Hareline Tungsten Eyes

Description:

What it is

Hareline Tungsten Eyes are tungsten dumbbell predator eyes for weighting flies. Theyre extremely heavy, so they make a fly sink fast, and they have a realistic eye look with a bright iris and a dark pupil. Theyre tough in normal use, but like any hard dumbbell they can crack if a fly gets smacked against something solid.

What to tie with it

Tie them in as weighted eyes on streamers and baitfish patterns to get the hook riding right and the fly down deep. Theyre a go-to move for fast water and ultra-deep water where you need the fly to drop quickly, and they also let you keep the profile compact by using a smaller eye for the same sink rate youd get from a larger, lighter eye. Use them the same way you would other dumbbell eyes, locked down with tight wraps and solid thread tension.

Flies and the fish they're for

The Clouser Minnow is a classic place for tungsten eyes when you want the same pattern to get down quicker or probe deeper runs. Fished in freshwater, thats a staple for smallmouth and largemouth bass in rivers and lakes, and its also a common choice for stripers. In saltwater, a Clouser with heavy eyes is a bread-and-butter fly for species like redfish when you need to reach fish holding deeper or in stronger current.

How it compares

Compared to other dumbbell eyes, tungsten sinks faster and gets you down with less bulk. Compared to Double Pupil Brass Eyes, brass is lighter and fits better when youre fishing shallower or slower water.