Brass Dumbbell / Hourglass Eyes

Select Size

Select Colour

Black Nickel
Gold
Flu Orange
Flu Chartreuse

Quantity

Description

20 per pack

Weighted brass dumbell or hourglass eyes to get your flies down

Size (mm)	Weight (g)
2.4	0.05
2.8	0.10
3.5	0.20
4.0	0.37
5.0	0.65
6.0	0.85

The best use for the Gold Dumbbell eye is the Steve Austen Fly..

Steve Austin Fly
This fly by Conrad Botes has consistently produced blacktail where other flies have been ignored.
conrad botes steve austin fly

It is simple to tie with a minumum of materials. I tie it with a Grip 21711 in size #4 and #6, using both brass and tungsten eyes.

Please note the eye I have used here is too big for the hook, but facing a deadline and not having the right size hook handy, I had to make do.

conrad botes steve austin fly

Lay on a base of coral thread (Danville Flat Waxed) and tie on a small bunch of white calf tail as shown. Cover it with thread as it forms the final body.
Instead of calf tail, some artificial fibres or even dog hair will do.

conrad botes steve austin fly

Tie on a gold dumbell eye (brass or tungsten) making sure it is secure.
It this stage you may want to epoxy the body and eye.

I had a problem with a fish trashing the thread, so this would be a good idea, they have sharp nippers.

conrad botes steve austin fly

Turn the fly over, and tie in some rootbeer calf tail as shown.
I sometimes put some white underneath the rootbeer.
Pink can also be used.

conrad botes steve austin fly

I like to put some thread behind this clump to cock the calftail up a bit, but this is not essential.

Build up a head, whip finish and apply epoxy or liquid fusion.