Q. Do you think it’s worth adding eyes to flies? Does it make a difference?

A. Maybe. How’s that for an answer? I think the goal in creating and tying flies is to impart prey-like characteristics to the fly. This might be eyes, silhouette, coloration, fly behavior (floating, sinking, swimming, etc), sound, or other characteristics that convince the gamefish that the fly is a prey worth eating. I’m sure many have had the experience of eyes falling off a fly during a particularly fishy day, as can happen with a Deceiver. Very often, the fly remains productive even though the eyes have been lost. In these cases, the fly maintains other prey-like characteristics that fool the gamefish into thinking the fly is prey. In other cases, it seems that eyes are the only characteristic that makes the fly effective. Very often, though, I think that eyes on flies catch more anglers than fish.

The Fisherman's Coast approach focuses on how coastal gamefish interact with their habitats and prey. The more you know about the gamefish you pursue with a fly rod, the more often you'll be in the right place at the right time with the right fly making the right presentation. It's about catching more fish.

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