Right, so, beads. I've been looking through the various books and online resources I have access too and decided that the next big thing to play with are bead heads. I understand the differences in bead materials, but I have questions regarding hooks and techniques.

I've been tying most of my nymphs on 2x hooks (Mustad 9671) and am wondering if I should bump up this up to 3x in order to accommodate the bead. I'm also wondering if the bead is going to make it around the bend of these hooks, as I've heard that with some that can be a problem. If none of this would work, which Mustad hooks would you recommend? Right now, I'm not interested in non-Mustad hooks, so suggestions that I go to another manufacturer wouldn't be helpful.

The next question concerns how to make sure the bead doesn't move. I've seen three different methods for keeping them in place: glue; lots of thread wraps and butting a piece of weighting wire up against the bead. Which of these, or what combinations, do you use? If you use the glue option, do you use the ubiquitous Zap-A-Gap or something else?

Lastly, I hand whip finish my flies. For those of you that do the same, how much am I going to hate getting the knot behind the bead? Are there any special tips that can make it easier, or is it actually no more difficult than finishing off any other fly? And no, I won't be buying a whip-finisher any time soon.

Thanks!