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2. Fly Tying
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3. Caddis query

Kind of an esoteric question, but I'm wondering about favorite or effective Caddis emerger patterns here. Any experience or opinions on LaFontaine sparkle pupa vs. Iris Caddis flies? I've got minimal experience with either but I'm tying today (between downpours, the local streams are at 3-4X normal/wadeable flows) and venturing into new territory of Caddis patterns.

tight lines,

Roguerat

"Less is more...'

Ludwig Mies Vande Rohe

I have fished both and prefer the LaFontaine emergent pupa with the trailing shuck over the Iris caddis. I like the 180 degree bubble on top. I tie it in only rust or green body. I always use tan yarn for the shuck and bubble and coastal brown deer hair sparse for the wing.

Roguerat,

Wbranch and I have the same beliefs. I am a big advocate of Gary LaFontaine patterns. The combination of Gary LaFontaine's Caddisflies and Thomas Ames Caddisflies publications fill my on-going pursuit. A very key consideration for duplication of the LaFontaine sparkle series is to utilize the correct Sparkle Yarn materials.

Boulderwork wrote;



That is a very good point while I have never adhered to Mr. LaFontaine's "Touch Dub" technique to apply dubbing to create the body. I use very fine Antron that I purchased years ago in a ten color dispenser. I make a dubbing loop and insert chopped up strands of the Antron into the dubbing loop. But the yarn I use for the bubble has great translucency and sparkle. It is three strand yarn and depending on the hook size I use one or two strands of yarn for the covert/bubble. I separate the fibers with my bodkin. A few fibers become the trailing shuck.