Hi Gang,
I’m curious to see who does, who doesn’t, and who does both. The reasoning behind the answer would also be appreciated. I know that some folks like to use beads for a little deeper water and use standard nymphs for more shallow water. Thanks.
Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL
“Flip a fly”
dixie
I’m one that does both. Normally the larger sizes I use a bead head. An example would be Rick Z’s Peacock Sword Nymph in size 8. I also tend to use them if the original recipe calls for a bead head. And don’t if it doesn’t. I do however tie a GRHE with and without.
Just my $.02
I use beadheads on 100% of my flies. I like glass ones because they are inexpensive, and i also use brass.Cant afford tungsten lol. I find that it makes the fly alot more effective with a beadhead and they have changed the way that i tie flies.
I have a bunch of bead heads. Strangely though I can never seem to get mself to pull one out of the box and tie it on. Do you know that feeling?
I usually crip a split shot on when I want to get down. I always tend to think the bead will turn the fish off - despite standing next to guys raking in fish left and right with big shining beads topping off the hook. I’m wierd that way.
I saw an interesting use of beads on Fly Fish TV the other day. Scott Sanchez was tying his Cased Caddis and he up a black brass bead at the head with an olive glass bead behind it. After he tied in the abdomen, he tied a soft hackle between the beads. Very nice!
“Catch 'em all ~ Put 'em back!”
Visit [url=http://www.warmwaterangler.net:2894e]Warmwater Angler[/url:2894e]
I guess my reply above didn’t really answer your question, Robert.
Yes, I use beads. Metal for weight and glass for glimmer. With glass beads, I like the ones that are lined with silver. Really gives a midge/chironomid a nice gas bubble at the head.
As far as metal beads, I am leaning more and more to dark colors. Sometimes, I think the bright brass or copper beads are a bit much, especially in clear water.
“Catch 'em all ~ Put 'em back!”
Visit [url=http://www.warmwaterangler.net:33c7e]Warmwater Angler[/url:33c7e]
Gary
I saw the same show on Fly Fish TV. Interesting what Scott does. I tend to use dark beads on most of my warm water flys. The only time I use gold are when I tie up some Jitter Bees.
I tie flies with and without beads. I use diffrent sizes and colors of beads when I am tying patterns.
I have PTN with black, gold, silver and copper beads in the same size. On larger flies some of the have larger beads.
Also use alot of glass beads in different colors on flies.
I always have some flies with no weight.
Rick
Thanks for all the great responses and look forward to seeing more.
I use both beaded and unbeaded. Different material beads, different size beads, and different colored beads. The main reason I do both is for shallow or deeper water so I can get different sink rates (although the beads give me a jig action and maybe some added flash). I saw an interesting nymph pattern while doing a search that’s new to me even though I think its probably been around a while. Its called a BLM (beaded little mayfly) nymph and uses a bead for the thorax but I think this method could be applied to other nymphs also. I normally use beads as a bead-head or bead-body so like Gary seeing the innovative two-bead method, this bead-thorax method was new to me (maybe I’m just behind everybody else). I haven’t fished it enough yet to give a report. Maybe someone else has.
Robert B. McCorquodale
Sebring, FL
“Flip a fly”
[This message has been edited by dixieangler (edited 27 April 2005).]
Hmmm, a two bead pattern is a new and interesting idea to me. Dark and heavy for depth, clear and shiney for the flash. I like that idea. I know alot of people don’t know how many bugs push an air bubble around under the water for, either, breathing, or assistance in emerging. I tie most of my nymphs with beads but always have a few without for various water conditions.
Remember to take a kid fishing.
Dixie,
Like most of the other anglers who posted a response, I tie and fish both beadhead and plain head flies. I have a definite preference for the unweighted (unbeaded) flies and a sinking tip line if I want to go down deeper. I think you get much better action from the fly that way. 8T
You had better learn to be a happy camper. You only get one try at this campground and it’s a real short camping season.
i ALWAYS use at least 2 or 3 split shots (small ones) even if there if it is beaded or not. one other alternative is to tie with a fire orange thread. this might seem odd but trust me. it works. tie your fly like you normally would but with a 6/0 or 8/0 FIRE ORANGE thread and give it a nice contoured head at the end. this is very very effective for wild trout.
eponymous: It’s funny, I’m exactly the opposite. I can’t seem to put a split shot above my flies. I’m always afraid that in my warmwater pond fishing I’ll miss the strike.
I use beadhead flies. 
Warmouth
[This message has been edited by Warmouth (edited 27 April 2005).]
ooops, sorry got a lil lost there, i thought i was in the tying forum. yeah, in still water i do NOT use split shot, just a very small indicator.
Robert,
I use beadheads on flies that I want that type of ACTION on.
I use shank weighted nymphs when I want DEPTH (sometimes with the aid of some split shot too).
I use unweighted nymphs when that seems appropriate.
Placing a metal bead at the head of the fly will add some depth, but you can get lots more with lead wire. It’s the ACTION that the bead imparts that makes them so effective. Having the weight so far forward on the fly causes it to dive towards the bottom differently than a weighted nymph or one fished behind shot. Sometimes this diving action can be a trigger for the fish (no idea why, but it’s pretty obvious that they are effective on a wide variety of fish over a broad habitat range).
I like having the option of giving the fish different presentations based on their preference or the particular conditions encountered in any given situation.
Good Luck!
Buddy
[url=HTTP://HOMETOWN.AOL.COM/RSAN2708/INDEX.HTML:a1bb8]HTTP://HOMETOWN.AOL.COM/RSAN2708/INDEX.HTML[/url:a1bb8]
Warm:
I promise to fish only the beadheads this weekend at the trout pond. Not because of this post, but b/c I have lost all of my non-bh flies in the scrub vegetation around the shore…
I’ll check back in on Monday.
eponymous: I’ll be interested to hear how it went. I hate losing flies.
Today I was fishing a warmwater creek using a beadhead wooly booger (minus the palmer) and I fared well.
Until I got my first dunking…I wasn’t even wading. I just slipped on the bank after releasing a Redbreast Sunfish. Still, I only went up to my waist. Does that count as a dunking?
Even after slipping I managed a nice 8 inch male copperheaded Bluegill. He was FAT, the biggest gill I’ve ever gotten out of a wooded creek.
Warmouth
I tie at least 90% of my nymphs with bead heads. Since I use beadheads so often, I don’t even own any split shot.
Kevin
Frankly I’ve used many more dumbbell or hourglass weights that beads. Maybe I should give this another look. I become confused when I shop for the beads. What to buy for which hooks. That sort of thing. I did tie a little 14 nymph – a brown bug – I gave a friend from Boston, who took it up to main and had tremendous success with it. She’d never lie. Caught some trout with it. Pretty good for a bluegill fly! JGW
Over that last couple of years I have switched most (maybe all) of my weighted nymphs to bead heads. One benefit is that I no longer confuse weighted and unweighted versions of the same fly. If it has a bead head it is weighted, if it does not then it is unweighted.
David