Hackle forward

[pedros]

A picture of a Tenkara style fly posted by MadJoni on the small streams thread, What's It All About? TENKARA!, had me thinking. Traditional tenkara flies generally are well hackled with similar materials to NC wets. However, the hackling points forward (for want of a better phrase)
Anyway, would be interested to hear your well qualified thoughts on this direction of hackling for what are predominantly river wets.
I have my own thoughts but don't want to influence opinion.

[arkle]

Funneldun anyone ?

[former member 7]

Spot on Arkle,

If that's not a Funnel Dun I'm a Chinaman - the wheel re-invented yet again

[madjoni]

Hi there
It is not normal hackleing for me....well,I am not used to ty flies this way but have some point if you look how Japanese fish with wet flies.They do it upstream

[pedros]

Originally Posted by arkle

Funneldun anyone ?

Sorry guys, I was alluding to using the hackle fwd with softer 'active' hackles as a WET fly as opposed to the rear pointing method on our conventional spider patterns.

[flyfishwithme]

Neil Paterson's funnel dun (a dry fly which has a hackle specifically modified so that it floats upside down) may appear to similar to a Tenkara fly but it is not.

Tenkara patterns have been around for centuries and this style of fly is not dissimilar to the 'Valsesiana' flies originated in Italy or the French soft hackles.

These three styles have been developed over centuries without the influence of English speaking publications.

The orginators probably couldn't speak or read English anyway (and many of the fly fishermen in those countries still cannot) and they have evolved flies that really work. The fact that they are similar to those we know so well is testament to the ability of old patterns like NC Spiders.

As to the original question about hackles pointing forward rather than back, I have tied some of the Italian and French soft hackled patterns and used them with good success on waters where NC spiders originated. I would not go so far as saying that they out fish NC patterns, but in some circumstances they do work better.

[pedros]

Originally Posted by flyfishwithme

...may appear to similar to a Tenkara fly but it is not.

Glad you said it

[maharg]

Taff Price lists this type of fly in his International Guide. Used in the Jura region to mane but one.
As said forward facing hackles on generally a highly varnished silk body.
Will post up some of the patterns tonight when I get home.

[madjoni]

French have Devaux series.....but that is dry flies

[CM_Stewart]

I think the tenkara flies were more heavily hackled than the NC wets. In addition to being fished upstream, they were fished actively, with a slight pulsing motion. If fished the same way, the hacke of a sparsely hackled NC wet would just fold back along the body, whereas the hackle of a sakasa kebari - style tenkara fly would pulse. Although I don't know, I wouldn' be surprised if the reverse hackled Alpine spiders were also fished actively.

Tenkara Techniques