{{start}}

I am a firm believer that in some flies realistic eyes are a trigger that elicits a response from fish.

Whilst there are many ways of adding eyes to a fly one easy way to add a little more realism to a fly is to include a set of dumbbell type eyes in the dressing of the fly. These types of eyes may also be used to add weight, to push mare water and to increase the noise the fly makes as its retrieved.

Most recipes use the term "figure of eight wraps of thread" when describing how to tie in dumbbell type eyes and other eyes that have two eye balls connected by a stem. Technically consecutive single wraps of thread as described in steps "A" and above in "B" below are called figure of eight wraps. From experienced I have found that its better to use the process below rather than consecutive individual figure of eight wraps.

The process for tying in dumbbell type eyes, using multiple diagonal wraps of thread, for a right handed fly tier is set out below. If your left handed don't forget to swap the instructions around.

Dumbbell, real eyes, sink chain eyes and glass rattle eyes

These are all basically the same shape and are all tied in in a similar way. They consist of two eye balls connected by a stem. These eyes are tied onto the top of the hook shank, that has a foundation of thread, using either figure of eight wraps or diagonal wraps as I have described below to lock them into position. Whilst they are traditionally popular in salt water fly tying there is and increasing incidence of their use in both trout and bass.

Process to tie in dumbbell, real eyes, sink chain eyes and glass rattle eyes.

A	Select the eyes to be tied in. Take the thread to the position on the fly where you want the dumbbell type eyes tied in. Make sure that the thread foundation is tight and in touching turns. For most flies I like those eyes to be tied in about the same distance from the back of the eye of the hook as the diameter of the dumbbell eyes. Using your left hand or your hackle pliers hold the dumbbell type eyes by the back eyeball with the stem between the two eyeballs laying diagonally across the top of the hook shank directly above the thread and at right angles to the bend of the hook. Take four or five firm wraps of thread behind the front eye and in front of the back eye.

B	Transfer your grip on the dumbbell type eyes to the front eyeball and pull it back so that the stem between the two eyeballs lays square to the hook shank and at right angles to the bend of the hook. Whilst holding the dumbbell type eyes in that position take the same number of wraps of thread as you did in step "A" but this time in front of the front eye and behind the back eye.

C	Finish tying in the eyes with tight figure of eight wraps of thread puntutaed between every couple of figure of eight wraps with a firm wrap of thread around the hook shank. To make sure that the eyes don’t rotate on the hook shank also include a couple of tight wraps the thread horizontally around the base of the eyes on top of the hook shank. Finis tying in the eyes by covering the thread tie in with superglue or UV epoxy.

{{end}}