One fly Saturday

I was off from work this past week and spent a part of the week up in the Tetons, both Idaho and Wyoming sides. The streams are still pretty high and difficult to wade so I didn't get much fishing in. I will revisit some of the streams in a month after they have calmed down.

Today, however, I visited my home stream. No one who fishes with me would every accuse me of being a traditional tenkara fisher, as I usually use two flies -- one not even a kebari, but today I decided to use only one fly, and that being a sakasa kebari-style fly.  Since I have fished this water before, even though today I fished a section new to me, I went with a Soft Hackle Grey Kebari. Using this fly, I tried to use more traditional tenkara techniques like pulsating the fly as it drifted. I actually used a technique taught to me by ERiK Ostrander of Tenkara Guides, LLC to put action in the fly. Instead of trying to pulsate the fly with up and down motions of the rod tip he suggested that I move the rod tip in a continuous small circle. This induces the same action to the fly, but is less difficult to do and can be done with more finesse and control.

One way of imparting action to the fly

The way I was taught

I am not sure if this action to the fly made any difference today,  as the water I was fishing was pretty tight and tumbling and probably imparted more action to the fly that I did. Nevertheless, I caught well over a dozen trout -- browns and cutthroats -- in a few hours. Maybe the extra action helped, maybe it didn't. I don't think it hurt though.

A thoroughly chewed Soft Hackle Grey kebari

I used the same fly for all the fish. It was pretty chewed by the time I went back home but it is still quite usable. I'll save it for another day.

The water

One of the fish -- don't worry, it was a quick picture then back in the water. He shot away.