Sparkle Pupa Soft Hackle
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Sparkle Pupa Soft Hackle
Hook - Mustad 3121/Size 12 (Turned Up Eye - Limerick Bend)
Thread - 8/0 UNI-Thread (Orange)
Sparkle (air bubble) - Clear Antron
Body - Three strands of Peacock Herl, reinforced in a thread dubbing loop which has been waxed and dusted with tan mole dubbing.
Hackle - Hungarian Partridge (tip tyed)
The hook was a special present from our friend Mark Libertone (Soft-hackle). He gave me a box of these hooks and I have been reluctant to use them, since they are quite rare. Tonight I could not resist the tempation any longer and started playing around with them. Man, are these a beautiful hook!
Thanks again, Mark!
Bill - I used your wax to form the body of this fly. Before I formed the dubbing loop, I coated the thread with your wax and lightly dusted the thread with tan mole dubbing. The body has a small halo of fine mole hairs, which looks nice against the peacock herl. I think this technique has some potential.
Ray (letumgo)----<°))))))><
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Re: Sparkle Pupa Soft Hackle
Ray, Howdy;
Awesome,
Hate that word, to over used but appropriate here.
hank
PS. the barb looks you're having thoughts of Capt. Ahab.......
Awesome,
Hate that word, to over used but appropriate here.
hank
PS. the barb looks you're having thoughts of Capt. Ahab.......
Striving for a less complicated life since 1949...
"Every day I beat my own previous record for number
of consecutive days I've stayed alive." George Carlin
"Every day I beat my own previous record for number
of consecutive days I've stayed alive." George Carlin
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Re: Sparkle Pupa Soft Hackle
Yeah, the barbs are not conducive of catch-and-release fishing, but I dig the look of the curved barb. Sort of like a miniature salmon hook.
It is not a very pretty fly, but it looks quite "fishy" it the vice.
Design Note - I tried to go light on the amount of antron around the body. It is very easy to go overboard with this stuff and overwhelm the body of the fly. I wanted enough to capture a few air bubbles and give it an occasional twinkle. Getting the antron positioned 360° is a challenge. I had to futz with the fly for a while before I was happy with the antron-bubble.
It is not a very pretty fly, but it looks quite "fishy" it the vice.
Design Note - I tried to go light on the amount of antron around the body. It is very easy to go overboard with this stuff and overwhelm the body of the fly. I wanted enough to capture a few air bubbles and give it an occasional twinkle. Getting the antron positioned 360° is a challenge. I had to futz with the fly for a while before I was happy with the antron-bubble.
Last edited by letumgo on Sun Jul 10, 2011 10:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ray (letumgo)----<°))))))><
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"The world is perfect. Appreciate the details." - Dean
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"The world is perfect. Appreciate the details." - Dean
Re: Sparkle Pupa Soft Hackle
That really is a cool looking hook. I like your interpretation of the Sparkle Pupa. The clear antron is extremely sparse and will be filled in nicely by the partridge. I have had an on going argument as to the merits of Lafontaines pattern. I have always maintained a Soft hackle triggers strikes better than his pattern, yet takes alot less effort to tie. Just an opinion mind you. You seem to have married the two techniques quite nicely.
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Re: Sparkle Pupa Soft Hackle
Hank,
this is a classic hook, quite old in style. Mustad doesn't make them anymore, I don't think. The barb can be bent flat.
Mark
this is a classic hook, quite old in style. Mustad doesn't make them anymore, I don't think. The barb can be bent flat.
Mark
"I have the highest respect for the skilled wet-fly fisherman, as he has mastered an art of very great difficulty.” Edward R. Hewitt
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Re: Sparkle Pupa Soft Hackle
I like that fly!
Ray, is that HMH vise?
Ray, is that HMH vise?
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Re: Sparkle Pupa Soft Hackle
WOW! what a cool hook.....don't think i've ever seen that hook before. You fly is teriffic too Ray.........very well done. Fontaine gave me one of his Sparkle Pupa's once, right after he tyed it demonstrating at Somerset. i've since lost the fly but at least i was fishing it when i lost it. That guy was a GAS to watch tye, becuase not only was he such a good tyer, he was funny as hell. He was from Conneticut, so he really knew the east coast scene very well. If you don't have his book on the Beaverkill, get it. It's good one.
Learn to see with your ears and hear with your eyes
CAUSE, it don't mean a thing, if it aint got that swing.....
http://www.pureartflytying.ning.com
CAUSE, it don't mean a thing, if it aint got that swing.....
http://www.pureartflytying.ning.com
Re: Sparkle Pupa Soft Hackle
That is, as far as I know, a truly innovative way to incorporate mole with peacock herl; yet another new trick from one of our many talented tyers.
Some of the same morons who throw their trash around in National parks also vote. That alone would explain the state of American politics. ~ John Gierach, "Still Life with Brook Trout"
Re: Sparkle Pupa Soft Hackle
That hook is great but I really like the way you tied the hackle. It just looks like legs going in every direction.
Vicki
Vicki
Listen with your ears, hear with your heart.
Re: Sparkle Pupa Soft Hackle
Here are a couple of sites in the UK that still sell up-eyed dry fly hooks.
http://www.fishingmegastore.com/kamasan ... l~292.html
http://www.tomcsaville.com/index.php?pa ... &Itemid=10
http://www.fishingmegastore.com/kamasan ... l~292.html
http://www.tomcsaville.com/index.php?pa ... &Itemid=10