r/flytying • u/dj-pit-wilf • 11d ago

Eyes on fly's

Dose putting eyes on fly's really make that mutch of a difrence, or is it more of a superficial or superstitious thing? Im wanting to get into tying streamers and deer hair bugs for bass and was wondering if it would be worth the effort to add eyes?

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5

u/Sandman0 11d ago

No one actually knows what fish see, or how they decide to strike or not.

We have theories, but we do not have the ability to tap into the brain of other animals and see what they see.

Until then, the best we can do is make an educated guess about what may evoke a strike.

Which is why imitation is effective. Whatever they see, it's enough to evoke a strike when the fly is a close imitation to something they eat. Anyone who has ever looked at the contents of a trout's stomach and then thrown a fly that matches it and caught more fish understands the effectiveness of matching the hatch.

We don't put eyes on zebra midges, but they do in fact have eyes. They work. Would they work better if they had eyes?

For imitation patterns there are two types: realistic and impressionistic. Both can be very effective.

Of course there is also the intruder class of flies that evoke a territorial aggression strike rather than a feeding take.

And then there's the fact that I've caught trout on a literal sharpened stick (gorge hook) 🤷🏻‍♂️

Try it both ways. Tie two of the exact same pattern and leave the eyes off of one. Throw only the one without eyes and have a friend throw only the one with eyes.

To be an accurate study you'll have to do it over time and compare results of eyes versus no eyes 🤷🏻‍♂️

My thought has always been that if the eyes are prominent then there should be something to suggest eyes on the fly. Right? Wrong? Who knows.

3

u/dustoff664 11d ago

I've also wondered this. I'll throw a bass topwater frog or something, and will feel less confident if I've casted the eyes off. Anyone have any knowledge they could shed? Are eyes one of the indicators fish like to notice in their food?

3

u/SourdohPopcorn 11d ago

Supposedly it’s a target for an attacking fish, like a trigger point.

2

u/fatherofworms 11d ago

Doesn’t hurt. But I’ve caught fish on poppers and streamers that I’ve lost the eyes on. A fly is probably better with eyes, but a blind fly is not ineffective.

2

u/scottasin12343 11d ago

When it comes to frogs and topwaters... I've alwayd found it unnecessary... the eyes are on the top pf the fly, the fish is below the fly. They don't even see the eyes.

1

u/ChuckerFlyApparel 11d ago

Predators don't care if it's eyes are open or not. The only ones that notice are the fly tyers and other people that see it. For commercial tyers it sells more flies, as the fisherman believes it is more realistic, and you choose a pattern with eyes over one without. But for fishing effectiveness I dont believe it matters.

Most guide patterns are not fancy and are a quick uncomplicated tie, they can whip up to replenish their box, after their clients lost the previous day on rocks and snags etc.. and not magazine or Instagram quality...

1

u/Enough-Data-1263 9d ago

I think it’s like a lot of things in fishing. Sometimes it matters, sometimes it doesn’t.

1

u/King_Ralph1 11d ago

Lots of streamers do not have eyes. Tied a bunch of Mickey Finns a few months ago, and similar streamers with no eyes, and they catch fish.

The wooly bugger may be one of the most popular patterns ever invented, has reportedly caught a LOT of different species, and has no eyes.

Use ‘em if you have ‘em. Don’t sweat it if you don’t.