bead heads

[Scott Catlin]

So I bought some lead beads and some nymph hooks, got home and realized that the open diameter in the bead is larger than the eye of the hook. Slide a bead on, it just slides off the other side. I figure there are a couple ways to solve this: wrap the hook to build up the thickness right behind the eye, throw on some epoxy and quickly slide the bead over the thread, OR buy smaller beads. Since I dont have a book about how to tie beadhead nymphs and I'm just following recipes, I'm sure I could be missing a vital step here. Any input is greatly appreciated, thanks!

[mr trout]

So I bought some lead beads and some nymph hooks, got home and realized that the open diameter in the bead is larger than the eye of the hook. Slide a bead on, it just slides off the other side. I figure there are a couple ways to solve this: wrap the hook to build up the thickness right behind the eye, throw on some epoxy and quickly slide the bead over the thread, OR buy smaller beads. Since I dont have a book about how to tie beadhead nymphs and I'm just following recipes, I'm sure I could be missing a vital step here. Any input is greatly appreciated, thanks!


Yep. All you need is smaller beads, or bigger hooks. They will look better too if you get the size that is appropriate for the hook you are using.

[Jeff Hale]

Fly-tying beads are conical; larger hole on one end then the other (most of the time). Small hole up against the eye of the hook. Were these beads from a craft shop or flyshop? What brand are they?

[Dylan D]

I would recommend buying smaller beads. Your fly might look more proportional too.

If you're in a pinch and need to use what you have, I'd recommend building up a thread head first, then slide the bead on, then build the fly up behind that.

[Scott Catlin]

I bought the beads from a flyshop on recommendation. One of those "I want to tie nymphs" - "OK, you'll need this, this and these". I think it was just a matter of not matching the bead to the hook. No biggie, I just need to know to match the bead to the hook next time. I was not aware that the beads are conical though; that's good to know.

[cabezon]

The beads themselves are round, but the hole through them is conical, with a smaller opening that should be snugged up against the hook-eye and the larger opening toward the bend. The larger opening makes it easier to manouver the bead past the bend of the hook. Beads from craftstores tend to have cylindrical holes, which can make them a bit more of a challenge when trying to push them onto the hook. Also, the appropriately-sized beads go on much easier if you pinch down the barb on your hook, if present. Also, it can be a bit easier to put beads onto dry fly hooks if the fit is too tight. This may be because the bend style is different or that a dryfly hook is built of lighter/more flexible wire.

I found this bead size to hook size chart online (http://www.arricks.com/tying/beadchart.htm). It is for Tiemco hooks. Your mileage may vary, depending on the hook manufacturer, the style of the hook (especially how tight the bend is), and the size of the opening in the bead (which varies from source to source). I would go back to the flyshop, tell them the size of fly that you want to tie, and ask them to match hook and bead for you. Even better, make sure that the beads you then purchase will work with the hooks that you purchase before you walk out of the shop.

Good luck,

Steve

[fredaevans]

http://www.arricks.com/flytying/instruction/beadchart.html

There's also a 'new' bead head which has one end 'groved/slotted' rather than just cone shaped. I've got them in brass, copper and tungsen. The Tungie's sink like a rock!!

[sixfinger]

there are also large eye hooks that help

[troutaholic]

It may not be the beads but instead the hook. I have some targus nymph hooks that have a very small eye and the properly sized beads just slide right over them! I usually just tie a piece of scap material or build up a thread base near the eye. I then give it a dot of Zap A Gap ( super glue gel) and then slide the bead over it. If it still doesn't snug up then I slip a hackle fiber in the hook eye to prevent the bead from sliding forward off the eye until the Zap a Gap dries. Hope this helps :-)

[hikepat]

Sixfinger. Were does one get these hooks with larger eyes? I would love to find some size 18 and smaller both wet and dry fly hooks with larger then normal eyes. I can tie simple flies down to a size 20 as long as I at my tying bench and take my time but I have a heck of a time getting the tippet through the eye on the water so normally stay away from such small flies most of the time. I would love to find some size 18 and 20 hooks with eyes the size of 14 hooks.

[sixfinger]

Orvis makes some. They call them their "Big-Eyed hooks" They are dry fly hooks but will work if you really want the larger eye. Their size 22 has the same eye as a 16 hook eye.

Orvis 4641

[sashjo]

Simply tie a piece of tinsel or wire in just behind the eye. Slide the bead down the tinsel and over the eye. Then tie down.

[MrP]

We're talking small differences here but on the same size bead the hole isn't the same size from one manufacturer to another. For example the diameter of the wide end of the hole in a Spirit River bead is larger than one on a Cyclops bead.