Gary LaFontaine's Sparkle Pupa

[kacbo]

Although flymph forum promotes primarily traditional flies and approaches to fly tying, this "modern" fly is unrivaled by the wingless wet fly in all parameters. It can be fished alone or in tandem with a nymph or a dry fly.

Used materials in this fly, deviate from the original recipe (it is a variant from Gary LaFontaine's pattern)
hook - #12 heavy, nymph hook
body - antron mix, predominantly ginger hue
rib - flashabou, one strand
veil/shuck - polypropylene/antron/zelon (used orange pp)
hackle - quail wing covert or partridge body hackle or any soft hackle
thorax - dark mix of antron or hare's mask dubbing mix (originally ostrich herl)

[FlyFisherMann1955]

Looks great. I really like the last picture!

Tight Lines- Ken

[Roadkill]

Very nicely tied fly, have you ever fished this in Slovenia? I once discussed soft hackles and flymphs with a Serb on the Sava Bohinjka.

[DUBBN]

this "modern" fly is unrivaled by the wingless wet fly in all parameters.

You tie the Sparkle Pupa better than most any I have ever seen. Well done.

When this style came out at the hands of lafontaine, I made it my purpose to make sure anyone that used his patterns knew, a soft hackle was better under any circumstance. I was never defeated going head-to-head with any of lafontaines patterns. What surprised even me was, how easy it was to out produce lafontaine.

You tie a stunning pattern but stating "unrivaled" is painting with a very broad brush.

[Variant]

Kacbo,

That is a very well tied Gary LaFontaine style Sparkle Pupa!
I have been tying and fishing the Sparkle Pupa and Emergent Sparkle Pupa patterns for over 45 years and have had tremendous success. When the patterns first came out in the mid 1970’s they were called the Grannom Pupa and Emergent Grannom. I never leave home without them!

Lou

[ronr]

those are beautiful renditions of Lafontaine's classic. Around here He's regarded as something of a god of the caddis. I guess he spent a fair amount of time with a scuba mask and recording his observations. I have two of his books and have to say, I've done much better with Syl Neme's mother's day caddis pattern than any of Lafontaine's. Interesting how we have different experiences fishing in different parts of the country or world. I get funny looks from a lot of folks around here when I tell them I rarely fish a dry fly and swing soft hackles about 80% of the time. to each his own, I guess.

[DUBBN]

I get funny looks from a lot of folks around here when I tell them I rarely fish a dry fly and swing soft hackles about 80% of the time.

Its official. I have a serious man crush on you!!!

[kacbo]

Thaks guys!

@Roadkill
I'd never fished Slovenia.I am sure that there are places for this fly among the many great rivers in Slovenia. Even though some of my flies fished all across Slovenia...

@DUBBN
It's just my impression that this fly is something special, at the same time a true soft hackled wet fly. I use this fly when I'm positive that caddis emergers are key for selective trout, around the upper half of water column. And the move with the fly is important, at least according to my belief. My streams are too turbid most of the time, so I almost never swing a wet fly; instead to fish dry flies I tend to use soft hackled wets presented upstream.
For the end - crucial detail is that lack of my english writing skills are the reason for "bold statement". Even in that case, I'm sure it's better to post it than not.

[DUBBN]

I use this fly when I'm positive that caddis emergers are key for selective trout, around the upper half of water column. And the move with the fly is important, at least according to my belief. My streams are too turbid most of the time, so I almost never swing a wet fly; instead to fish dry flies I tend to use soft hackled wets presented upstream.

We have turbid water as well. If visibility is 6 inches (15CM) I do quite well with soft hackles. The soft hackle fly does not have to be swung down and across. Like you mentioned, an upstream presentation can be successful. Even more productive is nymphing with Soft Hackles. It did not take competitive fly fishers long to realize adding a soft hackle to a jig fly can be deadly.

The Sparkle Pupa is a very pretty pattern and has a loyal following. I do not personally believe it represents any stage of the Caddis Flies life cycle. I think it is an attractor at best, and it is quite probable that the fish take it as an egg pattern.

Again, you tie a stunning fly. You also have a great deal of confidence in the pattern. That alone warrants it a place in your fly box.

[kacbo]

Well...
I was a believer - for some time I believed Gary that he did some underwater observation and measurement (how far would trout go for a caddis pupa vs. artificial). And after 10 years, in one specific moment (dark shadow with narrow beam of sun in a gorge) I saw some caddis pupa popping thru surface - in last underwater moments they looked exactly like Gary's Sparkle Pupa. After that I stopped being believer, I just saw it.
Obviously, this is not a simple searching pattern. When caddis pupa is suspect for selectivity - go for it.
Since mayor caddis emergence occure april till july, august (localy) - there is no chance that trout take it for a egg. We have only brown trout, spawning in november and grayling spawning in spring, but grayling egg is 2-3 mm (equivalent od LaFontaine's pupa #36).

Here is my refuge: