Reversed Soft Hackle Flies aka "Kebari"

The reversed tied soft hackle fly, and known by it's other name Kebari. Tenkara has brought these simple flies to the forefront here in America over the years. Tenkara is a very old form of fly fishing from Japan. It is highly effective and I believe it has a great deal to do with the flies used and the way they are presented. I do not fish the traditional Tenkara style but I do use the Kebari style of fly. These flies are simple in construction, using a few materials one can create many forms of insect life.

Below are a few of the Kebari, reversed soft hackle flies that I tie and use.

"Yellow Body Dun"...yellow thread forms the body, with a dun hackle wrapped in reverse.

"Olive Body, Mottled Hen"...olive thread with a mottled hen feather wrapped in reverse.

"Yellow Body, Peacock and Pheasant"...Yellow Thread, peacock herl, and a pheasant feather wrapped in reversed. Just a note...notice how many variations in color come from the one pheasant feather....the fish do.

"Burlap Body, Peacock and Pheasant"...this fly uses a thread body made of burlap, a peacock thorax and a pheasant feather wrapped in reverse.

Images

Posted here are some images of the wonders that surround the small stream. They may be small wonders but they are very large in the heart and soul of this angler. I hope you can take from these and put the thoughts of what they represent into your days and I truly hope all of you can enjoy the experience for yourself.

Trout Flies, That Is Appalachain Trout Flies

From Maine to Georgia there is a mountain chain known as the Appalachian's. They many not be the tallest but I'll wager they are the most beautiful. Some say they're the oldest mountains in the United States. Well that's for those geology folks. Here I'm going to talk of trout flies of the Appalachians, specifically the southern Appalachians. The flies presented here all have several things in common, the most obvious is they are dry flies, and they catch trout. I have taken brook trout in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Virginia on these flies. I have a few more states in the Appalachians left in which to fish them.

This is the Orange Palmer. This fly has that simple construction that makes a pleasure to tie. A great fly to use in late summer and fall.

This is a variant of the Orange Palmer. This fly uses only one hackle for the body. It is also tied on a fine wire hook. I like to fish this fly wet.

This fly is the Fore And After. It has the hackle tied in the rear as well as the head of the fly. The pattern calls for the body to be either yellow dubbing or yellow floss.

This is the Rattler, a southern fly. It's quite similar to the Bomber with a few exceptions, one being the body is of black thread.

Now folks can you tell me what's the constant common in all of these beautiful flies?

Does It Ever Get Better?

One day last week I ventured into the forest to seek out solitude and and willing brook trout. The sun was piercing through, its rays touching the wet hemlocks and giving the look of smoke dancing through the woods. The night before the area had received several heavy rain showers which had brought the stream up a bit. Moving along the forest I found myself slipping several times on the wet logs, luckily I never took a spill. The flies of the day were selected at home the night before and they were all dries, keeping it simple.

The seasons changes while not pronounced still can be seen. The little pools and riffles held the wild brook trout I was seeking.

The rod I selected to bring that day was a Cabela's CGR 6'3" 3wt.' I've had the rod for some time and thought why not try it on a small stream. As usual I had no problems with it and even though it was a bit longer than what I was accustomed to.

To sit at such a place, have a coffee, a few PB&J crackers and just reflect.

And when the opportunity presents itself you be graced by one of these wild jewels. Does it ever get better, I think not.