I still prefer split shot to get a soft hackle down when required. Doesn't mess with the action, and you can use the proper sized shot to fit the conditions. I did see a guy using ones with all lead wire bodies in Colorado this summer. He'd wrap the body, leaving room for the hackle and head, with lead wire then paint the wire with his preferred color of acrylic paint. Locked the wire to the hook and he had some pretty colors. Watched him catch some nice fish on one painted green, and he showed me his fly box with reds, browns, chartruese, several colors of green/olives, and one he told me was his 'favorite' a bright yellow with a black band around the middle. Sank like a stone but worked well in fast water. Buddy