Pike Flies ... eyes or no eyes !

[Alex Fox]

So what do you think, personally when tying they are a sh1t to glue nicely onto your fly and I don't like how the fly becomes 'squashed' at the head

Do you think they actually make a difference

[LB]

My fav fly is a 'reaper' style and it has no eyes at all. Had plenty of big fish on then.

[lakefisher]

I used to tie all my own pike flies when I was still able to get afloat. They all had eyes. After all, we are trying to get a fish predator to believe our fly is suitable prey
If you are having trouble sticking your eyes to your fly, give "serious glue" by Evo-stik a try, its very easy to use, is colourless and waterproof. I've used it for years.
Do I believe that they make a difference ? In a word - Yes.

HTH ...... Tony

[paintman]

Don't know, but I tie all mine with eyes.

Most of the lures I've got - pike & sea - have eyes too. Seems to be a standard thing.
Tiny drop shot perch ones too, but the fry that they imitate look like a pair of swimming eyes & I've heard them referred to as 'eyes' by match anglers on the canal.

[John Milford]

The ayes eyes have it.

(Cue to contradict me! ).

[Daniel]

My most successful fly is a big blue from Mcfluffchucker, it has no eyes but has caught me more fish than all my other flies combined.

[Oldskoolfool]

I prefer eyes every time - gently use the 3D epoxy ones.

The problem I have had is the eyes coming off or delaminating. The solution is easy - encapsulate the eyes/head in UV resin epoxy or my personal favourite Gorilla Glue clear. You will need a rotary drier to get a good finish.

Done this way find I never lose thr eyes and the weight at the head gives a nice gentle sink n draw type action

[Steve Dennington]

Whilst I spend silly amounts of time adding fine detail to the lures I make, my flies are often very basic and functional. Tinsel streamer flies that would be at home on a Xmas tree have most often outfished fancy fibre ones, with or without eyes.

[Alex Fox]

I used to tie all my own pike flies when I was still able to get afloat. They all had eyes. After all, we are trying to get a fish predator to believe our fly is suitable prey
If you are having trouble sticking your eyes to your fly, give "serious glue" by Evo-stik a try, its very easy to use, is colourless and waterproof. I've used it for years.
Do I believe that they make a difference ? In a word - Yes.

HTH ...... Tony

I have no problems sticking the eyes on, have tried various stuff, but is a little messy and I do wonder if pointless, so just seeing what others with more experience in fly fishing for pike think

[Oldskoolfool]

It probably is pointless but makes me feel confident so I'll continue. I do have a couple of battered one eyed or blind flies that still work despite the lack of any eye.

[Andy Scott]

Don’t think it makes a difference tbh….
I’ve done loads of pike fly fishing over the last three years and thrown all kinds of flies. My biggest three pike ( all over 30lbs ) have fallen to bulkhead flies with no eyes. I’ve found adding eyes to some flies negatively affects the action too…
Hardly scientific but good enough for me!

[Oldskoolfool]

Can't disagree but like em to have eyes!!!

[Alex Fox]

Don’t think it makes a difference tbh….
I’ve done loads of pike fly fishing over the last three years and thrown all kinds of flies. My biggest three pike ( all over 30lbs ) have fallen to bulkhead flies with no eyes. I’ve found adding eyes to some flies negatively affects the action too…
Hardly scientific but good enough for me!

Three over 30, how good is that what sort of length bulkheads do you use

[Andy Scott]

Don’t think it makes a difference tbh….
I’ve done loads of pike fly fishing over the last three years and thrown all kinds of flies. My biggest three pike ( all over 30lbs ) have fallen to bulkhead flies with no eyes. I’ve found adding eyes to some flies negatively affects the action too…
Hardly scientific but good enough for me!

Three over 30, how good is that what sort of length bulkheads do you use

Strangely they’ve all fallen to smaller bulkheads around 6” long rather than the 9/10” ones….

[peteren]

It probably is pointless but makes me feel confident so I'll continue. I do have a couple of battered one eyed or blind flies that still work despite the lack of any eye.

Agreed- as usual, I suspect it matters more to us than the pike!

[Alex Fox]

Don’t think it makes a difference tbh….
I’ve done loads of pike fly fishing over the last three years and thrown all kinds of flies. My biggest three pike ( all over 30lbs ) have fallen to bulkhead flies with no eyes. I’ve found adding eyes to some flies negatively affects the action too…
Hardly scientific but good enough for me!

Three over 30, how good is that what sort of length bulkheads do you use

Strangely they’ve all fallen to smaller bulkheads around 6” long rather than the 9/10” ones….

Thanks

[andrew_nagel]

Only ever used my own tied flies and I've never added eyes. Zonker types and flashabou streamers mainly. I feel the effectiveness of a fly is the overall subtly of it's movement and vibrations, and less so it's details.

[peteren]

Only ever used my own tied flies and I've never added eyes. Zonker types and flashabou streamers mainly. I feel the effectiveness of a fly is the overall subtly of it's movement and vibrations, and less so it's details.

I can certainly believe that.
I caught a load of good fish on a scruffy fly I tied - most after the eyes had fallen off!

[Steve Le maitre]

Paint on a car doesn't improve its performance but certainly makes it look better much like eyes.