Shiner+Cylclops combo

[PerchMan45]

I have heard good things about using a single hooked Mepps Cyclops and a shiner on tip ups. Will definitely give it a try this year but was wondering if anybody fishes this way or has had success with it.

Thanks guys, forecast looks a little better for ice in the coming weeks. 

[BDailey]

Yes, I’ve had good luck fishing with a Northland eye ball spoon with a shiner dead sticking for pike & bass.  From
my experience,  it works well in lower light conditions from snow cover or overcast days & stained water.  I’d imagine it makes it easier for the fish to zero in on.  But it def works, I’ve seen guys use them in their tipups as well.

[PerchMan45]

Yes, I’ve had good luck fishing with a Northland eye ball spoon with a shiner dead sticking for pike & bass.  From
my experience,  it works well in lower light conditions from snow cover or overcast days & stained water.  I’d imagine it makes it easier for the fish to zero in on.  But it def works, I’ve seen guys use them in their tipups as well.

Thanks, I’ve used the Cyclops for years for landlocked salmon and have never tried them on the ice. Definitely makes sense that they would work, seemingly will make the shiner more appealing. Can’t wait to give it a try and will report back on it.

[stripernut]

I dought that the "eye" is what is attracting fish...
I have posted about this many times; How "eyes" on lures are, in many cases a deterrent and not an attractant. look at predator-prey relationships throughout the world and in each case, the fake "eyes" are a deterrent. From fake eyes on fish, insects and it is even used to deter Bengal Tigers!  In parts of the world where tigers are a real concern the woodcutters walking into the forest through the tall grass in a line will have the last guy in line wear a mask with prominent eyes. The tigers would often "grab" the last guy in the line after they had walked by. With the mask, not nearly as often.  Years ago there was a study done in Fl with predatory fish in a tank and each time they were fed baitfish the researchers recorded the vectors the game fish used and the success rates of each attack. It was clear that; 1st the preditors tried not to attack when the eyes were visible to them and when they did attack when the eyes were visible, their success rate went down. I am sorry that I can not sight the study, but it was coved in an issue of In-fisherman. There is a more recent study done with cattle and painting eyes on them;


Study confirms that painting eyes on cow butts helps ward off predators
https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/08/study-confirms-that-painting-eyes-on-cow-butts-helps-ward-off-predators/

Food for thought...

What I have found is that eyes are best at catching Anglers! I think one of the best examples of this, is the "Scum Frog" and its many variations. A lure that is fished over the top of Lilly pads that is rarely seen by the fish and the tackle companies put great effort into the eyes even making many of the frog eyes look Mad or evil as if 1. the fish can see the eyes (they can't) and 2. that they know or care what the frog is thinking... Anglers on the other hand...

All this being said, if you feel that eyes make a difference or are important, then you should fish them as confidence will catch you more fish than eyes will, but if like me, you try to find the best science you can to help with decisions than don't worry about the eyes. I don't cut them off my lures, but I rarely buy lures with multiple "fake" eyes on them.

[BDailey]

Have you ever seen a predatory fish attack it’s prey?  Many species of predatory fish strike at the head. Is there a correlation with how predators attack its prey by targeting the head/eyes? Absolutely.  Northern Pike & Musky for certain.   I’m not saying that is true for all predatory species but in this case it has validation. Using fish eyes to catch perch, crappie and other panfish is very common and very productive.  Again we’re talking fish not cattle, or Tigers in Siberia, or wearing masks to scare off the boogey man.

[PerchMan45]

I dought that the "eye" is what is attracting fish...
I have posted about this many times; How "eyes" on lures are, in many cases a deterrent and not an attractant. look at predator-prey relationships throughout the world and in each case, the fake "eyes" are a deterrent. From fake eyes on fish, insects and it is even used to deter Bengal Tigers!  In parts of the world where tigers are a real concern the woodcutters walking into the forest through the tall grass in a line will have the last guy in line wear a mask with prominent eyes. The tigers would often "grab" the last guy in the line after they had walked by. With the mask, not nearly as often.  Years ago there was a study done in Fl with predatory fish in a tank and each time they were fed baitfish the researchers recorded the vectors the game fish used and the success rates of each attack. It was clear that; 1st the preditors tried not to attack when the eyes were visible to them and when they did attack when the eyes were visible, their success rate went down. I am sorry that I can not sight the study, but it was coved in an issue of In-fisherman. There is a more recent study done with cattle and painting eyes on them;


Study confirms that painting eyes on cow butts helps ward off predators
https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/08/study-confirms-that-painting-eyes-on-cow-butts-helps-ward-off-predators/

Food for thought...

What I have found is that eyes are best at catching Anglers! I think one of the best examples of this, is the "Scum Frog" and its many variations. A lure that is fished over the top of Lilly pads that is rarely seen by the fish and the tackle companies put great effort into the eyes even making many of the frog eyes look Mad or evil as if 1. the fish can see the eyes (they can't) and 2. that they know or care what the frog is thinking... Anglers on the other hand...

All this being said, if you feel that eyes make a difference or are important, then you should fish them as confidence will catch you more fish than eyes will, but if like me, you try to find the best science you can to help with decisions than don't worry about the eyes. I don't cut them off my lures, but I rarely buy lures with multiple "fake" eyes on them.

Interesting perspective, enjoyed reading your reply. From personal experience, the Mepps Cyclops is the best spoon I’ve ever used when long casting for Salmon and big trout. And it’s the only significantly sized spoon I’ve used with an eye on it. The movement of the spoon when retrieving it may have an effect on this, possibly making the eye appear as coloration rather than an eye itself. However, when using a cyclops on a tip up the only movement it will have is the wiggle of the shiner. The eye will most definitely pop out to a predatory fish.

But as BDailey points out, fish eyes are an effective way of catching fish and have been for years. Also when a fish looks at the cyclops with a shiner, and sees the eye, it’s not going to think of it as any sort of threat. Especially a bass or a brown trout. Those two fish especially feed aggressively and will devour anything that fits in their mouths.

I will try this- tip ups with eyed presentation (cyclops), tip ups with no eyed presentation (kastmaster or something of the like), and the classic shiner and hook.

[stripernut]

BDailey, as I said there have been studies done with fish that show that eyes are not the "key" that many think they are.  Much about Predator Prey relationships hold true thru out the animal kingdom from bugs to tigers and that includes fish. Look at how many baitfish have evolved to have "fake" eye/eyes. As a baitfish, if you are bitten in the tail most often you are doomed (don't get to pass on your genes), but if a predator passes you up to eat the prey without a "fake" eye, you don't get to pass your genes on... As to a predator eating a prey fish head first, in most cases, they have to to be able to swallow them, but as the study in FL showed if the prey fish sees them coming the success rate drops. Yes, I have seen many predators eat prey fish, with pike and larger bait they very often grab them in the middle of the body and then turn them when they die.
"Pegging" a shiner with a jig with or without an "eye" is a great technique that has been around a long time and as I said, if it gives you more confidence, then you should use the "eye", but there is nothing but anecdotal evidence to show that it improves your success rate. I try to use the best science I can find to help me catch fish, whether it is about fish behavior, a new line, or a new sounder. If you don't want to look at or use the best evidence we have, that is fine. Mono still catches plenty of fish but is often not the best choice, use what you like, and best of luck.

[river_scum]

I have heard good things about using a single hooked Mepps Cyclops and a shiner on tip ups. Will definitely give it a try this year but was wondering if anybody fishes this way or has had success with it.

Thanks guys, forecast looks a little better for ice in the coming weeks. 

imo anything you can use to draw attention to your bait the better.  clear water i like a shiny blade to flash just above my baits.  in mud ill use even more gaudy attractants.  bigger blades, a rattle, and maybe even a chunk of sponge, to soak up some power bait or yum scents.  anything i can use to bring fish closer to the real meal is a plus in my book.  ill use leaders full of bling that most guys would say is crazy. they say "fish will never hit that". lol  well my photo bucket was full of proof that said other wise!  people seem to think fish think like we do.  i say they dont have the ability to reason things out like us.  a heavy line or sinkers is just some kind of weed to them.  fishermen want to make fish out as smart so they look smart when they catch them.   a brain the size of a pea or lima bean cant be that smart.

so yea, go ahead and use the eyeball jig and see if it helps. im betting it doesnt hurt your catch rate.

[BDailey]

PerchMan45, looking forward to hearing of your results.
  Best advice I can give is to be versatile, so many times I’ve had success by changing up rigs on tipups and jigging rods. Whether it be a live bait, dead bait or using either of the 2 on a flashy jig or spoon.  It can make the difference from getting the skunk off your back. 

A quote to keep in mind.

Werher Von Braun - “One good test is worth 1000 expert opinions.”

[PerchMan45]

PerchMan45, looking forward to hearing of your results.
  Best advice I can give is to be versatile, so many times I’ve had success by changing up rigs on tipups and jigging rods. Whether it be a live bait, dead bait or using either of the 2 on a flashy jig or spoon.  It can make the difference from getting the skunk off your back. 

A quote to keep in mind.

Werher Von Braun - “One good test is worth 1000 expert opinions.”

For sure. I’ve done pretty well in the past with the basics, but my last time out last year I was sitting on Crystal Lake, where nobody was catching anything all season, and thought to myself I need to differentiate my strategies from everyone else out here. It’s my fault I’m not catching anything; I’m not going to be like everyone else out here and accept the fish “just aren’t biting”. I asked around, and the most popular answer I got was the Mepps Cyclops to spice up the tip ups.