Beads

[Rick Scida]

Has anyone ever had trouble getting a bead on a hook?  I don't mean getting it started but not being able to get it around the bend.  Here the story first I'm basically learning how to tie, I've tied a few nymphs/streamers in the past but now I want to get better.  So two weeks ago I was in State college and stoped at a local fly shop and picked up a few things to tie heavy style nymphs.  This included tungsten beads and as you tiers out there know a pack doesn't go far.  I use up a pack of 1/8" WAPSI beads, so I go through my drawer's and find some beads that I got from Cabelas with a gift card few years ago.  You know the ones that come in the fancy flip top plastic six pack container,with different sizes.  Well the damn things will not go around the bend of a TMC 2487 hook.  Good thing it's barbless or I would have needed a pair of vice grips to get the SOB out of my thumb .   Fact is I could not get these beads to fit any TMC hook.  What 's up here anybody know?

[Juan Ramirez]

There are a few beads out there that have a small opening as well as a lack of counter drilling on the back side of the bead.  This may be the problem.  If it is basically a hole on both ends, then you will have trouble.  I always prefer the beads with good counter sunk back sides.  Beads such as Wapsi, and Spirit River, my favorite, always work well.  Take a look at the beads and if they are hard to use, just toss them out.

Juan   

[Domenick Swentosky]

Rick,

I've found it's all about the countersink.

I was ordering beads from other sources and saving a few cents per bead, but then I started thinking that it takes an awful lot of beads purchased just to add a up to a couple bucks saved.  So for me it's not worth it when I can just go down to my local shop and buy the wapsi bomb beads and I always know what I'm getting and exactly what hooks they will fit on. 

Enjoy the day.
Domenick

[Rick Scida]

These are countersunk but they don't look as deep as Waspi beads.  Well looks like another road trip to Sate College.....damn

[Jeremy Allan]

For me the most consistent tungsten beads are from Spirit River. Plus I like their black beads, they are more of a brownish black that look really cool.