Ok so a little bit of paint on a jighead is cheap, but now these ones with the taxidermy quality eye that are over $1.00 per jighead has got me thinking. Yeah the “trout eyes”. At first my thoughts were ok this is like a gimmick. But then I’m seeing some reputable folks using them. I’ve caught A LOT of trout on plain lead color and I just don’t see trout brains processing many characteristics about a swimming grub, it just seems more like a reaction bite. Shrimp don’t have eyes and they gobble them up, I just can’t see a trout enticed by an eye. However, there reason for this post is that I am open to the idea if someone can make a sustainable claim about this.
I’ll chime in, as an owner of the business of course I’m biased.
No doubt you can catch just fine on a plain lead head, I have done so myself. Our thought going into this is that a fish keys in on an eye shape to make a split second decision of what is passing by is food or something else. So, we made a jig with the biggest eye possible. I really don’t think the color makes a whole lot of difference, it’s more the eye profile. For example, most inshore fish don’t see the color red, same as a deer doesn’t see hunter orange, yet the red eyes perform well. Probably because the fish sees the eye profile hue rather than color. The cost has to do with the components. The hook is a Mustad Ultrapoint, the best hook available, IMO, and not cheap. The eyes are not stickers, but 3D eyes. The designs are modeled in CAD and 3D printed, not molded with clay. We tried to make a top quality jig. I truly believe that the strikes I get are more aggressive using our jigs, and have thousands of customer testimonials as well. If you don’t buy into it, that’s cool. It’s a local product and we appreciate your support, and I can assure you, the business is a not-for-profit, if you get my drift! If anyone is interested in coming by the shop we are at 7341B Peppermill Parkway and we will give you a tour. Thanks, Dave
2000 SeaPro 180CC w/ Yammy 115 2 stroke
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.ralphphillipsinshore.com
shrimp don’t have eyes?
FWIW… I am a weekender and this is totally unscientific. I’ve fished em side by side with other jigheads many times. they simply catch more fish. the hooks are better and last longer. the business is local. the owners post on here and hold seminars to help you catch more fish. I’m ok spending a tiny bit more for a better product from a local business invested in us.
you get a big break for buying in bulk.
quote:
Originally posted by PeaPodshrimp don’t have eyes?
FWIW… I am a weekender and this is totally unscientific. I’ve fished em side by side with other jigheads many times. they simply catch more fish. the hooks are better and last longer. the business is local. the owners post on here and hold seminars to help you catch more fish. I’m ok spending a tiny bit more for a better product from a local business invested in us.
you get a big break for buying in bulk.
What pp said. Optiter’s probably caught more trout than most will ever catch.
Guess you’ve never seen a shrimp with it’s head on?
“Why Bruce?”
Dang Slim, you riled the POD up some! I ain’t seen him this mad since 23, called him a sissy name! You better stay out of dark ally’s.
Yes shrimp indeed have eyes. Not what I meant. I didn’t realize this was a local business. Guy at tackle shop is always trying to get me to buy them. Ill give them a shot next time.
Yeah, I fish with them a lot and it’s more than just the eyes for me. I do think they help when I’m using a paddle tail and just swimming it, but I also use them for other styles of fishing since I don’t think they ever hurt anything.
Aside from the eyes, I like the keepers on them a lot. They work really well with the z-man lures, and most jig heads don’t. They also seem to have pretty good quality hooks – seems like they hit the balance pretty well, where they’ve got enough strength without being super thick wire. The local aspect is a big plus for me as well.
1994 Hewes Redfisher 18, 2004 Yamaha 150 VMAX
Malibu X-Factor Kayak
I fish these exclusively now. I started because I wanted to support two local guys that I know, respect and consider good friends. I kept buying them because they are very good quality and they work well. As Bryson said I really like the keepers because I also fish a lot of Z-Man (another local company) and you will not have problems with the Z-Man baits sliding off this head. They are also a sponsor of this site that helps keep it free to use for all of our members and are investing in our local fishing community.
Predators focus on they eye when they attack. Many fish have a false eye. That’s what the redfish spot is. Here’s a Bunch from a quick google search. The false eye is so the predator attacks towards the tail and the prey is more likely to escape.
Optiker,
While I’ll agree the mustad hook is quality, theyre relatively cheap. I pay less than 15 cents per in quantities of 50. I use them in my jigs for myself.
I’m a huge fan of the trout eye jigs. The barbs are the best for all plastics but they really work better than anything I’ve used with the zman stuff.
As far as color, I use 2 colors. Red and unpainted. I might do a glow white for nighttime dock fishing.
Colored on the trout eye would be pointless since it’s basically all eye.
10% of the people catch 90% of the fish.
I’ve noticed the narrow profile creates a slight wobble or vibration when it’s retrieved compared to a ball headed jig. They really hold soft plastic baits. I’m hooked. Get it?
I see what you did there.
“Apathy is the Glove into Which Evil Slips It’s Hand”, but really, who cares?
I see on the website that an order of 50 pcs. or more drops the price to a buck each…I’m down for a bulk order if anyone would like to go in and save some money…just message me if interested.
2003 Key West 1720 Sportsman
2016 Ocean Kayak BG2
You get what you pay for. Trout Eye jig heads boast great components (quality hook, 3D eye, great keeper) AND they’re a local business. That combination makes them hard to beat. Add that to the science behind it and you have a no-miss product. There is a proven science to the eye, as some have already outlined, so to ignore that is simply irresponsible. The thing I respect the most about the product is Dave and Ralph are fishermen just like the rest of us (only better) so they know the applications and how the product relates to them. It’s cliché but Trout Eye jig heads are built for fishermen by fishermen. You will not find any other jig heads in my boat, in my tackle boxes or in any of my fishing buddies’ boats or tackle boxes and there’s a reason for that…they simply out-perform any other jig head out there.
No matter how much it hurts, how dark it gets, or how far you fall…you are never out of the fight.
Is it not what the spot on the redfish does? Iv’e caught them with scars on the tail by something bigger trying to eat them, thinking they were hitting the head! I totaly beleve the eye makes more differance than any color!!
And I thought my post was a brown nose
I didn’t say I used them, in fact I make my own!
that was directed at bangstick
quote:
Originally posted by PeaPodAnd I thought my post was a brown nose
Don’t sell yourself short! It was! 
No matter how much it hurts, how dark it gets, or how far you fall…you are never out of the fight.
Thanks everyone, not just the brown nosers 
We really appreciate your support, more than you know. We have a lot of good irons in the fire, will fill y’all in shortly.
1966 13’ Boston Whaler w/ Merc 25 4 stroke “Flatty”
www.eyestrikefishing.com #predatorsstriketheeye
like what? I mean if we’re not insiders, who is? go ahead. we’ll keep it on the DL. except 23. never trust him.