tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336153333127516543.post2943724226620999805..comments2021-12-07T06:09:05.799-05:00Comments on SOFT HACKLES, TIGHT LINES: Brown and Bright-Green Simplified Deep Sparkle PupaNeilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03800750418606011894noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336153333127516543.post-61954961228730682822016-10-07T08:40:10.781-04:002016-10-07T08:40:10.781-04:00Hi Steve,
I remember reading a citation in Schwieb...Hi Steve,<br />I remember reading a citation in Schwiebert's Nymphs (or an old article in Fly Fisherman by LaFontaine) by a historical author who lamented his inability to adequately create the appearance of gas bubbles beneath the shuck and, consequently, settled for wire. Anytime I've seen caddis shucks swirling in an eddy or hung on the moss in a rock, I've notice the irregular, uneven sparkle the bubbles create. <br /><br />I suppose the slightly added weight (though wire is incorporated in many traditional British dry flies) and the regularity of the flash across the abdomen must be the main detractions, but those seem like slim criticisms at best.<br /><br />I think you're right about the sparkle drawing more attention in a heavy hatch - it might not be as imitative as LaFontaine intended. It also seems that if the water has a slight discoloration, a sparkly body works well, even a size up, but I suppose that's the commonplace wisdom for an dingy water. Neilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03800750418606011894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336153333127516543.post-47103576892438346092016-10-02T02:08:05.001-04:002016-10-02T02:08:05.001-04:00Good post. I wonder: If there is gas present, is i...Good post. I wonder: If there is gas present, is it so noticeable that it is a keying characteristic of the emerging pupa?... Or, in perspective, gas being invisible but for the slight wink of a shimmer reflected from liquid surrounding it, might not wire ribbing accomplish that?<br /><br />I should note that a sparkly green body works well during blizzard spotted sedge hatches on my home water. But funny thing, the naturals have cream/tan/brown abdomens & brown thorax. My take: provided the fly is the right size & profile, the bright body helps it stand out from the bazillion naturals it is competing with -- just enough. Provided the size & profile are right. Stevehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10280854382082925888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336153333127516543.post-52760101077397671432016-09-26T07:40:05.904-04:002016-09-26T07:40:05.904-04:00Thank you for passing along the information from G...Thank you for passing along the information from Goddard, Goran. I have suspicions I could write a book rather than a blog post on the subject, but like I'm content to fish the flies even more. Thanks for following the blog!Neilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03800750418606011894noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336153333127516543.post-38306566123702661622016-09-21T15:10:04.499-04:002016-09-21T15:10:04.499-04:00Dear Neil,
First of all, thank you for this wonde...Dear Neil,<br /><br />First of all, thank you for this wonderful blog. I firmly believe in soft hackle flies and fish with them most of the times. The Simplified Deep Sparkle Pupa pattern that you offer in this post is great in every aspect. Every year I catch a lot of trout and grayling with similar flies (some of them tied also with brass or tungsten beads). <br /><br />I very much respect both Gary LaFontaine and Bob Wyatt, and possess their books (not all but most). They both, in their ways, helped me to create my own ideas about fly tying and fly fishing. When it comes to discussion about “gas bubble phenomenon” the problem is that LaFontaine unfortunately is not alive and therefore not able to defend his standpoint. Several authors wrote that it was not documented, but actually it was. In the very useful book by the late John Goddard titled “John Goddard’s Waterside Guide” (Unwin Hyman, First Edition, 1988) on the page 104 there is a photograph number 107 (“Pupa in final stage with case inflated before splitting at thorax”). It clearly shows the inflated pupa and its similarity with LaFontaine’s emergers. I saw few other similar photographs but cannot remember where. It seems that this is not a very common event and very few photographs exist. However, it seems that at least some caddis species during their emergence use gas bubbles trapped between the molting exoskeletal shuck and body. This was an inspiration for LaFontaine to create his Sparkle Pupas. Everyone, even those who don’t believe in “gas bubble phenomenon”, agree that they are very successful trout flies. Probably it is not possible to completely explain why they take such flies. But as long as they do I will use them to catch my share of trout.<br /><br />I’m looking forward to see more fine flies on this blog.<br /><br />All the best, <br />Goran Grubic<br />Goran Grubichttp://www.flyandtrout.comnoreply@blogger.com