What it is
Hareline Cyclops Bead Eyes are solid bead eyes for fly tying, built to be lashed onto the hook shank and finished as a head. The counter-drilled, countersunk hole helps them seat cleanly and they add both weight and flash once they’re on the fly. They come in multiple sizes.
What to tie with it
Use them as bead-eye heads on streamers and jigs, or as a simple way to add weight to nymphs without switching to a full beadhead. Tie them in with figure-eight wraps and tight thread torque, then lock them with a few turns in front and behind and a drop of head cement if you like. Because they add weight on top of the hook, pay attention to how you place them if you’re trying to make a fly ride upright versus invert.
Flies and the fish they're for
On a Wooly Bugger, Cyclops Bead Eyes give you a heavier, flashier head for trout in rivers and stillwaters, and that same bugger profile crosses over well to bass in ponds and lakes. In a Prince Nymph, they’re a straightforward way to add nymph weight for trout in faster current where you need the fly to get down. On stonefly nymph patterns, bead eyes help sink the fly quickly for trout in freestone rivers, especially when you’re trying to stay near the bottom.
How it compares
They’re a close alternative to Spirit River Beads, with similar size and color options and the same countersunk, countersunk-style seating for tying clean bead-eye heads.