Beads are made for numerous many fishing purposes. In the section below we’ve covered the key scenarios in which beads are essential. For a start, they protect your knots from the sharp edges of the lead weights, which can otherwise cut your knot as they slide down your line.
Beads add good weight & a superb shine to your fly.
Beads are a method of increasing weight and shine to a fly. The beads as we know them have been around for years and it’s suspected their history goes back centuries.
Typical bead head patterns use brass or gold beads, and they are available in most fishing stores. Just about any wet fly can be fitted with these beads, adding beauty and also more efficient deep fishing.
Many fishers also say that the extra shine of the bead will be an added lure for the fish. Another similar theory suggests that a gold bead imitates the air bubble given off by most emerging insects which helps them rise to the surface… a behaviour that fish are well aware of!
The majority of beads have big holes in them which enables passing the bead over the barb and the bend of the hook. Because if the hole is not sufficiently enough, the bead can get caught up while passing the bend.
Take a tip from the Europeans!
We hear from our fishing cousins over in Europe that many of them are using slightly different beads in which both holes are the same dimensions. This means they weigh more and, more importantly, because the beads are gold plated they will keep their shine (most go dull eventually).
Exclusive: Tying the perfect bead.
Many, many tiers have a tough time getting many types of eyes or beads to sit properly. If you’ve tried you’ll already know that eyes always seem to twist, and beads always some to slide up and down the hook shank when the fly has been cast a few times… but it doesn’t have to be that way!
The solution is super simple: Super Glue! These ‘super’ glues – also known as cyanoacrylates – have incredible strength, strong enough to meld metal. Simply add a tiny drip after the first couple of times you’ve turned the tying thread and the eyes will stay in place until the end of time.
You can also use this method for beads: just add a drip before the bead slides down onto the hook shank. Looking to owned a good fly fishing rod and reel? Visit our website for more details.
Bodies, legs, tails
Bodies
Fly bodies are tied from a range of materials . Natural materials are Dubbing made from animal fur, bird wing quills and a range of other animal products. Synthetic body materials are made from a range of plastic, mylar, rubber and other synthetic materials.
Legs
Legs are also made from a range of animal and synthetic materials similar to body materials rubber legs being the most popular.
Tails
Tails are also made from both animal and synthetic products. The two main differences with tails are stiff materials for dry flies to help balance and float the fly and long softails like soft hen and rooster hackle for freshwater streamers and large saltwater flies for pelagics.
When choosing materials you can follow a pattern or use your imagination and think outside the box as you may not always be able to get the exact materials listed in a pattern. Don’t be afraid to try new things.
Fly tying hooks
Take your fly fishing to the next level, fly tie for yourself.
Most fly-fishers reach a stage their fishing experience where they start to get obsessed by the idea of tying their own flies. And that’s understandable, because there’s no doubt there’s a completely different league of content catching a fish on a fly you’ve tied yourself.
The journey to tying your own flies is tricky, but the rewards are extreme.
If you’ve previously only fished with flies you’ve bought from the store, get ready for a treat! Put simply, fly tying your own flies enable you to catch more fish. This is because you can replicate the fish’s favourite bug and also create your own custom patterns.
Many clued-up fly fishers create flies to replicate the bugs found in their local streams, which means they are not beholden to local fishing stores (which often run out of the popular stock). All you need is the material and you can make as many as you like, while other fishers lament the sold-out bug.
Your guide to the essential Fly-Tying kit
Plugging your mind into fly tying seems like a daunting task, because there are hundreds of various tools and materials out there. Luckily there are a number of excellent kits available across the country which have all the essential tools you’ll need to tie most flies.
When you’re shopping for fly tying tools, these are the big ticket items to pay attention to:
Vise
The vise is the most critical piece of equipment on your tying station, because it enables the important task of keeping the hook in place while you wind thread and other materials around it.
Scissors
The most used hand tool on a fly tier’s bench. You’ll use scissors to cut threads, hairs, and many other materials used in the process of tying a fly – so quality is imperative.
Whip Finisher
Every one of your flies must be finished by tying off the thread. The whip finisher enables a simple fast, reliable method of tying the knot that finishes the fly.
Bobbin
Flies are tied with a thread that winds and locks materials around the hook. The bobbin is the crucial tool that keeps the thread in place and is used to wind thread around the hook shank.
Hackle Pliers
If you don’t know already, a ‘hackle’ is fly fishing lingo for ‘feather’. Many flies often employ hackles in fly tying, which can be tricky to manage… so hackle pliers really help.
Bodkin Needle
The bodkin needle is the “Macgyver” tool in fly tying tools. From picking out dubbing to applying types cement and glues, it comes in super handy anywhere you need a fine point.
Visit Fly and Guide website for more information