Eyes of all kinds - tie them better

By Martin Joergensen

Bulging eyes... again
There are other ways than bead chain eyes to make eyes for a fly. Here are two ways: Copper thread and pearls and melted monofile.

Pearls and copper thread One problem with the metal bead chain eyes is that they are heavy. This can be a problem in two ways: either they are just too heavy -- you want a light fly -- or their weight is to far foward on the fly making it dive. If you want eyes, but a fly that doesn't weigh in the wrong places, use plastic pearls in stead.

Plastic pearls
I mostly use chromed plastic pearls. These pearls have the same attraction as their metal counterparts, but weigh near to nothing. I thread a pearl on a piece of copper wire. I use a fairly thick type to avoid the eyes falling off due to a broken thread. I just double the thread and twist the pearl between my fingers to make a small 'stalk' on the pearl.
Two of those can easily be tied in on the hook shank, and secured with figure-of-eight turns. You can leave the stalks and cover them with tying thread too or cut them so save even more weight.