Colored beads?

[erikclymore]

I’ve been tying a couple months now and at first I ordered nothing but silver beads to go along with the hooks. On my next order I figured I’d vary things a bit by going with some black nickel and copper. I like the black nickel for most applications. It’s my go to bead. I feel if I need flash I can add it in the form of a hot spot or some flashy ribbing, and the copper is just a nice alternative. I’ve pretty much quit using the nickel silver. Now I’m torn. Part of me is content with the three colors already listed, but another part of me is really wanting to try some colored beads to very things up even more.
I was curious if anyone felt strongly either way about colored beads and their impact on a flies success.

[groundpounder]

Unless you get the anodized beads the color will eventually get knocked off. My go to beads were always copper, silver, and black. I have used colored beads but you get frustrated when you see them mostly chipped away with just patches of color left on them here and there.

[splatek16]

Unless you get the anodized beads the color will eventually get knocked off. My go to beads were always copper, silver, and black. I have used colored beads but you get frustrated when you see them mostly chipped away with just patches of color left on them here and there.

In my limited tying experience, I tend to agree. I stick with the basics
Black nickel, nickel, silver, gold, copper
Although, once come to like black and coffee,/brown


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[Prowler]

I go along with the consensus here. 90% of my tying is done on Copper, silver and black. I do order flourescent orange specifically for my candy corn and florescent yellow specifically for a sparkle leech that I use on dh section but other than that it is black, copper and silver.

[ferrulewax]

I'm on the other side. I think that colored beads can make a huge diffrence. Think of how many fish see a copper/silver/ gold bead. Now think about a pink bead, blue bead, etc. You are showing the fish something very different from the average person. Changing bead colors also allows you to cover diffrent water colors. The sheen from a bead can be seen much farther away than anything on a fly, so I think bead color > rib color, dubbing , Hotspots, ect.

The color does wear off. Its just a part of it.

[erikclymore]

Tanks fellas.
I went a little overboard on hook buying at the fly fishing show, so I need to get some corresponding beads. That’s what spurred this question.

[WPrich]

I have a few colored beads that I bought when I first started and thought I needed every color bead for tying. Now I pretty much only use a few of the color beads florescent orange/metallic orange, pink, and some coffee/brown colored ones for some of the eggs,worms, and walts/pheasant tail variants I like to carry. Overall I think you can't go wrong with silver, black nickel, and copper for most flies. If you really feel you need the colored beads try tying in a hot spot of the same color on your fly, may get similar results as you think the bead would give you.

[Big T]

I'm on the other side. I think that colored beads can make a huge diffrence. Think of how many fish see a copper/silver/ gold bead. Now think about a pink bead, blue bead, etc. You are showing the fish something very different from the average person. Changing bead colors also allows you to cover diffrent water colors. The sheen from a bead can be seen much farther away than anything on a fly, so I think bead color > rib color, dubbing , Hotspots, ect.

The color does wear off. Its just a part of it.

I agree and find certain colors super effective in certain watersheds and water conditions. Browns on the hooch dig metallic orange, pink works great in turbid water, and blue is effective deep etc.

[RScott]

I like chartreuse!

[FlickNdip]

As others have stated. WTer conditions will dictate if a change is needed. I have a whole bunch of colors that over the years, I have learned work better here and there. I like the approach also of giving the fish something they haven't seen before.

[FishWillie]

Welcome to fly tying......just get a big bead storage container now....maybe 2. One for tungsten beads and 1 for brass beads...then start splitting up the colors by size...etc etc etc....find a friend to split the cost with and divide them up....I prefer Olive Brown, copper, gold, black and picked up some sexy brown metallic at the show I can't wait to use
Will

[NetBoy]

I tried to stop using gold beads and move to silver. But I have two big bags of gold slotted faceted tungsten beads so I tied traditional nymphs with these beads.
So far these flies have out fished my junk flies. Maybe they like the facets or the hotspots I put on all my nymphs.

When these run out I'll try silver faceted beads next.

[retiredmp]

I like to use colors that others don't. I also carry a black sharpie pen with me and whatever color can be turned into black pretty easily.

[UncleJesse]

Think about what you are trying to do with the bead, usually the first is weight, what is the second consideration, complete the look for the head of a nymph? Attraction? The objective to tying a fly is to make the trout think it is something to eat. I like silver because it imitates a bubble look well. Bubbles are natural in water. Some colors are attractors, if the trout doesn't see it they are probably not going to eat it. A leech pattern with a big bead or spot on the leading edge imitates a leech eating a trout egg.

[erikclymore]

Yeah, I get the whole attractor aspect of it. I would say I incorporate some sort of hot spot/ tag/ butt or shiny tinsel in the majority of my flies, and I definitely see the importance of trying to imitate an egg. I was just curious to see if anyone felt strongly one way or the other. It seems like it’s pretty much split. I think I’ll stick with the basic, more versatile colors for now since there are still a good number of materials I’ve yet to purchase. For example, at the fly fishing show Rscott kept going on and on about the importance of ultra violet fourth dimensional dubbing or something crazy like that. Saying that fish see through time and space. I think he was pulling my leg, but I figured I’d search the web just to be safe.
Plus, now I’m getting into streamer tying. There goes another paycheck in fur and feathers...