Tips #17- LaFontaine Sparkle Bubble

If you've ever struggled with the Antron bubble on a LaFontaine style caddis pupa/emerger we may have a method that will simplify it for you. With it, you are just 9 minutes away from Antron bubbles made easy. If you find this video useful, please subscribe to our channel. For any of you who are interested, our book How to Tie!! LaFontaine's Legacy Flies is available on Amazon (type Gretchen Al Beatty books in the search engine) or go to our website (www.btsflyfishing.com) for more information.

[@andrewmorke]

I found a compromise for smaller caddis. I create the bubble by tying in a sparse horseshoe of Antron and letting it fluff out to resemble a case.

[@arthurskim7898]

Now that gas bubble is truly a trick of the trade ! Thanks for sharing.

[@フライタイイング猫]

ナイスフライグッド👍

[@mountaincreekfliesjimmy8386]

Awesome and thank you sir for this lesson. I’m going to give this one a try .

[@jerryd7139]

Great video Al. I was wondering if you would do a video on the Enchanted Prince

[@albeatty1404]

We'll put it on our list. Currently we are working on Tips & Tricks originally published in Fly Tyer magazine.

[@FlyTyer1948]

Mustache brush if you are a guy & someone asks why you have an eyebrow comb. I learned to tie this in a class with Gary LaFontaine, & this is just how this fly should look. It works really well. Try an orange body if it’s near sunset with light still on the water.

[@jeffnabors833]

Thank you for your tutorial. You should have seen some of my first "bubbles". Love LaFontaine's work and have most of his books but never seemed to master this pattern. Again, thanks for the help.

[@albeatty1404]

Thanks for your kind words. Tight Lines - Gretchen & Al Beatty

[@joeduca8582]

That was great, best looking "bubble" I've seen. Are the colors of the pupa and / or the emerger the same as the larva or adult of each caddis species? Or does it matter? Thanks Al.

[@albeatty1404]

Hi Joe, we prefer a light (very sparse) bubble so the body color shows through. We base the body colors on the natural insect. We used bright lime in the video so you could easily see the how the materials work with each other. Most of our "Sparkle Bugs" have a white/clear Antron bubble. LaFontaine's original bugs had bubble colors similar to the body and those work fine. Gretchen & I have never used scuba gear to observe the insect subsurface but have caught the emergers and viewed them in the catch screen and the hatching caddis seems to have a lighter halo around the emerging body.

[@joeduca8582]

@@albeatty1404 thank you, that helps a lot. I have a guide to NYS hatches and it mentions many caddis in larva and pupa/adult form and their corresponding colors and patterns to use. I don't see mention of pupa or emerger patterns, so your reply was VERY helpful in understanding this. Thanks again!

[@69adrummer]

Hi there!! Can I use "ep fibers" for the bubble or is it a different material? I've only been at this for about 8 months and would love to learn more! Thanks

[@albeatty1404]

You can use anything you want but EP Fibers do not have the same sparkle as Antron yarn.

[@paulyanushis]

You forgot the trailing shuck.