Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Eyeless Tenkara Hooks and Flies

I recently got from some Japanese tenkara hooks from Tenkarabum that feature no hook eye; instead you attach a length of cord, line or silk braid to the hook to create a loop so that you can attach your tippet. Intrigued by the concept and some pictures of really cool flies I found on Japanese sites, I decided to give it a try and tie some.

The below is sort of a "how-to" - or at least how I approached the tying process. As always, excuse the somewhat bad quality of the pictures, I am working with a simple point and shoot camera.

The Hooks - Gamakatsu Amago and Owner Yamame 
The Loop - I am using some white fly line backing that I had laying around
instead of just using white, I thought I would have fun with colors using a Sharpie
Gamakatsu Amago in size 7.5
first I tie a white base which will give the fly later some translucency when wet
next tie in the braid on one side of the hook...
...then tie down on the far side to create a loop
trim one tag short, the other longer, this will help creating a tapered body
tapered under body
now tie in Ultra Thread, silk or similar
select a feather, I am using Grouse
get rid of the fluff
tie the feather in, I typically do that on top of the hook and tip forward
trim tip
wind hackle, secure hackle stem with thread
tie-off thread, fly is finished
top view
voila
a hand-full of some eyeless sakasa kebaris
Have fund and thanks for stopping by.

Tight Lines, -K

8 comments:

  1. Nice flies Karel! I love the backing/Sharpie idea!

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  2. I agree, an interesting concept, very "old school". The loop will provide something like a hot spot that is used on many modern nymphs, and it definitively will affect how the fly will move under water due to its buoyancy. I am looking forward trying those this Summer.

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  3. whoa. That is nuts. Thanks for sharing!

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  4. Awesome patterns and exceptional ties. I sent you an email concernng the Tenkara rod. Thanks for sharing

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  5. Thanks d.nash, Jason and Bill.

    Bill - email sent.

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  6. Nice and instructive. Many thanks from Sweden.

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