Overview

It's not always easy to understand which presentation tactics different types of tenkara flies are meant for. Many people in the West mistakenly think that all tenkara flies have reversed hackles. However, Yoshikazu Fujioka's journal of examples shows that there are many different styles of patterns in Japan.

Tenkara flies do not attempt to match a specific insect so there is no need to change flies as hatches change. Fish seem to be much less selective when taking wet flies than they are when taking dries. It is important to note also that the high gradient mountain streams on which tenkara developed are not very fertile and do not have the prolific insect hatches. The fish that live there cannot afford to be overly selective. ⻥

Choosing Your Tenkara Flies

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Fly Patterns Organized by Season

<aside> <img src="/icons/calendar-month_gray.svg" alt="/icons/calendar-month_gray.svg" width="40px" /> Fly Patterns Organized by Season

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Normal Hackle Patterns

Stages: Emergers
Colors: All colors with a focus on Black, Olive and Grey
Sizes: #10-14

<aside> <img src="/icons/fish_green.svg" alt="/icons/fish_green.svg" width="40px" /> Normal Hackle Tenkara Flies | While there are many different types of tenkara flies, there are three styles that are the most popular and the most iconic of tenkara fishing. One is a dry fly (a fly that floats) one is a wet fly (a fly that sinks) and one is all purpose (a fly that can either sink or float depending on how you fish it. ⻥

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<aside> <img src="/icons/downward_red.svg" alt="/icons/downward_red.svg" width="40px" /> Check out my Top-5 patterns or Use the Tabs / Tab dropdown ▾ below to toggle between types of flies

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All Fly Patterns

Reverse Hackle Patterns

Stages: Emergers
Colors: All colors with a focus on Black, Olive, Cream, Red and Grey
Sizes: #10-14

<aside> <img src="/icons/fish_green.svg" alt="/icons/fish_green.svg" width="40px" /> Reverse Hackle Tenkara Flies | When people in the US think of a tenkara fly, the fly they think of is a reverse hackle Sakasa Kebari (which basically means "backwards fly" in Japanese). Many people ask why the hackles are reversed. The reasons I have heard the most are that they are better in fast currents because the hackles don't fold back along the hook shank, or that they are easier to tie "in hand" (early tenkara fishermen didn't have vises). Personally, I don't think either one is the reason. Early European anglers also tied their swept back hackles without vises. What's more, when the hackles collapse back on the hook shank it gives the fly a perfect nymph shape. ⻥

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All Fly Patterns

<aside> 🎣 This site is my working notebook for fly tying patterns & instructions made public for anyone exploring a similar path | Custom fly orders considered upon request.

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