Fly Tying: Road Kone Kebari

It was mentioned in the comments of a recent post that the fly I referenced in the body of the article, the Road Kone Kebari (above), was nowhere to be found on the internet.

Well, that's sort of embarrassing. If I have one "confidence" fly that I fish in almost any situation without hesitation, this would be it. It's caught trout, bass, bream, and everything in between. I knew I had done a write up of the fly for Tenkara Angler magazine once upon a time, but I suppose I never did one here on the blog, even though it's been referred to in several prior posts.

A nice Driftless brown with a moutful of Road Kone

It's really nothing fancy, I just gave it the goofy "road kone" name a while back due to the fact that it's highly visible in the water due to the white feather and fluorescent orange thread used in tying it. The small bead head is optional, should you want to get a little more depth.

It also gave me another excuse to practice making some more video... So here's about a 4 minute long tying video of the Road Kone Kebari. It's more than a little boring to watch, but you can get the idea rather quickly as to what's going on with this pattern.

Feeling Fly? Fish Skull Fly Tying Contest

I'm not much of a fly tyer, but with all the swag involved in this contest, I may just need to reconsider...
From the Flymen Fishing Co. blog:

The Faux Bucktail Throwdown

Since launching our new Fish-Skull Faux Bucktail, we've seen more and more photos of amazing flies tied by people like you on social media.

The flies we've seen are just the tip of the iceberg, so we're holding a fly tying contest on Instagram to help you show off your patterns to the world and give you the chance to win grand prizes from Thomas & Thomas Fly Rods, Hareline Dubbin, and Loon Outdoors as well as weekly Flymen prize packs!

It's easy to enter – tie a fly and snap a picture.

Tie a fly that integrates Fish-Skull Faux Bucktail in some way (Faux Bucktail does not necessarily need to be the primary material) and take a photo of it.

Post the photo on Instagram, tag @flymenfishingco, @thomasandthomasflyrods, @harelinedubbin, and @loonoutdoors in your post (make sure you're following all of us!), and hashtag #FauxBucktailThrowdown2017.

GOOD LUCK!

Five Below Fly Box

There's been more than a few fly box posts here on the blog as of late, so perhaps I have fly boxes on the brain. In any event, Lilly & K.C. drug me into a Five Below store yesterday where among the shelves of pre-teen treasures, I stumbled upon an interesting find.

For those of you not familiar with Five Below, it's sort of a trendy "dollar store" chain that sells cheap stuff with a pop-culture slant like candy, toys, books, clothing, electronic accessories, etc... The goods aren't really of the highest quality, but the inventory rotates fairly regularly, so you never know exactly what you're going to find. Near the checkout, I found this for $2.

If you're familiar with the popular, pocket-sized Meiho compartment fly boxes that retail for about $8-10, this is strikingly similar and has many of the same features.

I've been happily using the Meiho boxes for about 2 or 3 seasons now. They hold a lot of flies, and the different compartments don't crush delicate dry flies. It's just the right size to also hold the smaller streamers I prefer for tenkara. If you like small streamers or even foam poppers, this clone might be more functional, as the one side is one large compartment.

Now I'd be lying if I claimed the quality was identical. The Meiho boxes are made in Japan of much sturdier plastic while this "Five Below special" is made in China and isn't quite as solid. However, the compartments and the box itself seem to close up nice and tight, so at face value it's a more than acceptable option when compared to other low-cost or DIY fly boxes like an Altoids tin.

I'll put this thing into the rotation and see how long it lasts. Just picked up some flies from Mel, so if nothing else, they've got a new home.

Alternative Fly Box

Saw this pretty cool fly storage/organization solution on Nick Cobler's Instagram over the weekend, and he allowed me to share it here. 

If you've spent all winter tying flies, I think this is a pretty awesome way to manage your backstock, while also selecting a few of the divided plastic cups to use as a "grab and go" mixed stock fly box.

While it's really a travel tote for organizing craft beads called the JamPac, seems like a killer solution to get your flies sorted and under control. Plus, the black case screams, "Put fishing stickers on me!" 

This storage solution including the 20 storage cups, can be found on Amazon (of course) for $20, with Prime shipping.

A Man Of Many Vises

Vises...instead of vices...on a fly fishing blog...HA!

Stupid jokes aside, I scored a new Peak Rotary Vise the other day cashing in some holiday gift cards, and I have to say I'm really pleased with it. I've sort of settled into a fishing sweet spot where I don't really need to acquire specific items anymore, rather I've been "upgrading" items that I tend to use frequently to ensure their usefulness lasts for the long haul.

I've been using a Danica Danvise for the past few years, and while it probably has at least a few more years of use in it, the entire body is made of nylon and I found the rotary mechanism to develop a slight wobble over time. Also, the dimensions of the vertical shaft aren't standard, making it incompatible with most bases & accessories, so while it's been a workhorse, it wasn't an ideal long-term solution.

Danica Patrick, not a Danica Danvise

After unpacking, assembling, and playing around with the Peak for an afternoon, I have to say I'm very impressed, albeit in a very small sample size. It's rock solid, the jaws do what they're supposed to, and the rotary feature is smooth. No wobble in this vise. The materials and construction are such that I don't think I'll have to worry about exercising the lifetime guarantee for repair or replacement.

The only thing I'm not sure I care for about it are the nylon screws, particularly the one that manages the tension on the rotary mechanism. Just seemed odd (aesthetically) that the vise comes out of the box with two plastic screws when everything else about the vise is all metal and basically bullet-proof. However, I've read that you can buy replacement brass screws if you want, so hey Peak, why not just provide the brass screws to begin with? Whatever.

Rather than retiring the Danvise, it will become my travel vise. Or actually, it will come to work with me alongside a pencil box full of materials so I can tie during my lunch break. It's perfect for travel because it's extremely lightweight and very capable. I definitely got more than my money's worth out of it over the years and would highly recommend to anyone looking for an inexpensive full rotary vise that can handle various hook sizes, from tiny midges up to serious streamers.

Danica Danvise, not a Danica Patrick

As for my old backup vise, the inexpensive clamp model that comes with those pre-fab beginner fly tying kits? I think I need to donate/gift it to someone. It works fine, I just don't need 3 vises. Anybody want it, just let me know...I'm certain we could work something out.

So what to you tie on?  Regal, Renzetti, HMH, Norvise? Or maybe a Peak, Danvise, or no-name like I've been using? I don't think there's a bad choice out there, would love to hear what's on your bench.

Totally Random Gear Review: Fozzils Solo Pack

I don't really do that many product reviews on the blog anymore, especially unsolicited ones, but I thought I'd share something I received in my Cairn box last month (Cairn is one of those "gear of the month clubs"), that I've actually given a fair amount of use in a short period of time, and am pretty pleased with the results.

The Fozzils Solo Pack - Cup, Bowl, & Dish

This folding "tableware" is kind of unique. What looks like a flat piece of plastic cardstock... transforms into a three-dimensional object by folding the pre-determined crease lines and utilizing the plastic snaps in the corners to hold its shape.

Specifically, the "dish" has become my waste bin as I'm tying flies. 

I brought this with me to the Tenkara Jam because it stored flat (I actually slid it inside my satchel among my Smoky Mountain fishing guidebook and sample Tenkara Angler magazines), and then once at the event, used it to store my snipped thread, clipped feathers, and other stuff while I was tying up flies. 

Heck, even back at home it's become a somewhat permanent fixture at my tying bench. Plus, the fishbone graphic on the bottom is just sort of fitting when it comes to this application.

I'm not going to lie, I haven't really used the bowl or cup yet, but the idea that I'm getting so much use out of the dish in a somewhat unintended way kind of made me want to bring it up on the blog. The fact that if you're actually a backpacker or camping type, and can use these for their intended purposes too, well that's a total win-win.

If you're interested in picking up the set, check out www.fozzils.com/outdoor. They'll run you about $15. I'm sure you can also Google "Fozzils" and find them at a retailer of your choice as well.

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DISCLAIMER:
The Fozzils folding tableware set featured in this product review was purchased through my monthly Carin box. I currently hold no association with Fozzils and did not solicit them, nor was solicited by them for this review.

Wandering Back To The Driftless - Part One

Two days in New York City for work, and then five more in Wisconsin tenkara-ing. It wasn't supposed to be that way, but the work thing popped up well after the flight to La Crosse was booked. I wouldn't see my family for just about a week. I was kind of bummed about that prospect, but my wife is an absolute saint and knows that the handful of fishing trips a year I schedule mean a lot to me.

The trip back to the Driftless area of Wisconsin was one I was looking forward to for quite some time. Enthusiastic about fishing those legendary trout waters for sure, but more excited about hanging out with folks at the Midwest Tenkara Fest that I had either met in person in the past or knew by name from online circles.

A few side-bar observations from the trip.

• My rental car was pre-set to a country music station when I picked it up. I didn't want to search the dial so I just left it on. I listened to the same 10 or 12 songs over and over all weekend driving from spot-to-spot. If you want to re-create the full experience, play this (horrible) song while you're reading this, and all subsequent posts. Sorry Dierks Bentley fans...it's just not good.

• However Culver's is amazing. Maybe not the best burger I've ever had, but far better than standard fast food fare. Add in the crinkle fries and either a custard or root beer...and well, I need one of those in my neighborhood. Or maybe I don't, I'd gain 50 pounds quick.

• Oh, and cold weather sucks. I didn't realize how much of a Floridian I had become, but it was like 30-40 degrees, rainy, and windy when I arrived on Friday. Saturday was only slightly better, swapping the rain for partly cloudy conditions. Things finally turned on Sunday, and Monday was glorious, but damn Friday sucked.

All that said after arriving on Friday afternoon and setting up shop at the Days Inn, the agenda was going to be brief...tie flies while waiting for it to stop raining and meet up with some of the group for dinner at Legacy Grill & Pub in Coon Valley.

Days Inn Room 231 - Tenkara HQ

Fortunately, the weather did let up, so I headed to Coon Valley a bit early to try and get a little fishing in on Coon Creek right before dinner. I was able to bring two to hand surprisingly quickly, so I suppose the fish didn't mind the cold temps as much as I did. Both beautiful brown trout took one of my orange & white "road kone kebari" while twitching them back against the current.

Fish put a good fight to numb fingers

Next was the aforementioned Legacy, which had some damn good food, and even better company. I think we inadvertently staged a "tenkara takeover" of the smallish dining area, one that the hostess was none too enthusiastic about. Fixed line ruffians pushing out her regulars... Regardless, extended conversations were had about everything fishing & tenkara, and I had more than my fair share of New Glarus Spotted Cows.

Our posse extended from me (back to the camera in foreground) all the way back to TenkaraBum Chris Stewart ordering from the waitress at the far end. I don't see a few faces in this picture, so it must have been taken earlier in night before we grew by another 4 or 5 people.  

Photo "stolen" from Zoan Kulinski's FB page :)

After the group broke up for the night and my mild buzz subsided, I called it quits. Too much traveling, an on-setting head cold, and just excitement for the next day to come told me it was time to head back to the hotel and get some shut-eye.

More on the Midwest Tenkara Fest itself tomorrow...

Video: Jigawockie from Loon Outdoors

Sweet tying video showed up in my inbox yesterday from Loon Outdoors. Diggin' this Jigawockie jig nymph pattern, I'd definitely fish this fly. You in?


Jigga what?...Jigga who?

Oh, and totally random side note, only because it's on TV as I'm writing this...anybody watching this "The People v. O.J. Simpson" series on FX. Love it, love it, LOVE IT!

1000% Off Topic...

...but this is my favorite commercial on TV right now.


"...now they're makin' chickenbuggahs..."

I laugh every single time.

Some creative fly tyer would be wise to make a "woollybuggahs" parody.
Comedic gold served on a platter. You're welcome.

Tenkara Tuesday - 2015 Appalachian Tenkara Anglers Blue Lines & Brookies Kebari Swap

Welcome to Tenkara Tuesday...

While not a prolific fly tyer, I do enjoy participating in a good fly swap every now and then. It's pretty interesting to see what others can whip up on their vises...or perhaps even in-hand.

Recently, the opportunity presented itself on the Appalachian Tenkara Anglers Facebook group page. Themed "Blue Lines & Brookies" this fly swap was introduced as follows by the "swapmeister" Joe Deppe: 

"Anthony Naples of Three Rivers Tenkara is our guest tyer! Anthony has brought us Casting Around, his art work, Tenkara Times and now ONI rods to the USA and now he is bringing you the chance to get a must have set of backcountry kebari!! The theme is just that Backcountry Kebari. What is backcountry to me may not be to you but that is all right as long as we all get a big pack of Kebari in the mail. Think Blue Lines and Brook Trout and you will be on the right track. Need suggestions just ask on this post. New and need pointers on tying ask away. If you are headed to the Tenkara Campout this is the swap not to miss. Everyone there will be jealous when you open your fly box full of these!"

So without further adieu, here are the flies from the "Blue Lines & Brookies" swap, a nice balance between reverse hackle kebari, wet flies, and dry flies. There's a little bit for everyone...well done by all!

Anthony Naples: Pass Lake Wet Fly

Anthony Naples: Peacock Caddis

Bob Olsen: Starling Nymph

Jason Konopinski: Purple Kebari
(Photo liberated from Facebook as I did not receive his fly in my box)

Jason Sparks: Assorted Kebari

Jason Sparks: Foam Square Ant

Jason Sparks: Shotaro Kebari

Jeremiah Brown: Killer Kebari

Micah Brown: Black Stonefly Nymph

Mike Agneta: Beadhead Road Kone Kebari

Mike Agneta: Tellico Kebari

Peter Brath: Guinea Hen Kebari

Rob Worthington-Kirsch: Green Weenie & Starling

Rob Worthington-Kirsch: Utah Killer Bug & Starling

Robb Chunco: Gold Ribbed Bracken Clock

Susan Johnson: Yellow Sally Kebari

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ATTENTION TENKARA FISHERFOLK
Are you a tenkara angler? Do you have a story, pictures, video, fly recipe, or simply a fishing report from one of your recent tenkara adventures? If so, I'd really enjoy hearing from you for an upcoming Tenkara Tuesday post or Tenkara Angler magazine! Feel free to send an email HERE, I'd love to publish your original contribution.

Who Says Fly Tying Is Hard?

Who loves spending hours upon hours at the fly tying vise?  Not me, I'd rather be fishing, or eating candy or something...

With that in mind, I couldn't help but share this post/recipe from TenkaraBum on "The Overhand Worm." And don't think just because the source has "tenkara" in it, that this is only a tenkara fly. Remember, the fish don't know if you use a reel or not...

The Emmys, Eagles, & WWE...with a Touch of Fly Tying...

So did you watch the Emmys last night?
Yeah, neither did I...

Glad to see Seinfeld still winning hardware...

Ended the weekend (whip) finishing up some flies for a Facebook fly swap and lamenting the fact that I wasn't in Colorado.

Perhaps coming to a mailbox near you?

It was a good way to unwind after a long few days of watching roller derby, as well as having my Eagles pretty much suck all of the life out of my interest in the NFL this year. Like, c'mon Chip, really? Really with this Sam Bradford crap?

Dear Mr. Bradford - Upon entry of the red zone, throw it your own team

Jesu...I mean Tim Tebow...would have found a way to win that game...

Oh and to cap it off, greasy haired, red jumpsuit wearing Kane is back? What in the name of Xavier Woods is going on, this can't be what's best for business HHH!

I can handle a Y2J cameo, but don't bring a relic out of mothballs to blindside "The Future"...oh, Rollins was facing an even older Sting in the first place...what year is it again?

You probably didn't follow much of that, did you? Very little fishing content, I know. Even less coherency, whatever. That's what trying to slap together a blog post at 1 AM will do to you...

Tenkara Tuesday tomorrow. Until then...

Tenkara Tuesday - Simple Flies by Morgan Lyle

Welcome to Tenkara Tuesday...

Today we're going to talk flies. Or rather an excellent book that shows you how to tie them.

For those that are looking to fill their fly box, but might not be the most gifted of fly tyer, Simple Flies: 52 Easy-to-Tie Patterns that Catch Fish (by Morgan Lyle) is an absolute "must read" prior to their next tying session.

The beauty of this book is that all of the flies can be tied rather quickly with only a handful of materials, something that will likely align with the "less is more" philosophy that attracts many anglers to tenkara.

While those readers will probably be pleased to find a tenkara-centric section with photos of familiar faces such as Daniel Galhardo & "TenkaraBum" Chris Stewart, and flies such as the Ishigaki kebari, Takayama kebari, and Utah Killer kebari, the other forty-something patterns within (perhaps with the exception of some of the larger, weighted streamers) are also very compatible with ultralight tenkara tackle.

But believe me when I say that this is not a tenkara book, far from it. All of the fly patterns outlined within can be used with a more traditional "western" fly rod & reel, making this a great read for any discipline of fly angler. Simple Flies includes informative background stories and easy to follow "how-tos" for wets, dries, nymphs, & streamers of all shapes and sizes.

Approximately 160 pages of content, and an MSRP of $19.95, the flies may be simple, but there is more than enough to keep any angler happily busy at the vise for a very long time.

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ATTENTION TENKARA FISHERFOLK
Are you a tenkara angler? Do you have a story, pictures, video, fly recipe, or simply a fishing report from one of your recent tenkara adventures? If so, I'd really enjoy hearing from you for an upcoming Tenkara Tuesday post or Tenkara Angler magazine! Feel free to send an email HERE, I'd love to publish your original contribution.

The 2015 Midwest Tenkara Fest

The first Midwest Tenkara Fest (MWTF) was held in Wisconsin last weekend. Forever seeking a good excuse to fish "The Driftless," the combination of trout, tenkara, and new-to-me fishing waters, proved just too tempting to pass up.

After a long day of travel on Friday...Jacksonville to Charlotte...Charlotte to Chicago...and finally Chicago to La Crosse, Wisconsin, the doors of the Midwest Tenkara Fest opened shortly before 11AM on Saturday. Saturday also happened to be the Wisconsin Trout Opener, so fishing was on everyone's mind.

Bojangles in Charlotte, Cubbies in Chicago, and a "FOR SALE" Baggage Claim in La Crosse

The MWTF itself was held in a VFW Hall in Coon Valley, Wisconsin.  Coon Valley is a really small town, basically a main street with all of the necessities; a church, a market, a pizza place, and of course, the ubiquitous Kwik Trip.

Kwik Trip, not a Wawa

The VFW hall sits right next to Coon Valley Veterans Memorial Park, a beautifully maintained public use facility that just so happens to have a trout stream (Coon Creek) run right through it! So the MWTF was no more than 100 yards from the water, making for convenient on stream demos as well as providing constant temptation during the various indoor presentations.

Now this is where I failed you, the readers of this blog. I'll be totally honest, I didn't take a lot of pictures of the MWTF...which is a shame, because if you're a gear nut, this was the perfect place to ogle many different tenkara wares. So in lieu of pictures, here's a quick rundown of the vendors...with some links to what I thought were the notable goodies...

Badger Tenkara - MWTF Hosts, there was also a table with their full line, including prototypes of two new rods, the UNC & Wisco. (Having cast the Wisco, I can tell you it was sweet, I'm going to pick one up to fool around with Florida Largemouth). 

Tenkara USA - Manned by Mark Bolson, a nice spread of TUSA rods, accesssories, and literature was present. Mark also was tying flies...and boy is he a talented tyer. Being very familiar with the TUSA product line, I think I spent more time chatting up Mark than fondling the merchandise. 

DRAGONtail Tenkara / Moonlit Fly Fishing - Rick Munday was overseeing this offering of rods & lines. I have to say, the DRAGONtail rods might have some of the sharpest cosmetics out there if that matters to you.

TenkaraBum - What's a tenkara event without Chris Stewart? There were far too many rods on his THREE tables of gear to even try and recap all of what Chris brought along. All of the goodies from all of the Japanese brands were present. The Nissin rods were especially nice to browse in person. I mean who doesn't want a Pocket Mini? It was all almost overwhelming...but impressive none the less! 

Craig's Keiryu Carnival - OK, Craig Thoreson wasn't selling anything, but he had all of his keiryu gear laid out on a table in the back, and he was eager to talk whomever asked through each piece of equipment. You've never seen a bait box like Craig's bait box. 

Streamside Leaders - Michael Moline (& wife Kathy) were also in attendance, with a rainbow of colored leaders, flies for sale, and of course two models of tenkara rod. The 9 foot Streamside rod is definitely a winner. Did you know Streamside has been making tenkara lines longer than tenkara rods have been sold in the United States? I didn't either, until last weekend. 

Zimmerbuilt - The bags and packs handmade by Chris Zimmer are ultralight, functional works of art. Having owned a "Guide Sling" for a few years, you really can't gain an appreciation for the quality construction and attention to detail without handling one (or many) in person. Chris was also selling MWTF patches, which I just had to scoop up. Plus he totally hooked me up...just try not to be jealous. 

Coulee Region Adventures - Ever think of fishing tenkara from a NuCanoe?  Anthony Larson did, and does, and as a guide and NuCanoe dealer, he was eager to tell you all about this awesome fishing platform.

The MWTF content spanned two days with Saturday and Sunday both filled with a lot of great presentations (and food). Matt Sment of Badger Tenkara sort of served as emcee walking the attendees through the basics of tenkara, both in the classroom and out on the lawn (& creek).

Other presentations were either in person, via Skype, or recorded video.

While all of the presenters (Mike Lutes, Anthony Larson, John Vetterli, Erik Ostrander, etc...) were great, a handful really stood out to me.

Craig Thoreson's keiryu gear & zero tension line overview - While I'm not giving up tenkara any time soon, it was really interesting to see all of the keiyru gear up close. The lines Craig makes were amazing. Imagine using spiderwebs for fishing line...yes, those zero tension lines are that fine. 

Rob Worthing (Tenkara Guides) Landing Big Fish - This was a recorded video / power point, but it was extremely thorough, informative, and Rob's delivery as narrator was very entertaining. Don't know the secrets to riding the power curve of your tenkara rod? Rob and the Tenkara Guides can fill you in on that, among many other big fish techniques.

Chris Stewart's Keiryu Tactics for Tenkara - Yeah, I know, more keiryu...but this presentation was more about applying some strategies from one form of fixed line fishing to another. Long rods, short lines, and yes... you can use split shot or weighted flies. It was simply a refreshing counterpoint to many of the tenkara taboos out there today. 

Anthony Naples' Small Stream Tenkara Movie - Yep, I called it a movie. At maybe 50 minutes long, it was a very, very, very comprehensive overview on how to fish small, tight water effectively. Plus a little birdy told me that bits and pieces may make it online, so keep an eye out, it's well worth it! 

(Oh, and Anthony, if you're reading this, Craig & I predicted successfully that at least some portion would be filmed in black & white...but we were both disappointed by no linocut animations). 

And I can't forget the fly tying!!!  - Dale Hewitt, Mark Bolson, and Matt Shipp each spent some time at the vise. I was most interested in Dale's presentation on local Wisconsin fly patterns such as the Pink Squirrel (and pink squirrel kebari variant), it was also really neat watching Matt tie kebari in-hand. As a guy who personally struggles with a vise, I admire his dexterity.

Dale Hewitt tying a Pink Squirrel

While the schedule was jam-packed with presentations, there was a lot of time provided to fish the Coon Creek as well as meet & chit-chat with other attendees, which quite honestly is my favorite part of these events. Whether it's simply first time introductions, or renewing friendships made at prior events, getting to better know people you've become acquainted through tenkara on social media is a great opportunity that I look forward to each year.

Sunday's MWTF Group Photo
(Unceremoniously lifted from Badger Tenkara)

Looking back on the experience, I thought the Midwest Tenkara Fest was a very informative and enjoyable event. It was extremely well run by the folks at Badger Tenkara (Matt, Mike, and Nicole) and I'd recommend considering attending next year's event to anyone that is ten-curious, lives in the midwest, or like me, simply needs an excuse to get out and fish the beautiful spring-fed streams of the Driftless.

And speaking of fishing...oh, I did some of that too. More on that, and this guy, tomorrow...