Gary LaFontaine

[Eperous]

I know this is a Catskill fly fishing board, but I think one of the great fly fishing minds of all times was Gary LaFontaine. To say his patterns were slightly different than classical Catskill flies would be an understatement, but the few that I utilize are highly effective under the right conditions. And, mostly I call upon their services on New York City water supply reservoir Catskill tailwaters.

My two favorites are his Air Head - either side in photo below - and a Halo Emerger - middle fly.



Ed

[upstatetrout]

I agree about Gary and maybe some do not know but he was a Conneticut native who loved to fish the Beaverkill.All his books were great
but for me Challenge of the Trout was his best.That's a hint to someone who wants to spend his retirement income well as it will never be republished.LaFontaines wishes.I love and still fish his sparkle emerger.When the hendricksons are out and your having trouble just tie one on and hold on.Reminds me of Ralph's Beaverkill Bomber.The fly came with instructions."Just pull the pin and toss it in".

Tom

[ewpeper]

Gary loved the Catskill rivers, but then . . . I don't think Gary ever saw a trout stream he didn't love. The first time I fished his sparkle pupa (on a western Wisconsin spring creek), I had fish coming ten feet to eat it, and I thought it was magic. Last year I spent a couple of hours reminiscing about Gary and telling "Gary stories" with Mike Lawson. Mike had wonderful stories about nights spent arguing with Gary and Jack Dennis about the motives and inspirations behind some of Gary's more "radical" designs.

Eric

[Gene]

Hi guys I've been lurking here for a few weeks now and enjoy the topics on this board. This topic finally got me on the keyboard. I too think "Challenge of the Trout" was his best, but "The Dry Fly New Angles" was also high on the list. One thing I found interesting in his Sparkle Pupa and Emerger was people either loved them or hated them. The main reason I think was people used straight Antron and not the Sparkle Yarn or Dazzle Aire that Gary wrote about. Gary was a true inventor of the fly not just a fly modifier. He was working on a book about BWO or Baetis when he passed, I can only imagine how that wonderful that book would of been. We lost a great one far too young. Well I did not want to turn this into a how great Gary was rant, but this one hit close to home.
Gene