How to make perfect booby eyes for Fly Fishing and Fly Tying.

Getting your booby eyes just right for tying booby lures and nymphs can be a fiddly job. This is an updated video of how I create and form my eyes for tying these patterns. I hope you find it of some use.

It is not the only way though and I would love to hear how you create your eyes. Let me know in the comments section below.

[robertalexander]

Great method for tying the eyes in, best yet. I've a five year old grand daughter who loves drilling out the cylinders.i

[timjoyceflyfishing-essex]

The original and still the simplest and best mate ... nice vid .

[MrMartinzx]

Great video again Lindsay, many thanks!

[fliesbychris]

Great vid Lindsay !!
I chuck them in the oven for 30 seconds to seal the foam too. 150°C on a tinfoil tray.
Keep em coming!!
ATB Chris

[gregorfleming]

Thats the way a do it nice and simple 👍👍👍

[hankvana]

If you can't get Upavon foam cutters the telescopic stainless steel shafts on fly-swatters and back-scratchers work very well.

[johnallan]

Great video would it be possible to show a video on how to sharpen the cutters please 🙏

[hankvana]

Hello Lindsay! I've ordered some proper Upavon HD foam and been looking at boobie fly patterns so I can start tying for the next season. Would you please comment on my speculations to confirm that I'm going in the right direction. As near as I can determine from most examples, the diameter of the eye is the size of the hook gap or slightly smaller and the length of the cylinder is twice the diameter of the eye or 1/2 the thickness (.5 inch) of the standard foam block. The hook, usually a size #10, has a short shank and the fly dresses to an overall length just over two hook lengths long to the end of the wing & tail. I'm presuming that this is a typical boobie fly configuration suitable for fishing on its own or as a point fly on a washing line. Spinning (while casting or during fast retrieves) seems to be a concern. Presuming the eyes are tied in properly, I'm guessing that the hook weight/length and the wing dressing (sparce or full) will determine the fly's stability - too much would deaden the action, not enough and it will spin. Have I got this right? I'd appreciate any advice. ATB!

[herwigvanhellemont]

Hello Lindsay,
How long and thick you make them?
Is this in function of the hook size ?
I can imagine that on a hook size 14 you don't put a 7mm or am I wrong?

[hankvana]

Thanks Lindsay, this is very helpful for us boobie newbies. I'm still viewing your videos (haven't watched them all yet). Do you have a video (or would you make one) on the what length and diameter of cylinder to use? There seems to be a need to consider air resistance and buoyancy relative to the size of the fly, hook and how it going to be fished. I've tied a couple of boobie flies and I'm not sure that I have the proportions right. I'd appreciate any help, it's the winter fly tying season here in Canada and I would rather not tie up a couple of dozen boobies only to find that they aren't usable. Cheers!

[gregor-]

Dremel to round booby chord ends so much neater imo

[michaelshaw]

Your kiss keep it simple stupid approach dispels the bull dust and the lessons from experience add soo much to every subject you cover. The water with washing up liquid (translation for our American friends dish soap) for cleaning and lubricating the cutter. In the long run the prefabrication of bulk boobie eyes saves a lot of time. The not using a figure of eight technique to secure the tictack instead five turns in each direction is inherently much stronger. My only extra tip would be if preparing cylinders for fabs instead of a ninety degree cut a forty five degree cut saves two cuts later.