Beads

salmo · May 7, 2026

I really enjoy tying nymphs with beads. However, some recipes call for “exotic” beads with different colors and textures. I’ve advocated using markers for thread and dubbing. Now I use them on beads. A silver bead can be almost any color. An alcohol marker and a coat of Sally’s and you have your exotic. I recently moved on to texture. If the recipe calls for matte black, a shiny black bead with a matte top coat gets it done. I picked up a bottle of UV cure matte top coat from Amazon for about $8.00.

From my experience this will last years. A prepackaged shiny black bead becomes matte black. A silver bead colored black with a marker and topped of with matte top coat becomes matte. If others are interested I can post some photos.

salmo · May 7, 2026

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/G/01/apparel/rcxgs/tile._CB483369110_.gif

Here is the product

dudemanspecial · May 7, 2026

Good post. I am not a fan of beadhead flies but acknowledge the superiority of tungsten weight to get deep fast. I will hide a bead or 2 under the thorax and have always colored them with a black marker to help them blend in.

I do have some shiney silver and gold beadhead walts worms amd perdigons in my box and have often considered painting or coloring them to match the fly color. All of my more direct imitation nymphs are all either unweighted or weighted with lead or hidden beads.

Solitariolupo · May 7, 2026

Hobby lobby can buy different colors cheap price. They are on sale right now. Also can burn on plastic beads for your really exotic colors. I’ve even used glass. I’ve used the uv and paint on jigs and it does come off but on a bead fly it works great.

salmo · May 8, 2026

dudemanspecial said:
Good post. I am not a fan of beadhead flies but acknowledge the superiority of tungsten weight to get deep fast. I will hide a bead or 2 under the thorax and have always colored them with a black marker to help them blend in.

I do have some shiney silver and gold beadhead walts worms amd perdigons in my box and have often considered painting or coloring them to match the fly color. All of my more direct imitation nymphs are all either unweighted or weighted with lead or hidden beads.