Anyone old enough to recognize this fly fishing gizmo?

 Jay Nicholas Fly Fishing Gizmo.


Jay Nicholas Fly Fishing Gizmo.

So here we have a “thingy” that was formerly a standard in the fly fishing industry. Anyone care to name it?

Anyone ever use one?

Good or bad?

Successes or failures associated with use?

I’ll follow up shortly with commentary.

Jay Nicholas, 2015

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13 Responses to Anyone old enough to recognize this fly fishing gizmo?

  1. Rande Robinson says:

    It is a fly line eyelet. Used them for years. Made it easy to tie on a leader and did away with the Loop and knot that was common years ago. As far as how well they work? perfectly. Once it was inserted into the line it would not come out and it lasted as long as the line does. While I don’t fly fish as much as I did in my youth I probably have an old reel with green level wt 6 line and an eyelet in my garage. If I remember correctly they came 2 to a package for like 99 cents.

  2. Marty Glista says:

    Why, it’s a No-Knot Eyelet. A small barbed eye bolt that you shoved into the hollow end of your fly line so as to have a point to tie on your leader.

    I used them as a new fly fisher in the 1960’s. It made me feel very modern. Never had one fail. Quit using them because I learned to tie a real nail knot and Orvis came out with loop ended fly lines. They were heavily criticized by the fly fishing writers on the basis that you didn’t want a metal object flying around near your eyes.

    Jay, for my prize I will take a power dory rock fish ride next week when I am staying in Lincoln City on a vacation from Michigan!

  3. two dogs says:

    That is a metal eye with the other end barbed and very sharpe. Very nice to use. Never had one fail either in the line bor the end of my thumb. Would use again if could find.

  4. Scott Brewer says:

    Flyline eyelet. My dad swore by them, even for as much as they failed. I learn real quick that a leader nail knotted to the fly line(8 year old version of a nail, granny knot slash overhand knot)was a whole lot better, but who takes the wisdom of an 8 year old at the time serious!

  5. tim says:

    not a Knot? I still have some…..never trusted them….

  6. Dave C says:

    Speed Eyelet. For those of us that couldn’t tie a decent nail knot. Used before fly line manufacturers started putting integrated loops on the end. They worked pretty good if you got them inserted straight (without blowing out the side and embedding into your thumb). After a few months, they’d rust and loosen and you’d have to cut off a couple inches of fly line and insert a new one. Back then, I only fly cast for trout in small creeks and rivers. Never hooked anything very big to test out their strength (other than a streamside tree or bush).

  7. kim pfaller says:

    Made by Eagle claw when I was a kid (50+ years ago). Jabs into the end of the line and barbs keep it in place.

  8. Jim says:

    Yes. I am old enough and I have one attached to my Dad’s fly line from 50 years ago

  9. Steve B. says:

    I remember the product but not the name. The barbed shank of the thing stuck into the end of a fly line so you could tie the leader on. I knew how to tie nail knots so I never used one of these.

  10. Kevin says:

    My first fly reel was a martin automatic with a DT7 fly line with one of those on the end. I don’t think it ever failed me.

  11. Mrmachinist says:

    Ugh,….feelin’ old now,…..yeah I remember those, I learned to tie nail knots as a kid just so I wouldn’t be forced to use one of those awful things.

  12. Robin Armstrong says:

    I used them as a kid,worked great.I just bought a pack and will give them to my son who doesn’t remember how to tie knots.

  13. Jangles says:

    It is a fly line eyelet. Used them all the time. Very hard to get in without sticking out the side but if you could do it it would never come out. Better than a nail knot , not as good a a glued needle knot. Caught my biggest fish to date on a 3wt with one of those in the end. It was a 28″ brown on the San Juan river in 1978.

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