Sparkle Dun/Comparadun
![Sparkle Dun, PMD](https://flyfishingthesierra.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/spardunpmd.jpg)
PMD Sparkle Dun
Tying Instructions
Materials
to Order Material, click the link |
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Hook | TMC 100 #16-18 or TMC 100SP-BL #16-18 |
Thread | Veevus 8/0 Light Cahill |
Body | Pale Morning Dun Superfine |
Tail/Shuck | Ginger Kinky Z-lon for SparkleDunand Light Ginger Spade Hackles for Comparadun |
Wing | Natural Compardun Deer Hair |
![Pale Morning Dun](https://flyfishingthesierra.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/pmd-1.jpg)
![Fran Betters](https://flyfishingthesierra.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/betters.jpg)
Fran Betters
Sparkle Dun/Comparadun
The Sparkle Dun/Comparadun pattern actually has it’s roots in another no-hackle fly known as the Haystack by Fran Betters in 1949 while Fran was still a teenager. Fran developed this pattern for slow-moving waters that were usually spring-fed. He noticed that under these conditions of clear visibility and slow movement that the fly imitations needed to be much improved for the selective trout that inhabited these waters.
He used a wing of deer hair that flared in an arc so that the lowermost hairs supported the fly in the surface waters. The body was also heavily dubbed with opossum or muskrat to help keep the fly in a horizontal position and had bunched deer hair for the tail. Betters passed away at the age of 78, Sept 6, 2009.
Compara-dun
Al Caucci and Bob Nastasi introduced a variation of the Haystack called, the Compara-dun, in 1972 from their book, Comparahatch. They elongated the tail by using microfibetts or hackle fibers and split them for better floatation. The fly became an instant hit since one could easily vary the size, wing, tail and body color to imitate most any mayfly dun or spinner.
Sparkle Dun
Craig Mathews and John Juracek in the mid 1980’s went another step further by replacing the split tail with a trailing shuck of Antron or Z-lon. The fly transformed from a dun pattern into an emerger. They also used Antron for the body which helped in keeping the colors consistent when wet.
Together, these of these two patterns make up the Sparkle Dun/Comparadun type of fly. One is an emerger, the other a dun. Both have a similar body type and hair wing. But it’s the hair that is important.
Comparadun Deer Hair
One problem with the pattern is that they do not float long in turbulent water and should be used only in slow-moving waters. It is also important to select fine deer hair that limits the bulkiness of the tie-in position. Comparadun deer hair is taken from the leg of the deer. It is short with black tips and is solid, rather than hollow, which allows the hair to maintain a stiffness that keeps the hairs oriented in the proper direction.
You can get assorted colors of comparadun deer hair as some will be a natural grayish dun, a mottled tannish brown, or a creamish tan. Some comparadun hair is dyed to a dun coloration. Change the colorations to match the mayfly emerger. The March Brown Sparkle Dun is a dark tan color that can also be used for Callibaetis. Tricos will have a black body for the males but an olive body for the females.
Remember, that the only difference with Sparkle Dun/Comparadun is in the tail or shuck. The shuck means it’s an emerger and the tail means it is a dun.
Variations
![CDC Comparadun, BWO](https://flyfishingthesierra.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/spardunvar4.jpg)
CDC Comparadun, BWO
Hook | TMC 100 #18-22 |
Thread | Uni-thread Olive 8/0 |
Body | BWO Turkey Biot |
Thorax | BWO Superfine |
Tail | Medium Dun Spade Hackles |
Wing | CDC Medium Dun |
![BWO Sparkle Dun](https://flyfishingthesierra.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/spardunvar1.jpg)
BWO Sparkle Dun
Hook | TMC 100 #18-22 |
Thread | Uni-thread Olive 8/0 |
Body | BWO Superfine |
Thorax | BWO Superfine |
Tail | Kinky Olive Brown Z-lon |
Wing | Natural Comparadun Hair |
![Callibaetis Sparkle Dun](https://flyfishingthesierra.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/spardunvar2.jpg)
Callibaetis Sparkle Dun
Hook | TMC 100, #12-16 |
Thread | Uni-thread Tan 8/0 |
Body | Callibaetis Superfine |
Thorax | Callibaetis Superfine |
Tail | Olive Brown Z-lon |
Wing | Natural Comparadun Hair |
![Trico Sparkle Dun (Male)](https://flyfishingthesierra.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/spardunvar3.jpg)
Trico Sparkle Dun (Male)
Hook | TMC 100, #18-22 |
Thread | Uni-thread Black 8/0 |
Body | Black Superfine |
Thorax | Black Superfine |
Tail | Dark Olive Z-lon |
Wing | Bleached Deer Hair |
Hackle | Black Hackle |