Anybody have any opinions about what colors of beads to use on your nymphs, or is it just what appeals to our eye? Seems like the bright gold and silver rib wouldn’t be as appealing as - now that we have it - a dull olive or black.
Herefishy,
I think that the ‘glint’ or ‘flash’ of the shiny metal has an ‘attractive’ quality, especially with easily caught fish like the trouts.
If drab, ‘accurate’, ‘match what’s there’ flies were better, or caught more fish, then there wouldn’t be so many flies that seem to ‘improve’ with the addition of a bead head.
In any event, I’m not sure that it matters all that much either way, as long as the fisherman likes what he’s using.
Confidence and presentation are much more important than fly selection.
Good Luck!
Buddy
I agree with Buddy - If we tie everything to match exactly the “food source” that the fish are feeding on, then the resulting fly would blend into the background in the river, lake or pond and the fish would miss seeing the fly at times. Like a camo effect. I think we need to add just a little “flash” or “glint” to our flies to get the prey’s attention. Too much “flash” or “glint”, my opinon here, will cause the prey to become wary of the fly, especially the larger of the prey who have gotton larger by feeding and growing in the water systems over years.
I try to tie my flies with just enough flash to cause the fish to notice that there is something there or was something there that I need to investigate further.
I use these for chironimid fishing in trout ponds. Works for me
Yes, a glint can help. That is why spinner type lures are so effective on about all species. But then again panfish and bass will strike about anything you toss out there. 
But then again panfish and bass will strike about anything you toss out there.
Mantis,
You are going to have to tell me where you are bream and bass fishing because I get refusals all the time until I find what they want and even then there are times when they may not bite anything.
herefishy,
On some of the small midges I like to use a silver bead. Theoretically, it resembles a tiny air bubble that accompanies a midge as it makes it’s way to the top of the water. I don’t know how true that is, but I know I’ve caught alot of trout with the silver bead.
Jeez Dix, I never met anyone who had trouble catching panfish before…Sorry to hear that. I really don’t know what to tell you. unless you are fishing them where they ain’t instead of where they are… Our club take kids out 6 Saturdays in a row in the summer, and then 2 Saturdays we take disabled vets, one of whom was blind and missing a hand and all we seem do is help them take fish off or cast and it really keeps us running… Well, if you are ever up this way, you are welcome to join us…Bob
Jeez Dix, I never met anyone who had trouble catching panfish before…Sorry to hear that.
Yeah, well I bet I’m not alone. I never met anyone who never got skunked before. Come down and fish some hard Florida waters sometime and get humbled fishing where they are. Guess there are those of us who have all the luck ;).
It’s a common law of nature…creatures which are lower on the food chain and “stand out” from the rest automatically become an attractive target. This is why albinoism is so rare in wild populations.
Skunked? Sure. Salmon, Permit, and occasionally trout although most of those time were because a hatch or spinner fall didn’t come off and I didn’t feel like nymphing and just sat there with a good cigar and some pleasant conversation with whoever happened by just enjoying being on the river and never making a cast. But panfish? Wish I could commiserate with you. 
Mantis,
I think maybe it’s a regional thing.
Pan fish don’t get the pressure here in the NE that they might in other parts of the country.
There’s a pond just a couple of miles from my house that has large calico bass (crappie). I haven’t been there in years.
Another pond on the other side of town has oversized bluegills… same thing.
I rarely (never) see anyone else fishing for them either.
Largemouth, smallmouth, trout, pike, stripers, blues, albies, etc get all the attention
Now that I think of it, I gotta get out for those calicos after iceout next spring. They are “bust your tippet” big!
You guys are taking me way to serious. Love ya all,…Bob
I found if you want a glint in clear glass beads, to either coat the inside of the bead with some gold or silver paint. The dried paint act like the backside of a mirror panel, and reflect the light. You can also coat the shank of the hook with some nail polish and wrap some tinsel, if the diameter does not interfere with the hole in the glass bead.
Steven…most of the beads I use come also with the inside already coated and.give a very nice effect…a lot less hassle…