FLYMPH FORUM

Bubble-Backs
A few weeks back Ray (letumgo) sent me an assortment of flys. In that assortment was an emerger he calls "Chocolate Bubble-Back). Great pattern and yesterday I did well with it. I tyed a few up in two different colors. There is no doubt in my mind that as the weather gets cooler, these flys will be real producers. Ray, thank you for the patterns to copy. I am in your debt!

Hook - size 14 3906B
Thread - Camel 8/0 Uni
Tail - Wood Duck Colored Mallard
Bubble - Grey or Brown Z-Lon
Body - Brown or Grey Dubbing
Hackle - Dark Brown Hen hackle





These flys strike me as actual emerging insects, yet I can really see them as a stillborn or cripple.

I love the wood duck tail. Beautifully tyed flies, Wayne. I'm honored.

THOSE are Nice.....

DUBBN, Howdy;

Nice lookin' flys.
Think I got 1 or 2 of'em from Ray as well...
Going to have to get out and try them and the bubble-gum one as well.

hank

This pattern is very similar to Gary LaFontaine's Sparkle pupa, but with the hackle. Great idea, It's going to be a killer. I'll take three dozen in three sizes. RIGHT NOW! I think I'll copy a few up for myself...you can't let a fly go by with a win ticket.

fflutterffly wrote:This pattern is very similar to Gary LaFontaine's Sparkle pupa, but with the hackle. Great idea, It's going to be a killer. I'll take three dozen in three sizes. RIGHT NOW! I think I'll copy a few up for myself...you can't let a fly go by with a win ticket.

I see the resemblance to the Sparkle Pupa aswell. Back in the 80's the LaFontaine Emerger/pupa really was the rage, as it should have been. I argued with just a few people that the Soft hackles were first and better than LaFontaine's pattern for imitating this cycle of the Caddis. I still feel I am right about that. I feel that the Hackle is a better shroud surrounding the body of the fly than Lydias Sparkle Yarn. I will say this though. I credit LaFontaine for getting the word out about the Caddis fly and it's importance to the diet of trout during all its life cycles. My disclaimer here is i still have not seen an air bubble surrounding a CADDIS fly, or a picture of one. I believe the hardcore fly fisherman who came before me knew the importance of the Caddis all along, but I think LaFontaine was able to spread the news around through his articles a liitle more efficiently.

Disclaimer here. I have no data to support my opinions, and that is why they are, my opinions.

Wayne, i got to watch LaFontain tye 3 or 4 times in the early 90's at Somerset. He actually gave me one of his Sparkle Pupa's right outta the vise once. He was one hell of a fun guy to watch tye and to listen to. He had a great sense of humor..........and was always tellin' stories bout his dog and his daughter and her boyfriends, and about all his excursions on and in the water.........with both fly rod and film camera, and scuba equipment. He was originally from Connecticut before immigrating to Montana..............so his fly fishing roots were in the Catskills & the northeast. i use to get his "Mailer" for many years.......he had a great catalog of products...........materials and books, etc. i recently (last year), bought the book (signed and personalized), that Al & Gretchen Beatty have put out.....The Lafontain Legacy. Great book.....be seein' Al & Gretchen again soon at Conclave.

I pre ordered it when I saw the ad for it in fly fisherman magazine. I was a lot younger then & sent a note telling Gary how useful his book would be for tying Caddis patterns used on the little Brookie streams I fished.
When I received my copy of Gary's book There was a very nice note to me written on the inside cover and a couple Caddis pupea flies of his with it.

DUBBN ~ I can't imagine those flies not catching fish. Well done!

Wayne, these are quite nicely done. This antron bubble-back just seems to be a much nicer looking fly than the Lafontain version. I have never fished either, but I would love a set of these in my box. Especially the proportions on these are so nice. Great use of the materials.

w