[junkie]

I just buy the cheap brass beads. I have never in over twenty years of fishing wished I'd had tungsten over brass.

 

[Buzzy]

I just buy the cheap brass beads. I have never in over twenty years of fishing wished I'd had tungsten over brass.

Interesting TR. I rarely use brass anymore- I wonder if I bought into a marketing scheme? Kind of like UV tying materials?

I'm not the most patient angler so for me if tungsten beads get my fly to the zone faster, that works for me.

Then, of course, anglers like you consistently catch fish.

 

[Chucker]

I just buy the cheap brass beads. I have never in over twenty years of fishing wished I'd had tungsten over brass.

.

 

[dfg]

Check out Big Y Fly Company... they sell 25 packs of slotted (or regular) tungsten beads for $4.95. Having recently moved to Hood River its really nice to be five minutes away from this great local resource for really cheap flies, typing materials, gear and info. Really nice folks, too!

 

[drysideshooter]

I just buy the cheap brass beads. I have never in over twenty years of fishing wished I'd had tungsten over brass.

I have to say that after over 50 years of fly fishing, it's hard to judge something without trying it. For me, there are times when I want my nymph to get down quickly, and tungsten beads help with that. I like to have a selection of both, and judge based on fishing conditions which one makes the most sense. I also tie some perdigon style flies with oversized tungsten beads, and some with more typical size beads, both tungsten and brass. I think it's good to have some options, without going crazy. I certainly know folks that I think go crazy with selection, and it's part of their enjoyment. To each their own.

 

[Irafly]

As for the value of tungsten versus not, I chalk it up to fluorocarbon versus not. The simple truth is there are variables that we simply will never fully be able to account for. @triploidjunkie doesn't use tungsten and catches big fish, but also fishes where there are big fish and quite likely could do better with tungsten in the right situation. But why worry about it?

I like to eliminate variables, but I'm also cheap. I use fluorocarbon and tungsten on the regular, but have seriously wondered more about my tungsten than my fluro because fluro seems more regulated with dimensions than tungsten with weight. I 100% agree that tungsten beads should be measured by weight as well as size and I've noticed the difference.

The problem is, that you can buy cheap and get good quality and you can buy expensive and not and that can freaking change, which is super frustrating. Ultimately you have to experiment to find what works for you.

If you find a company that is willing to work with you in quality, go with them. In the long run that will serve you well. Honestly, I'm still experimenting with companies. I'm still not 100% sold on the quality/cost ratio yet.

 

[Peyton00]

Do you lose flies so often that a pack of 100 isn't enough to get ya thru the next decade?

 

[Grizzmill55]

I purchased a lot of cheap tungsten for a while, over the last year I started to notice that the beads were actually breaking off. Not every time, but I had several occasions where I would check my flies and one of the beads would be gone. I've never had that happen with the beads from more reputable brands.

 

[Irafly]

Do you lose flies so often that a pack of 100 isn't enough to get ya thru the next decade?

Lose flies, have them fall apart after 30 or so fish, give them away, etc…

 

[drysideshooter]

I just weighed a couple different 3mm tungsten beads. The first was a Hanak 3mm competition slotted tungsten bead. It weighed 3 grains. I then weighed a 3mm slotted tungsten bead from Wholesale Fly, and it weighed 2.7 grains. The much less expensive bead weighed 10% less than the more expensive bead. I've seen the same difference between brands of countersunk tungsten beads as well.

Depending on how much you tie and fish, the price of the beads may make a bit of a difference over the course of a year. The flies that I tie that I know will get lost more typically get tied with the lesser beads. My wife and I will probably fish close to 200 days in 2022, and I'm in the process of shoring up our fly supply. To be honest, I'm not sure the 10% difference in weight makes much of a difference, but I have certain patterns that I have always used Hanak beads for, and will continue to.

Choices are rarely a bad thing, and thankfully we have a pretty good selection of beads to choose from. Tight lines everyone.

 

[jaredoconnor]

I care more about the design of the bead than the weight. Even if a bead is 10-20% lighter than some other tungsten bead, it will still be at least twice as heavy as a brass bead of the same size. However, if the holes are too big or small, that severely limits their usefulness.

 

[clarkman]

bingo....it's all about hole size

 

[drysideshooter]

I care more about the design of the bead than the weight. Even if a bead is 10-20% lighter than some other tungsten bead, it will still be at least twice as heavy as a brass bead of the same size. However, if the holes are too big or small, that severely limits their usefulness.

From my experience, and doing more euro nymphing than other techniques, and tying a lot of euro nymphing flies, that is why I use primarily slotted tungsten beads. The holes in most quality slotted tungsten beads are small enough that using an "oversize" bead isn't a problem from the standpoint of the hole being so large that it fits over the eye of the hook. That often isn't the case with countersunk beads. The larger beads will have too large of a hole for some hooks. A slotted bead of the same diameter also typically weighs more than a countersunk bead as less material is missing for the slot and smaller hole than a countersink.

 

[jaredoconnor]

From my experience, and doing more euro nymphing than other techniques, and tying a lot of euro nymphing flies, that is why I use primarily slotted tungsten beads. The holes in most quality slotted tungsten beads are small enough that using an "oversize" bead isn't a problem from the standpoint of the hole being so large that it fits over the eye of the hook. That often isn't the case with countersunk beads. The larger beads will have too large of a hole for some hooks. A slotted bead of the same diameter also typically weighs more than a countersunk bead as less material is missing for the slot and smaller hole than a countersink.

I only use slotted beads. There used to be a lot of cheap and nasty ones out there, with ridiculous slots/holes. I imagine it's less of a problem now, as most companies have learned what to not do.

 

[clarkman]

I imagine it's less of a problem now, as most companies have learned what to not do.

oh, it's still a problem. I still have a batch of 4.6mm beads that I was intending on using as oversize on these size 12 jig hooks (with oversize eyes nonetheless (important in a minute). Every single one slid over the hook eye on those, and the hook eye on some size 4 & 6 jig hooks....never again.

 

[blackbird]

AFAIK, tungsten beads are always molded. Only brass beads are milled. This is part of the reason why tungsten beads can be so hit and miss. It's an inherently less accurate manufacturing process.

...always molded"

Meaning by pouring molten W alloy into a mold, or by a cold casting process, with W alloy powder and resin?

Jay

Like cold cast bronze...."Bronze Resin sculpture also known as "cold cast bronze" or bonded bronze, is made of real bronze powder, mixed with polyester, epoxy or another resin and poured into a rubber reusable mould. ... Casting a cold cast sculpture is faster and less expensive than casting bronze.

 

[jaredoconnor]

...always molded"

Meaning by pouring molten W alloy into a mold, or by a cold casting process, with W alloy powder and resin?

Jay

Like cold cast bronze...."Bronze Resin sculpture also known as "cold cast bronze" or bonded bronze, is made of real bronze powder, mixed with polyester, epoxy or another resin and poured into a rubber reusable mould. ... Casting a cold cast sculpture is faster and less expensive than casting bronze.

I have no idea. All I know is they aren't drilled out, like the brass ones.