According to InternetSlang.com, juju means magic or luck. Maybe it does because I have had great luck or juju with this fly. The JuJuKebari is a play on Charlie Craven's Jujubeatis or Jujubee midge where the fly's abdomen is tied with white thread and then over this Super Hair of various colors is wrapped.
The JuJuKebari has taken fish for me when no other fly could induce a bite. According to tenkara one fly theory, the fly does not matter as much as the presentation. I suspect that this is mostly true, but sometimes I think the fly really does matter! This was pretty evident a couple of times this summer. Let me give you some examples.
One of those times I had been exploring new water. I drove up along a creek that had been seriously dewatered by an irrigation diversion. As I was driving I came across a closed girls camp which was entered by a bridge crossing over the stream. Under this bridge was a fairly deep pool into which numerous trout had congregated. Being so close to the camp I suspected that these trout were pretty heavily pressured and likely would not take just anything. The water was gin clear and there was no cover to hide a cast so I had to literally crawl on my hands and knees to get within casting distance. I tried on a #3 line (I probably should have used a #2 line but I didn't have any at that time) and a long 6X fluorocarbon tippet. Since the water was so clear I could easily see each fish and their reaction to to presented fly.
At first I tried a small Utah Killer Bug. The trout would look at it but then quickly turn away and go back to their stations. Numerous casts did not yield a bite. I changed to a sakasa kebari-type fly. Still nothing. I even hit some of the trout on the nose and still no takers. I was both miffed and intrigued by this challenge so every 10 casts or so I would change flies. Obviously I should have put the trout down by all of this casting/presenting. Finally I tied on a #10 JuJuKebari. On the third cast and drift a 12 inch cutthroat took the fly. I quickly pulled him out of the pool into the small stream and fought him there -- so to not disturb the other fish. After letting him go I made a few more casts and took two other fish. Was it juju? I think so. The other thing I noticed about this fly is that it got down to the fish quickly when compared to the other kebari that I had tried. Maybe this is part of its juju.
Another example. The other day I was fishing a freestone stream and was catching fish here and there with a UKB, as usual. I would take a fish out of every 4th or 5th pocket. After a while I decided to try a JuJuKebari. I took three fish out of the next pocket. More juju? Maybe so.
So what is this fly and how do you tie it? Like Craven's Juju flies, this is a two thread fly. One color is used for the head and the other (white) is used for the abdomen. The white thread is essential to the fly. The white thread underbody makes the Super Hair transparent and sort of glow. Also this fly has a clear abdominal overcoating that also adds to the translucence of the Super Hair. For the overcoating I use Loon UV Knot Sense and cure it with a UV cure lamp. I could have also used Loon UV Clear Fly Finish but I don't have any. One thing about Knot Sense. Even after curing it can feel a little tacky so I put a thin layer of Sally Hansen Hard as Nails over it to finish it off. This is not absolutely necessary but I think it makes the UV coating more durable.
You can use any sort of color combination for the abdomen by varying the number and color of Super Hair strands. Also, the collar can be varied as well: natural peacock, UV dubbing, flash dubbing, etc.
Hook: TMC 2499SP-BL, #10-12
Head: Uni-Thread 8/0, black
Hackle: natural partridge
Collar: Peacock, flash dubbing, natural dubbing, etc.
Abdomen under body: Uni-Thread 6/0, white
Abdomen: Super Hair strands of various color combinations
Abdomen overcoating: Loon UV coating, cured at vise with UV lamp. (Optional): after cure, apply a thin coat of Sally Hansen Hard as Nails.
This seems to be a productive sakasa kebari-type fly. Give it a go and see if it works for you too. If it does, let me know. I'd love to hear your stories.
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| Super Hair. From FlyFishUsa.com |
The JuJuKebari has taken fish for me when no other fly could induce a bite. According to tenkara one fly theory, the fly does not matter as much as the presentation. I suspect that this is mostly true, but sometimes I think the fly really does matter! This was pretty evident a couple of times this summer. Let me give you some examples.
One of those times I had been exploring new water. I drove up along a creek that had been seriously dewatered by an irrigation diversion. As I was driving I came across a closed girls camp which was entered by a bridge crossing over the stream. Under this bridge was a fairly deep pool into which numerous trout had congregated. Being so close to the camp I suspected that these trout were pretty heavily pressured and likely would not take just anything. The water was gin clear and there was no cover to hide a cast so I had to literally crawl on my hands and knees to get within casting distance. I tried on a #3 line (I probably should have used a #2 line but I didn't have any at that time) and a long 6X fluorocarbon tippet. Since the water was so clear I could easily see each fish and their reaction to to presented fly.
At first I tried a small Utah Killer Bug. The trout would look at it but then quickly turn away and go back to their stations. Numerous casts did not yield a bite. I changed to a sakasa kebari-type fly. Still nothing. I even hit some of the trout on the nose and still no takers. I was both miffed and intrigued by this challenge so every 10 casts or so I would change flies. Obviously I should have put the trout down by all of this casting/presenting. Finally I tied on a #10 JuJuKebari. On the third cast and drift a 12 inch cutthroat took the fly. I quickly pulled him out of the pool into the small stream and fought him there -- so to not disturb the other fish. After letting him go I made a few more casts and took two other fish. Was it juju? I think so. The other thing I noticed about this fly is that it got down to the fish quickly when compared to the other kebari that I had tried. Maybe this is part of its juju.
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| The first cutthroat. The sun was really bright that day! |
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| The water |
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| One of the fish |
You can use any sort of color combination for the abdomen by varying the number and color of Super Hair strands. Also, the collar can be varied as well: natural peacock, UV dubbing, flash dubbing, etc.
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| #12 JuJuKebari with peacock collar. Abdomen: 1 red, 1 white, 1 brown, 1 black Super Hair strands |
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| #10 JuJuKebari with synthetic olive-brown collar. Abdomen: 1 red, 2 brown, 1 black Super Hair strands |
Head: Uni-Thread 8/0, black
Hackle: natural partridge
Collar: Peacock, flash dubbing, natural dubbing, etc.
Abdomen under body: Uni-Thread 6/0, white
Abdomen: Super Hair strands of various color combinations
Abdomen overcoating: Loon UV coating, cured at vise with UV lamp. (Optional): after cure, apply a thin coat of Sally Hansen Hard as Nails.
This seems to be a productive sakasa kebari-type fly. Give it a go and see if it works for you too. If it does, let me know. I'd love to hear your stories.
Very cool fly Tom! I think it should join the rest of your flies on the American Sakasa Kebari site. I also agree with you that sometimes the fly can make a difference. 90% of the time I can catch fish with a Killer Bug or Royal Sakasa Kebari. However, there are times when trout will not go for either and I have to start searching through my fly box until I find a winner.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Yes, feel free to add it to the American Sakasa Kebari site. It does seem to be a good fly for sure.
Delete-Tom
Nice Kebari Tom. Like the look of it and I have been wanting to try the UV Fly Finish. I like the look of your Kebari's, they really pop with the clear overcoat to the body. One of my friends from UT swears by a drop of Sally Hansesns on his flies.
ReplyDeleteThe coating does make the colors pop. The Sally Hansen Hard as Nails is easy to apply and it is truly hard as a rock!
Delete-Tom
Nice kebaries Tom. I use UV coating to fix the color of trigger points too..
ReplyDeleteThe UV coating seems to make hot spots glow. Good tip!
Delete-Tom
Hi tom, would you please provide some more on the flies and the mate,rials please. Is super hair the same thickness as 6/0 thread? In my country, ultra hair and similar synthetics are very fine. Used for winging material, and you'd need about 6 strands for ribbing. How do you use the super hair and what is/are its properties please?
ReplyDeleteCraig
Hi Craig,
DeleteSuper Hair is a very fine synthetic material which is much finer than 6/0 thread. It is usually used for salt water streamers that mimic bait fish. For the JuJuKebari I generally use 3-4 strands of Super Hair per fly. I vary the color of the strands depending on what final abdomen color that I want. Since Super Hair is so fine I first build up the abdomen a little using white thread then wrap the Super Hair strands over this base. The white thread is critical to the fly since it allows the refracted light to make the Super Hair glow. Using a base of black thread does not give the same result. The UV coating both protects the Super Hair and adds to the light refracting quality of the material.
-Tom
Love the fly! Do you know if the Super Hair is available in the Pocatello area?
ReplyDeleteMay I ask what day you were fishing the de-watered stream? I was wondering if you were there before or after I was. I was there on the 16th of Sept and there was virtually no stream leaving the pool you mentioned. There was some rain not long after that, but I never went back to see if the stream revived any. I hope what fish were left make it through the winter. Such a shame to see it in that condition.
Hi C,
DeleteI fished it on the 20th of July. Yes, the water situation was pretty sad.
I don't think Roger has Super Hair it at Portnuef River Outfitters or Jimmie's in IF. I ordered mine through the web. I'm sure either store could order some for you, though.
-Tom