Fishing - traditional nymphs vs. bead heads?

FishingBanter (http://www.fishingbanter.com/index.php)

- Fly Fishing Tying (http://www.fishingbanter.com/forumdisplay.php?f=7)

- - traditional nymphs vs. bead heads? (http://www.fishingbanter.com/showthread.php?t=12907)

traditional nymphs vs. bead heads?

????
Opinions.
Never tied them.
Weight, appearance, results, more?
G

traditional nymphs vs. bead heads?

Guy Thornberg writes:

????
Opinions.
Never tied them.
Weight, appearance, results, more?

In what I consider my home waters, it was illegal many years ago to add weight
to your tippet/leader/line. And, for awhile anyway, it was illegal to have a
weighted fly. The laws changed and beadheads became very popular to get the
nymph down in the water column to where the fish were feeding. I used to use a
beadhead to get the fly to the bottom, and an unweighted nymph (my intended
lure) tied to the beadhead. It worked well, but not as well as split shot
added to the leaders about 16 inches or so above the fly.

Once split shot became legal, I stopped tying beadheads and concentrated on the
same flies sans beads.

I think there is probably some flash or sparkle to them and it may or may not
attract the trout. But, prefer fishing without beads.

When

traditional nymphs vs. bead heads?

"Guy Thornberg" wrote in
:

Yep!

Good, well that's settled then.

:-)

Try slipping a bead over your tippet followed by a traditional nymph.
(Assuming you wish to progress trad-bead)

Steve
(You'll be fishing doubled beaded brassies before you know it.)

traditional nymphs vs. bead heads?

Dave,
What you say makes sense thank you. I have always weighted my nymphs (when
needed for a particular water) but not with beads. My preference has been to
not use split shot due to the problems with casting and wind knots. I have a
heap of beads purchased the last few years but have not convinced myself
they are necessary. I guess the real question is whether the bead head, as
you say adds "some flash or sparkle" that attracts more trout to the nymph.
I know traditional nymphs catch fish as well as bead heads and bead heads
have become popular.

Have you, or anyone, experienced a definite increase with the use of bead
heads compared to traditional weighted nymphs? (Yes, a loaded question).

Wish I had a thousand hours on the stream a year to test my question. Maybe
there is no correct answer.
Guy

"Dave LaCourse" wrote in message
...
Guy Thornberg writes:

????
Opinions.
Never tied them.
Weight, appearance, results, more?

In what I consider my home waters, it was illegal many years ago to add
weight
to your tippet/leader/line. And, for awhile anyway, it was illegal to
have a
weighted fly. The laws changed and beadheads became very popular to get
the
nymph down in the water column to where the fish were feeding. I used to
use a
beadhead to get the fly to the bottom, and an unweighted nymph (my
intended
lure) tied to the beadhead. It worked well, but not as well as split shot
added to the leaders about 16 inches or so above the fly.

Once split shot became legal, I stopped tying beadheads and concentrated
on the
same flies sans beads.

I think there is probably some flash or sparkle to them and it may or may
not
attract the trout. But, prefer fishing without beads.

When

traditional nymphs vs. bead heads?

Guy writes:

My preference has been to
not use split shot due to the problems with casting and wind knots.

That can be a problem when using split shot. It has a hinge effect. Best way
to do it is to make a circle cast. Lefty Kreh demonstrated it once at a show.
When your fly gets down stream, simply pick it up and cast upstream in one
motion. It ain't pretty, but it works. No false casting involved.

Have you, or anyone, experienced a definite increase with the use of bead
heads compared to traditional weighted nymphs? (Yes, a loaded question).

I don't know, but I really don't consider using the bead an advantage. They
probably serve a purpose in some anglers bag of tricks, but I have yet to
really see a difference.