Introduction to Hirata san

Welcome to Tenkara with Hisanobu Hirata!In this course you'll learn a whole range of fishing skills from one of Japan's most respected tenkara anglers including on stream tuition and analysis, fly tying and fly selection advise and horse hair line making.But first lets get to know Mr Hirata with this in depth interview. 

On-stream with Hirata-san:Tenkara Skills of a Shokuryoshi (Video)

This is where it all starts...You can begin to see some of Hirata-san's unique tactics and, with repeated viewings, more and more detail will emerge. Absorbing our analysis alongside absorbing the movements that you see Hirata-san making will let you start acquiring these skills in your own fishing...BUT - you need to check out the E-Book and Audiobook for extra information (in the next two lessons) to really get the most out of this process.

Hirata-san in His Own Words

A short history from following in his father's footsteps as a young boy trying to earn pocket money to professional angler and master of his own school of tenkara.

Birth of a Master Angler

How struggle and adversity shaped Hirata-san's fishing.

Professional Fishermen and Their Old School Casting Style

Find out about the radical difference in the casting style of old-school professional Tenkara anglers.

Amago Tactics & Brief Reading the Water Guidelines

How learning from a man who can catch fish to order can up your game on stream.

Hirata-san on Fishing Pressure

Changing tactics for fishing, catch & kill vs catch & release waters and dealing with heavy angler pressure.

Hirata-san Casting & Line Techniques Part 1

Line management techniques for casting, drifting and hookset.

Hirata-san Casting & Line Techniques Part 2

Continuing line management techniques for drifting, presentation and hookset.

Hirata-san Fly Manipulation (Sasoi)

Hirata-san's thoughts on manipulated fly techniques.

Hirata-san On Stream Kebari Design & Testing

How Hirata-san decides what flies to use.

Hirata-san Scruffy vs. Neat Flies

How fish can behave differently towards scruffy vs neat flies.

Introducing Hirata-san’s Student Book

A small taste of Hirata-san's hand written teaching manual normally only shared with his one to one students.

Detailed Casting and Line-Position Analysis

A frame by frame look at Hirata-san's casting stroke.

On-stream with Hirata-san:Tenkara Skills of a Shokuryoshi (PDF E-book & Audiobook)

Here you'll find all of the preceding lessons in this module in a PDF ebook and Audiobook for your convenient online and offline use. There are many ways to get the full advantage of the PDF e-book and audiobook material. Some people have told us they take in the PDF content much better by reading along to the PDF with the audiobook playing while others like to listen while on the go after already reading the PDF.

Tying Hirata-san’s Ivory Kebari (No Vice and No Bobbin method): You Only Need a Cutting Blade…

Join us in Hirata san's fishing shop on our first visit to Japan in 2014 as we witness him tie one of his favourite kebari patterns "in hand".

No-Vice Kebari: Hirata-san’s Flies

A detailed look inside Hirata-san's fly box.

Step by Step: How to Tie a Hirata-san Kebari Without a Vice

Step by step diagrams and instructions for tying "in the hand" just like Hirata-san.

Special Notes on Selecting Flies

From fish species through water depth to weather conditions, we look at Hirata-san's other considerations when tying and selection fly patterns.

Closing Thoughts on Flies

Summarising a lifetime's experience is never going to be simple, but here are a few key thoughts to consider.

Hirata-san’s Kebari Box: No-Vice Tying & Picking the Right Pattern (PDF E-book & Audiobook)

Here you'll find all the information from the preceding lessons in this module combined into a handy PDF e-book and audiobook for your convenience. There are many ways to get the full advantage of the PDF e-book and audiobook material. Some people have told us they take in the PDF content much better by reading along to the PDF with the audiobook playing while others like to listen while on the go after already reading the PDF.

Hirata-san Horsehair Line Making (Video)

Get carried along with us on some of our first-hand primary research and discoveries. Join us in Hirata san's shop, this time in 2017, and watch his masterful video demonstration of horsehair line making.

Why Horsehair?

In an age of cutting edge synthetic materials, why does a professional angler still use natural horse hair?

Choosing the Right Material

As with many natural materials, the quality of the raw ingredients can vastly impact the end product. Here are some notes on choosing the right horse hair.

Taper Design & Basics of Matching a Line to Your Rod

A breakdown of construction and taper formulas for different styles and rod types.

Step-by-Step Instructions for a Basic Line

A full series of step by step diagrams and instructions for making the perfect traditional horse hair Tenkara line.

Adding Hirata-san’s Quick-Release Transition Loop

Step by step diagrams and instructions for adding a transition loop for attaching the horse hair line to your rod.

Adding Tippet: The Final Component

well, now you've made a horse hair line, you'll need to add some tippet.

Marrying Technique to Tackle

A few things to consider when fishing with a horse hair line.

Making Horsehair Lines with Hirata-san (PDF E-book & Audiobook)

Here you'll find all the information from the preceding lessons in this module combined into a handy PDF e-book and audiobook for your convenience. There are many ways to get the full advantage of the PDF e-book and audiobook material. Some people have told us they take in the PDF content much better by reading along to the PDF with the audiobook playing while others like to listen while on the go after already reading the PDF.

Fly Manipulation for Extra Fishing Distance

How to overcome some of the weight/drape-otsuri sometimes associated with horsehair lines by using deliberate manipulation tactics.

Two Flies from the 1920s: Project “Get ’em wet”

A pair of mysterious wax-paper envelopes containing creations made from horsehair, feather and thread? I discuss via webcam what these antique treasures are (and a mildly hare-brained scheme to see if modern fish like them)