eye, and the single bead was too small to achieve that look. So, I decided to add a second bead. That accomplished three things: 1.It pushed the hackle back further, creating a more traditional looking silhouette.

2.Added more weight and sparkle 3.I butted the forward-facing hackle up against the bead, so it flared more perpendicular to the hook giving it better action when employing a sasoi presentation. It was a gamble (as all experiments in fly tying are), but the first day on the water with them was stellar! I caught so many fish that I immediately sat down at my tying desk as soon as I came home and stocked my box in a prolific session. Today, I will not set foot in any stream without an ample selection of this fly.

What makes it so good?

The beads.I think the two glass beads are the perfect weight for this fly, as I've already mentioned. Not too heavy, not too light. I can get it exactly where I want in the water column. I believe most subsurface flies are overweighted. Tungsten has become so prevalent, but if you've ever watched trout feeding videos, they're not looking down. They're usually looking up or to the side. Therefore, I think the two glass beads' density is more aligned with how trout mostly feed since it doesn't dredge the bottom like tungsten. Plus, the sparkle and flash get their attention. Color. The traditional Takayama Sakasa Kebari was black, but it became popular in modern times to tie it in red. That's how I tie it. The reason is that trout can see the colors red and blue the best. I've tried blue but favor red because I think it's not only more visible, but red is a predatory trigger for most animals. And trout, after all, are predators when it comes right down to it. Movement.I tie this fly with reversed soft hackle such as pheasant or partridge. This gives it a lot of motion in the water, making it look like a living insect (also a predatory trigger). Most western patterns are static and lifeless—like a wallflower at a party. But the soft hackle makes the fly come alive whether you're dead drifting it or manipulating it (more on that below). Versatility.This fly (like most sakasa kebari) can be fished in a multitude of ways. You can fish it shallow, deep, upstream in a dead drift, downstream with a pulse, side stream, a wet fly swing, or a Leisenring Lift. All without changing flies. There's an expression in Japan that the

fly that catches the fish is the one in the water. The sakasa kebari allows you to spend more time fishing and less time clipping off flies and tying new ones on—all the while out of the water. I made a T-shirt with the phrase "I don't change flies, I change fishes' minds." And that's one of the things I love about the overall tenkara philosophy. Expendability. For years, I've been a proponent of using flies that were fast and simple ties. Why? Because it's an advantage to you over other anglers. You might see a great lie where you know there's a fish, but you also know that $5 hopper or complicated fly that took you 20 minutes to tie is going to get snagged and lost on the log jam. So you're probably going to be reluctant to throw it in there. That's a missed opportunity. Now, what if you had a pattern that you knew you could cast in there and replace it in two minutes at the vise for almost no cost if it were lost? Expendability is a considerable advantage, especially on highly pressured streams where other anglers have trepidation about losing their overpriced and over-tied flies. Size.I almost exclusively tie my flies now in size #12. The distinguished tenkara angler Hisao Ishigaki did a stomach pump of some trout and char and found that most of the insects consumed corresponded to what we call a size #12. This makes sense. Trout want the most protein for the least amount of energy expenditure. It takes more energy to gulp up 200 size #22 midges or chase after a size #4 sculpin than it does to nab a few #12 caddis or stoneflies. #12 seems to be the “Goldilocks” size. It’s the right amount of protein for the right amount of effort. So what does all this mean? In my fly tying over 30 years, I've gone from imitation to impressionism and have turned to appeal to the trout's triggers. Think less about the number of tails on your fly or the color of the wings. As fly anglers, we overthink about what books tell us and what conventional wisdom says. I was laughed at by locals on the San Juan for fishing a #12 sakasa kebari during a midge hatch. But I caught more than 60 fish. I think the key is more about confidence than a pattern—Dial-in yours.