$1 a bead is a ridiculous rip off. Most of those beads are craft store blanks that look to be quickly and easily painted with a single coat of some non-technical shiny stuff which will likely rub off in the first cast or three.

Steelhead are not terribly picky with regard to the beads or yarn balls they will eat. The plain ones catch as many as the fancy ones.

Save the custom painted beads for highly selective rainbows like those you would find in the Kenai or other heavily pressured trout fisheries.

Most bead fisherman go through an evolution of sorts, starting at first with whatever simple bead they can get their hands on, then progressing through the fancy hand painted brand new hotness, and then back again once they realize that there are a few common elements to the beads fish eat and none if them need be expensive.

Some rainbow fishing is different though and the custom jobs can make a difference between banner days and blanks. It takes a special skill set and experience base to match the hatch though. Don't buy the internet gimmicks, go instead for local knowledge.

Brad, you would have your PNW steelhead beading bases fairly well covered with about three beads. Let me know if you need to know which three