traditional nymphs vs. bead heads?

Dave writes:
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.

I would agree with this wholeheartedly. My only argument for beadheads might be
if a certain type of action was desired, as the front-weighted nature can make
a longer bodied fly undulate in a unique fashion. Also, certain larval patterns
can be made to look (in an impressionistic fashion) like the natural with the
addition of a dark bead in front. I am thinking of caddis larval patterns
mostly in this latter example. As Dave notes, they fall, to my mind, into the
Minor Tactics category, but I use unweighted or very lightly weighted nymphs
with soft lead up the leader (8-16 inches) most of the time.
Tom

Dave writes:
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.

I would agree with this wholeheartedly. My only argument for beadheads might be
if a certain type of action was desired, as the front-weighted nature can make
a longer bodied fly undulate in a unique fashion. Also, certain larval patterns
can be made to look (in an impressionistic fashion) like the natural with the
addition of a dark bead in front. I am thinking of caddis larval patterns
mostly in this latter example. As Dave notes, they fall, to my mind, into the
Minor Tactics category, but I use unweighted or very lightly weighted nymphs
with soft lead up the leader (8-16 inches) most of the time.
Tom

Hooked wrote:
"Willi & Sue" wrote in message
...

I think that adding weight to the leader instead of using a weighted
nymph of any sort lets you be more flexible. By adding and subtracting
weight as needed, it allows you to put the fly in the right place in the
water column in varying conditions. That, IMO, is far more important to
success than fly choice or any other factor. I prefer unweighted nymphs
with added weight.

Willi



Then there is the always available sink tip line that will get the fly down,
depending on the length of the leader.

Sinktips aren't very versatile in moving water and in most situation
getting a drag free drift (which is usually the most effective) isn't
possible.

Willi

Hooked wrote:
"Willi & Sue" wrote in message
...

I think that adding weight to the leader instead of using a weighted
nymph of any sort lets you be more flexible. By adding and subtracting
weight as needed, it allows you to put the fly in the right place in the
water column in varying conditions. That, IMO, is far more important to
success than fly choice or any other factor. I prefer unweighted nymphs
with added weight.

Willi



Then there is the always available sink tip line that will get the fly down,
depending on the length of the leader.

Sinktips aren't very versatile in moving water and in most situation
getting a drag free drift (which is usually the most effective) isn't
possible.

Willi

Hooked wrote:
"Willi & Sue" wrote in message
...

I think that adding weight to the leader instead of using a weighted
nymph of any sort lets you be more flexible. By adding and subtracting
weight as needed, it allows you to put the fly in the right place in the
water column in varying conditions. That, IMO, is far more important to
success than fly choice or any other factor. I prefer unweighted nymphs
with added weight.

Willi



Then there is the always available sink tip line that will get the fly down,
depending on the length of the leader.

Sinktips aren't very versatile in moving water and in most situation
getting a drag free drift (which is usually the most effective) isn't
possible.

Willi

From: Willi & Sue

Hooked wrote:
"Willi & Sue" wrote in message

I think that adding weight to the leader instead of using a weighted
nymph of any sort lets you be more flexible. By adding and subtracting
weight as needed, it allows you to put the fly in the right place in the
water column in varying conditions. That, IMO, is far more important to
success than fly choice or any other factor. I prefer unweighted nymphs
with added weight

Then there is the always available sink tip line that will get the fly
down,
depending on the length of the leader.

Sinktips aren't very versatile in moving water and in most situation
getting a drag free drift (which is usually the most effective) isn't
possible.

I'm with Willi on this one. I tie a few beadhead patterns, and add a little
weight to others, but I primarily depend on weight added to the leader to get
the fly down.

I find sink tips useful for streamer fishing, and sometimes use one when
fishing soft hackles, but for nymph fishing, they aren't very effective.


George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
---- J.W Muller

From: Willi & Sue

Hooked wrote:
"Willi & Sue" wrote in message

I think that adding weight to the leader instead of using a weighted
nymph of any sort lets you be more flexible. By adding and subtracting
weight as needed, it allows you to put the fly in the right place in the
water column in varying conditions. That, IMO, is far more important to
success than fly choice or any other factor. I prefer unweighted nymphs
with added weight

Then there is the always available sink tip line that will get the fly
down,
depending on the length of the leader.

Sinktips aren't very versatile in moving water and in most situation
getting a drag free drift (which is usually the most effective) isn't
possible.

I'm with Willi on this one. I tie a few beadhead patterns, and add a little
weight to others, but I primarily depend on weight added to the leader to get
the fly down.

I find sink tips useful for streamer fishing, and sometimes use one when
fishing soft hackles, but for nymph fishing, they aren't very effective.


George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
---- J.W Muller

From: Willi & Sue

Hooked wrote:
"Willi & Sue" wrote in message

I think that adding weight to the leader instead of using a weighted
nymph of any sort lets you be more flexible. By adding and subtracting
weight as needed, it allows you to put the fly in the right place in the
water column in varying conditions. That, IMO, is far more important to
success than fly choice or any other factor. I prefer unweighted nymphs
with added weight

Then there is the always available sink tip line that will get the fly
down,
depending on the length of the leader.

Sinktips aren't very versatile in moving water and in most situation
getting a drag free drift (which is usually the most effective) isn't
possible.

I'm with Willi on this one. I tie a few beadhead patterns, and add a little
weight to others, but I primarily depend on weight added to the leader to get
the fly down.

I find sink tips useful for streamer fishing, and sometimes use one when
fishing soft hackles, but for nymph fishing, they aren't very effective.


George Adams

"All good fishermen stay young until they die, for fishing is the only dream of
youth that doth not grow stale with age."
---- J.W Muller