Originally Posted By: Salmo g.

As an old school swinger, I know little about nymphing, but used beads once in AK. Given that even a 12 mm bead is small relative to most steelhead lures, do nymphers use them only when fishing extremely clear water? I'm curious about how low of visibility water can be with beads still being effective.
Sg

I first learned how effective beads where a few years ago fishing in SE AK for trout and steelhead. Since then I've acquired a ton of beads in all different colors and sizes. In Idaho we use double bead nymphing rigs or a bead and a glo bug. That combo has put many steelhead on the bank and my buddy who guides for the fly shop down there uses beads almost exclusively. There extremely effective in both vodka clear water or your typical steelhead green water. When the water is murky i prefer swinging bigger patterns over nymphing, but I've seen beads work in water with a couple foot of vis on more than one occasion...
Depending on water conditions i normally run a 12mm bead on top, then a 10mm bead on bottom.
A bead box with several different colors, sizes and beads in different finishes is golden. Some toothpicks, splitshot and a few thingamabobbers and your fishing...




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