The Amazing LaFontaine Emergent Sparkle Pupa
By: Joel Anderson
In his otherwise excellent book, “The Fly Tyers Nymph Manual”, published in 1986, Randall Kaufmann’s chapter detailing the fly tying sequences of Gary LaFontaine’s Emergent Sparkle Pupa is a travesty. So poor is Kaufmann’s representation of the pattern, I seriously hope he had an opportunity to apologize to Mr. LaFontaine before Gary’s untimely passing in 2002 as a result of Lou Gehrig’s Disease.
Kaufmann’s mistakes are almost start to finish. His version had a lead wire underbody and the standard deerhair wing. Kaufmann’s version also used 4 strands of antron wool yarn for veiling (two is more than enough) and had a tightly dubbed body (LaFontaine stressed the importance of a loosely dubbed and rough looking body). Kaufmann’s version also left out the trailing shuck, which is a critical element of the fly.
Now granted, Randall Kaufmann has no doubt forgotten more about fly fishing than I’ll ever know, but he owes the whole fly fishing community an apology for this goof. Until I bought LaFontaine’s “Caddislfies”, copyright 1981, which details the real tying and fishing methods of this pattern, Kaufmann’s chapter left me confused for years. Is it a dry or a nymph? How am I supposed to fish this dam thing? If you’re going to put something in print for all eternity, you might want to get it right.
There. I said it. That minor rant has been stewing in the back of my mind for 25 years.
After reading LaFontaine’s chapter detailing fishing methods of the ESP, I finally realized the fly was tied to represent the caddisfly’s transitional phase of the pupa emerging from the shuck to become an adult, which is the most vulnerable phase of the emergence. The fly should be fished dead drift in the film and LaFontaine recommended that only the deerhair wing dressed with floatant.
Ever since I learned to tie and fish this fly properly, it has been my Go-To pattern for tailwaters where caddis abound. It has probably accounted for more fish (and some of my largest on a dry fly) over the past 15 years than all other dry fly patterns combined.
One of the keys to tying this pattern correctly involves using the right yarn. It should be antron wool yarn, deemed “Sparkle Yarn” by LaFontaine. Zelon or 100% antron yarn do not produce the same effect. The 4-ply (sometimes 3-ply) yarn is separated into individual strands. On size 14 and 16, I use one thinned out strand on top and one on bottom. On size 18 ESPs, a single strand can be divided into two strands for the top and bottom. The strands should be combed out to separate the fibers and it should be loosely veiled around the roughly dubbed underbody such that it will trap air bubbles.
I’m constantly amazed, ever after fishing this pattern so often over the past 15 years, how some of the biggest fish in the river will take this fly confidently after flat out refusing more conventional ties. It will never win a beauty contest, but fish really don't care about pretty.
Best of all, the Emergent Sparkle Pupa is a dry fly that requires no hackle, so we don't have to fight for overpriced chicken feathers with desperate to be cool teenage girls.
LaFontaine Gold & Brown Emergent Sparkle Pupa
Loosely "Touch Dubbed" underbody, with over-veiling sparkle yarn combed out and ready to envelop the body.
Sparkle yarn now in place, with a few overbody fibers left behind to represent the trailing shuck:
Deerhair wing in place and the tightly spun fur (not antron) ready to form the head:
The finished Emergent Sparkle Pupa with back lighting: