Eyes on plugs....
 

I have this ongoing unresolved debate with my flyfishing friends about eyes on flies. Do fish key in on the eyes or is it more the presentation that counts? I noticed this summer that my teasers without eyes seemed to catch as many fish as those teasers with eyes. One for presentation?? then I began wondering about plugs. There seem to be a few builders who make plugs without eyes. I can only assume that their plugs work as well as those with eyes or they wouldn't be popular. That is one area that I'm going to experiment with next year. Plugs with and without eyes. See if there's a difference....

A rule of thumb is the slower the presentation the more realistic the better.

I'm a firm believer in eyes .
Years ago I was trolling Kastmasters for trout . I placed stick-on eyes on some . My buddy was fishing the same size Kastmaster and getting no fish while I picked up fish after fish . I then pealed the eyes off my lure and placed new eyes on his . He caught all the fish and I didn't get a bite .
It sold me .

Go with the :eyes:

Eyes are overated in fact on some plugs i think they are detrimental.Though I still put em on most plugs.I think the eyes on a needle are important.

What plugs and why?
 

NIB, What plugs do you think they're detrimental on? I was wondering about pencil poppers, spooks, etc. Whether they're necessary since so much of those plugs is work is done top water.

My personal best was with a blind plug. I put eyes on for me, not the fish. :eek:

BBJ, What was it?

Nearly all the plugs I make have eyes. I do it cos I like the look. But, the largest fish I ever caught was on one of the few eyeless plugs that I've made. Sooo, I can't prove that eyes matter. I thought that my previous post might be confusing, sorry.

I don't know one way or the other. I do know however that I like the eys on the plug, so eyes it is!! :cool:

I think we can all agree that eyes catch fisherman . :uhuh:

You know a blind danny kills them, but for some reason I still find myself putting on the eyes. Just looks so naked without them.

Eyes ? I don't think even paint matters on some plugs. Alot of times I think its the fishes latteral line that decides,,and the plug saying,,,you feeling me ? :uhuh:

Fishes lateral line....
 

Tagger, Can you expand on that?

Lateral line = fish's ear. Plugs that make sound/vibrations in the water that fish can "hear".

I think eyes really depends on the plug, the bait it imitates, and how its used. Most of our bait down here have very prominant eyes. For a plug, like a metal lip, that is worked slowly, the eyes can be important cause they are visible. If nothing else, they give me a little more confidence in a plug. Sometimes, its that added confidence that can turn a good plug into a great plug :uhuh:

Jigman

do you think the noise of the hooks /splitrings is enough plus the swimming action or has anyone added rattles [for lack of a better word] inside?
would this help night fishing lures?

I've put rattles in some hand carves, but cannot really say if it has made a difference or not.

Jigman

First off when u sent me a danny I told u about the eyes I'm sure of it.

A friend of mine told me long ago "that plug is no good it has to much roll."I never put 2+2 together till a great plugger and builder Dave Manzi said He don't put eyes on a danny.Then I realized why...On a plug like a danny with it slithery snake like action Roll is inherent.In other words its what makes the damn thing so enticing to fish.but with the addition of eyes i think in the right condition it can turn a bass off to this offering.Eyes rollin up an down don't look natural.I have seen fish boil on em an not take.Who knows for sure.But i have creamed em on ones without eyes.If I do put an eye on a danny its a matching one one that will get lost in the paint so's if i stop the plug the fish can get a good look at it.an see the eye an crush it.The first pencil popper I have seen with the eye on it I liked was one Oznavad didMybe 3-4 yrs ago. it was one with a big squid like eye in the tail of the plug.I like doing mine that way.For the most part its the only part of the plug thats in the water. I paint the butt like a face an have done very well with this rendering.I can here the walking backwards jokes now.Ha Ha.I have taken alot of fish over thirty lbs on that plug in the last 2 yrs.
The Japanese are big on eyes on a lure.They will plant the biggest eye they can fit on any an everthing they throw jigs,swimming plugs Look at some of them big poppers some of em have like 1 inch eyes.I imagine their fisheries are pounded daily an they are always lookin for a advantage or perhaps they are marketing their wares to american bigger is better, more bells an whistles,type consumers.
Eyes at night thats interesting do u really think a bass see's the eyes on a needle fish or is it just programed to hit the head of a bait so it goes down easy.How are the eyes on a needle fish, usually 3/8's-1/2" similar to the eyes on a sandeel or american eel.At 3-4 times the size i think this is for the fisherman to see em better wit.I think few fish where caught on gibbs needles in there day.
I don't have a negative confidence factor throwin a plug wit no eyes.I think eyes look neat an if u don't put em on a plug some JO will proclaim its junk or u took the cheap,easy way out.Bit I still put em on depends on the mood. I went thru the eye thing yrs ago an i really can't tell ya I caught any more fish because of the added peepers.Bobby from beachmaster recently started putting eyes on his plugs because his customers requested them but his plugs have been takin good fish for many yrs with no eyes.Like anything else in fishin its a matter of preference.

A bass will take a NJ rigged eel with a violent strike.A NJ rigged eel is a dead one strung up on a wobble plate or "tinsquid".I always said its because the feel the vibation a come from a distance to hit it.just like the enticing wiggle of a bottle plug in a good surf or a good swimmer in good current.then again they can find a sparsley tied teaser in the dark after a wave rolls in the white water..there are many reasons or triggers for bass.find the right one for the evening an ur in.I think as fisherman we get in ruts we forget or perhaps don't know what to use or when I like throwin my own wood the last few yrs.An my style of fishing an tackle for that matter has change morphed into something totally different then what has caught me tons of fish in the past.I have some success but perhaps not the same i might blame lack of fish but thats lame.It was this fall when i saw some guy catch one 40 lbs standin on the beach behind me wit a small redfin for me to realize this. I'm to far gone now to change.I like what I do.I say these things so u all can see the evil in custom wood an change ur ways before its too late.Send me all ur plugs....

Ain't that the truth :uhuh:

U know if i scroll up an down real fast its like some wierd before an after thing.

Of course till the page turns.