There was a post here, some time ago, about what material Gary LaFontaine used on his Sparkle Pupa patterns.
I mentioned that I once asked him just “exactly” what to use. He generally referred to the material in sort of a generic term as “sparkle yarn”.
Well, he told me to go to a Ben Franklin store and buy “Dazzle-Aire”. I passed that along in an earlier post.
I have found this notation Gary LaFontaine sent to someone else:
I have some dazzlaire yarn I bought many years ago. It is not antron but creslan. In Caddisflies La Fontaine makes it clear that this material will work for his sparkle pupa patterns but he uses and recommends antron yarn. Later changes in the availability of the two may have led him to change his mind. On the label the yarn is only identified as acrylic but I remember the more complete description on the store shelf identified it as creslan.
As Sonny and Cher sang: “And the beat goes on…”
Not sure. It was 1994 when Gary told me to use Dazzle-Aire.
Are you saying that he mentioned Dazzle-Aire by name in “Caddisflies” or the trade name of the material?
I have read many posts which refer to “Dazzle-Aire” as a tri-local antron…
By the way, the note photo I posted seems to be dated March, 1982???
Caddisflies page 99: After specifically endorsing antron yarn he goes on to discus other sparkle yarns available at the time. About creslan he says:"it is a perfectly suitable substitute for antron. He did mention dazzle-aire yarn as one of the available materials being marketed as sparkle yarn but does not identify it as creslan. That came from my own reading of the shelf tag at k-mart.
Byron,
[
](http://s305.photobucket.com/user/planettrout/media/ALLY BRIDGEPORT/GLFTHEDRYFLY_zps344d1426.jpg.html)
…from this book by GLF:
[http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?index=books&linkCode=qs&keywords=9781585744381
P](http://www.amazon.com/gp/search?index=books&linkCode=qs&keywords=9781585744381)T/TB
PT and Rainbow:
So, where do we stand now?
The note from LaFontaine clearly is 1982…I looked at a better photo. Thus, it is not a much later endorsement.
Again, he usually referred to the material as “sparkle yarn” which I believe is simply a generic term. I do not think there is a specific product or technical material known as “Sparkle Yarn”?
I think Gary was trying to be helpful when, in 1982, he wrote to his fan and listed the brand names of material to be used in his pattern…one being Dazzle_Aire…
Dazzle aire or sparkle yarn has solid fibers of Creslon or nylon. If you look closely the yarn has clear fibers running through that are clear antron. And yes I have skeins of many colors purchased from Ben Franklins, most of my yarn is Sparkle Aire or something like that. I happen to be 150 miles from home right now and sorry I can’t check. I know some people have expressed disappointment in his sparkle caddis patterns. Not me they are still the first caddis pattern I go for. All I can say the solid colors of antron do not have the same effect as the “sparkle yarn”. If you have the book Challenge of the Trout, read the chapter on caddis if memory serves me I think Gary explains the bubble attraction to clear antron.
I’m not sure if I read it in a GLF book or in one of his videos but I know he mentioned Dazzle-Aire as a material for his ‘sparkle’ patterns. The way he used the material was to cut it up into 1/4" pieces and blend them with rabbit (as I recall) for the ‘touch dubbing’, and use longer pieces of the yarn for the shuck and overbody. Just to clarify something: Dazzle-Aire was manufactured (at least according to the label) by Caron Yarns when I bought several skeins years ago. I bought the skeins that had repeating multiple colors so I ended up with a large variety.
One of my skeins of multi-colored Dazzle-Aire.
I believe this differing color pattern is called “variegated” yarn.
Byron,
Are you asking where you can get this now? It’s available at the Book Mailer. In bulk from some other source, that ship may have sailed. Synthetics are constantly upgrading and tweeking based on raw materials which are always evolving. The price of oil hasn’t helped at all either. Many raw material factory’s have closed just because of the increase in petroleum.
Regards,
Mark
Gary’s sparkle patterns evolved a bit over the years. Early patterns used three strands of yarn veiling the body and a head of marabou strands twisted together. His sparkle caddis patterns in later years used the touch dub method that Allan mentioned. Then he used two strands of yarn veiling the touch dub body. Also he switched to a dubbed head in place of the marabou. Personally I like the sparkle aire over the dazzle aire, the dazzle aire is too soft and pulls apart too easy. Unfortunately as far as I know sparkle aire is no longer available. Kind of funny my original skeins were purchased at a Ben Franklin in Manchester Vermont probably 35 years ago while visiting the Orvis store. Also in the sparkle yarn the clear antron fibers are much more noticeable.
Sorry if this isn’t directly on topic but I just want to say thanks to Planettrout for that reference. I’ve maintained for years that dubbing and felting are related. Now I have a really good quote to back it up.
Cheers,
A.
Gene,
I did notice some of those changes. Presumably they were improvements…either in effectiveness or ease of tying.
Sure wish he was still around. Who knows what he might have brought forward by now.
Just in case some might not know…
LaFontaine convinced his advisor to allow him to do his thesis (in psychology, I believe) on what causes trout to take a fly or some such topic. It led to his book a Caddisflies.
Someone please correct me where I have this wrong as it has been a long time since I read about that.
Anyway, regardless of the exact history, it certainly demonstrates his ingenuity.
Byron haugh-
“I believe this differing color pattern is called “variegated” yarn.”
AKA: Goldmine
Well, FWIW, here’s some updated information about the ‘DAZZLE - AIRE’ yarn we’re talking about. Apparently there’s a new version that has a different chemical make-up. Anyway, here’s information about what GLF was talking about back when:
Name Dazzleaire (Vintage) discontinued
Brand Caron
Weight Aran / 10 ply (8 wpi) [?](http://www.ravelry.com/yarns/library/caron-dazzleaire-vintage#)
Wraps per inch
Yardage 190 yards (174 meters)
Unit weight 85 grams (3.00 ounces)
Gauge 18.0 sts = 4 inches
Needle size US 8 - 5.0 mm
Fibers 60% Acrylic
40% Nylon (Polyamide)
Texture brushed
Machine wash? yes
60% acrylic 40% nylon
This yarn was discontinued. (my emphasis)
Just checked and it appears that some years back Caron began to make a new ‘Dazzle-Aire’ and it’s 80% acrylic, 20% nylon. Not the same.
Allan
Allan, dazzle aire was not the product he used originally, sparkle yarn was. He and others had to settle eventually for dazzle. It does not seem to have the qualities of the original sparkle yarn. If you want a sample of this yarn let me know, I’ll part with a little.
Gene
Gene,
Can you provide a link to “sparkle yarn”?
Thanks
The only place I have found is the Bookmailer site. I can’t find a product for sale by that title.
How did/does “sparkle Uarn” differ from Dazzle-Aire…the original dazzle-Aire?
Gene,
First, several years ago I was sent about 10 yards each of a dozen different colors of the yarn GLF used. I think they are still in the shipping box and if I have it, I hope the senders name is on it. It may take me a day or two to find and I’ll post any information about the sender/materials.
Second, I have the book, Challenge of the Trout('76), by GLF on my lap. On page 111 there is the following conversation between GLF and Bill Seeples during an experiment in observing insects and a material in a pool on the Jefferson River.
“At the river, while Bill positioned himself fifteen feet downstream, I scattered clumps of a synthetic material. I spread nubs of a new type of Sparkle yarn in the current to shimmer with irradiating reflections of its clear filaments.
Bill popped quickly to the surface. “What is that stuff?”
“It’s the material we need for the pupal sheath.”
“You won’t believe how perfect it looks,” he insisted. “I’ll scatter it while you dive.”
The sparkling yarn, capturing the translucent similarity of the pupa, was a nylon/acrylic material with clear interwoven filaments. Marketed under various brand names - Dazzle, Sparkle, Souffle - it was available in a total array of color.”
There’s also a reference to articles in the UFT Roundtable magazine and the CT Flyfishermen’s Assoc. newsletter.
Allan
“challenge of the Trout” is a 1983 book. Apparently 1982/1983 was pretty early in the game for the “sparkle” patterns, and the photo of the note LaFontaine wrote citing, among other brand names -dazzle-Aire was March 25, 1982…,
I have ordered some “sparkle yarn” from the Bookmailer and will see how it compares to my, now discontinued, Dazzleaire and let you know.
Although…the Book Mailer claims the first sparkle pupa was tied in 1972.,
…“…and the beat goes on…and on…and on…”
I carry the original antron material, my supplier has the only load of real original antron left. its a train car full from DuPont. he has papers on it and used to do gary’s stuff after the yarn went off market. its long for tying the sheath but dubs nice. see my webpape.