I just got a care package from Japan from Masami Sakakibara (a.k.a. “Tenkara no Oni”) which included some of his flies. His patterns are simple, but very versatile and buggy looking. I’m not sure of all of the materials, but thought I’d share some pictures of the flies one of the greatest tenkara anglers in the world fishes with.
I’ll probably frame these the way I did with my flies from Dr. Ishigaki and other Japanese anglers I met at the 2012 Tenkara Summit and hang them somewhere in my tenkara office. Although, one pattern was a duplicate so I think I’ll have to take that one out on the water one special day and see if I can catch a fish on a fly tied by a tenkara legend (and, one of my heroes).
VERY cool!
Not super neat but super effective!
Less is so more. Beautiful!
Sweet!
These are beautiful flies. Being new but enthusiastic to Tenkara, I have found a beautiful source of flies from Jim @tenkaraflyshop.com! He even found a way to tie them for this old geezer who’s eyesight is going south. Erik Ostrander does a wonderful job of tying flies but this takes away from his outstanding guide services.
Hey Bob, yes Jim’s got some great looking tenkara flies there. I find the website a little confusing to navigate though.
Those are awesome looking flies. I like the patch too. Can you buy those patches
Hey Brad, I haven’t see anywhere to buy those patches but I will ask.
Thank Jason!! Let me know if you find them.
I’ll be fishing with Masami in a few days, I’ll see about bringing a few patches home.
Lucky you. Let us know how it how the fishing was. If you could bring back some patches that would be great!
A lot of Oni’s fly patterns that you have shown look like they are dry flies, or they could be fished either dry as well as wet, according to the trout’s preferences at the time that you are fishing, which makes for a highly versatile set of fly patterns in my view.
Hey Karl,
I think you’re right about them being flies that are meant to be fished at different stages in the water column depending on conditions. I don’t think any of them are specifically intended to be dry flies.
I would dig having a no Oni patch for my quiver!