Killer KebariThe Killer Kebari is the fly I tied for the first Tenkara USA fly swap - which requested each participant's best tenkara fly. It is basically a killer bug with a sparse hackle of hen pheasant. And although I still often fish the standard killer bug, tied pretty much the way Frank Sawyer tied them, I've had very good luck with the Killer Kebari, including catching one of my largest trout on a tenkara rod. 
Most American anglers, when they think of tenkara flies, probably think of the reverse hackled sakasa kebari. However, the excellent work that Yoshikazu Fujioka has done in cataloging the various tenkara patterns (Tenkara Fly Patterns), indicates that not all tenkara fly patterns used in Japan have reversed hackles.One of the Hida Takayama flies is just a fairly thick wool body with a soft hackle of hen or hen pheasant. Although the Hida Takayama pattern calls for black yarn and black hackle, a soft hackled, yarn bodied fly is about the perfect description of what you would get if you added a soft hackle to a killer bug. The standard killer bug is very effective as is, but before I even learned of the Hida Takayama pattern, I had been fishing hackled killer bugs and doing well with them.
A scud or nymph imitation can be fished dead drift, pulsed to mimic the swimming acton of a scud, or manipulated with a Leisenring lift or other induced take method to mimic a mayfly nymph rising to the surface to hatch. With a bit of soft hackle, though, pulsing the fly causes the hackle to open and closes and give additional evidence of life. Also, a hackled fly kept on or near the surface can also mimic an emerger. With a fat body and sparse soft hackle, which the Killer Kebari has, the fly also makes a very nice caddis pupa immitation. We'll never know what the fish think it looks like - but evidently they do think it looks like food.
Killer Kebari Step by Step
1. Because copper wire wrapped around a bare hook shank will slip pretty easily, put a drop of super glue on the hook shank. I find a brush applicator works a little better but the more common tube applicator works, too.
2. Start wrapping the wire a little further back from where you'll want the hackle to be - maybe a third of the way down the shank. Wrap in touching turns towards the bend, stopping opposite a point about halfway between the hook point and the barb.
3. The yarn I use is Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift (the color is Sand #183), which is a two-ply yarn. This fly is a bit small to use both plies, so separate the two plies and just use one. I generally cut a couple feet at a time to separate. Start the yarn (just like you would tying thread) just behind where the hackle will go. After about 5 tight wraps, cut off the tag end. The photo shows just before it was cut.
4. Wrap the yarn fairly tightly in touching turns to a little before the bend of the hook, then back to your starting point and back again to just past where you stopped wrapping the first layer. Trap the yarn with one turn of the copper wire, then do a 4 turn whip finish with the copper wire, with each wrap of the whip finish in front of the previous one. Break off the copper wire and cut the tag end of the yarn.
5. Color the yarn lightly with a Sand (#70) Prismacolor marker. At first, the yarn will look too dark, but the color sinks in and also fades a bit after your first cast. When wet, the fly will have nice pinkish tan hue. After you've colored the yarn, you can touch the copper wraps with head cement. Even though I never used to use "head" cement and I've never had either a killer bug or killer kebari come apart, it's probably not a bad idea.
6. Tie in a small feather from a hen pheasant and make one wrap of hackle. You've got a lot of leeway here. I've tied in the feather by the tip and by the stem, they both work. For this fly, I prefer tying in the feather by the stem. (For my Sakasa Kebari patterns that use slightly larger pheasant feathers and are more heavily hackled, I tie in by the tip.) I've also used a feather from a partidge and from a bobwhite, and I'm pretty sure brahma hen would work as well.
7. Tie off the hackle, trim, form a neat head and whip finish. I now use a dark brown thread, which complements the body color nicely.
Buy Killer KebariAll TenkaraBum flies are tied by me, a tenkara angler, for tenkara anglers. I initially tied the Killer Kebari on Daiichi 1550 hooks, size 14, but when fishing the closely related killer bugs, I have consistently done better with larger flies. I have started tying the Killer Kebari on the Daiichi 1560 nymph hook in a size 12 or the Daiichi 1190 barbless hook in size 14 (which has a longer shank than the 1550).
Purchases of one dozen or more flies will be shipped in a minimalist 6 compartment fly box, which protects the flies during shipping, fits in your pocket or on a lanyard and will hold three dozen flies - more than you'll need for a day on the stream.
TenkaraBum Killer Kebari
PaymentPayment is through PayPal but you don't need to have a PayPal account. You can use your credit card. PayPal payments will be made to chris at tenkarabum dot com. Credit card statements will read CM Stewart.ShippingDomestic shipping is $3. Most small items can be shipped together for a flat $3 charge.International shipping for flies in a minimalist box is $3 for first class. International Priority Mail is slightly faster and anything that can fit in a US Postal Service Small Flat Rate Box (4cm x 13.5cm 21.5cm) or padded envelope (23.5 cm x 30.5cm) can be shipped for a surcharge of $10 to Canada or Mexico and $14 to other countries. Return from Killer Kebari to Tenkara Flies Return from Killer Kebari to TenkaraBum Home |
