A few more musky flies

[Phish 0]

Can make or break a fish so its better to have than none.

 

I did an experiment last summer, using the same EP fly, an olive/white variation. One with no eyes, 3d red eyes, 3d yellow and black/chrome.

 

Guess which one was better?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RED!!

[mikechell 0]

I don't know if eyes get more fish to bite ... But I am pretty sure that eyes get fish to bite at the "head" of the fly.

Keep in mind, most of my flies are for sunfish and bass. My examples of this:

Shrimp flies I tied, with the eyes on stalks trailing the hook, so it looked like the shrimp was "running" away. Several times, I'd get hits, with no hook set ... and find out the eyes had been stripped off. Mostly I got good lip hook sets with these flies.

Minnow flies, I've tied with eyes and without. Those without, almost always get hook down in the mouth, these flies being sucked in from behind, I believe. Those with eyes, about 1 out of every 3 hook sets, the hook is actually buried from outside the mouth. These hits are at the head, as far as I can tell, and the hook set worked only because the hook was positioned to pierce externally (luckily). I get more misses with the "eyed" flies I believe, because the fish aren't "short striking" ... they are just hitting the head, and the hook isn't positioned towards the lips.

Other than a bead chain for weight, I don't usually put eyes on my sunfish flies anymore.

[Phish 0]

I don't know if eyes get more fish to bite ... But I am pretty sure that eyes get fish to bite at the "head" of the fly.

Keep in mind, most of my flies are for sunfish and bass. My examples of this:

Shrimp flies I tied, with the eyes on stalks trailing the hook, so it looked like the shrimp was "running" away. Several times, I'd get hits, with no hook set ... and find out the eyes had been stripped off. Mostly I got good lip hook sets with these flies.

Minnow flies, I've tied with eyes and without. Those without, almost always get hook down in the mouth, these flies being sucked in from behind, I believe. Those with eyes, about 1 out of every 3 hook sets, the hook is actually buried from outside the mouth. These hits are at the head, as far as I can tell, and the hook set worked only because the hook was positioned to pierce externally (luckily). I get more misses with the "eyed" flies I believe, because the fish aren't "short striking" ... they are just hitting the head, and the hook isn't positioned towards the lips.

Other than a bead chain for weight, I don't usually put eyes on my sunfish flies anymore.

I am with you on this Mike, but if it wasn't for the eyes would they still try to hit it. I hate losing them when they short strike but I just take that it how it goes sometime. Maybe a second hook or do them like an Intruder style streamer may work. Something to try this spring?

[fishn311 0]

looks simular to Granatos El Chupacabra