So, was thinking about a post I just made, and thought it would likely be a better idea to make a new thread. Fascinated with all the discussion around trout beads, but really wonder if this is a "new thing".
So, my other post stated:
"Don't want to wreck the theme of "water conditions" on this theme, but having used Jensen eggs in the 90's, and now reading about soft beads and hard beads and their "success", are these beads any different than a single magnum Jensen egg? Thoughts? Why all the fancy knots to tie them? Could you use a bobber stopper 3 fingers up from the hook, then tie a thin piece of woll above it as we used to do with the Jensen Egg? Trying to figure out all the big deal about the "new" salmon bead which to me, sounds like old school technology (Jensen Egg), with a few tweaks."
Are soft beads and hard beads really a new thing? As an old dog wanting to learn new tricks, I went to Youtube to watch up on some things and try to learn.
Found lots of videos, this one being a good example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAvKlCX-yLUAt the end, all I could conclude is this is not really a new thing. I think others and I were doing the same thing 25 years ago with other items, which had been around for quite some time, and while colors and materials may have improved, I do not think t is new. It seems a bunch of young guys feel they have discovered something new and revolutionary, and thus, they and beads are cutting edge and a new secret weapon with a new skill set.
I believe I have used both "hard beads" and "soft beads" over 25 years ago, although they were slightly different.
For me, a "soft bead" would be tied as follows. Hook tied with a bait loop. From here, a small translucent plastic bead in red or orange set above this. From here, a silver metallic sequin set above the bead, then a jensen egg strung onto the line and color and size would vary based on water conditions, from here, a thin piece of yarn in chartruse, peach, or cream would be tied on and draped over the egg. This yarn would hold the egg in place, give the egg a mottled look in the water, give motion and flutter to the presentation, and could act to get caught in the fishes teeth, if you believed in that kind of thing.
For me, a "hard bead" would be a corkie or a spin-n-glo. Once again, would start with the hook. Tie on a bait loop again, from here, small translucent plastic bead, then place the corkie or spin-n-glo above this, often choosing to use orange scale. On occasion, with corkie, the thin yarn may or may not be used. Also, on occasion, a small piece of roe may be put in the bait loop below the corkie, etc.
I should mention that later, I began to use small brass, gold, or silver beads like used for fly-tying instead of translucent bead if I wanted a little extra weight to keep the item down in the water column.
So, realistically, the new and improved beads seem like variants of this, and not really new. The idea of pegging is maybe new?, but has been used when trout fishing for a number of years. I have heard discussion about pegging three fingers up to prevent the "hinging/leverage" that the beads do, and thus give fish an advantage, but really wonder if this is a thing. Pegging, tying special knots, all the effort to get the bead away from the hook seems gimmicky.
When fishing corkies, spin-n-glows, BC orange Gooey bobs, Jensen Eggs, etc, I do not remember loosing many fish due to this leverage effect, and do not think we discussed it as a thing. With the way it is set up just above the hook, if it was an issue, the items can move or slide freely up the line. Pegging and tying special knots to set the beads in place seems un-necessary. If anything, a bobber stopper and a sequin three fingers up, along with maybe a thin piece of yarn seems like a better set up if you solidly believe it needs to be away from the hook.
If the hinging/leverage was a thing, then for sure, using giant lures such as Coho's Crocodiles, and other metal made by Luhr Jensen and Gibbs give the fish a huge advantage. That being said, some days this year I am at 50% landing percentage of the fish I hook. I find most fish I hook with lures are lost within the first 3 seconds, or else they are on. Maybe lures do give fish an advantage and that "hinging/leverage" advantage. That being said, take it as it is.
On a final note, I am not sure whether people are pegging or placing the beads away from the hook due to being worried about the fish swallowing the bead and deep hook sets. If this is the case, I would be interested in hearing this aspect. In all my years fishing for salmon and steelhead using Corkies, Spin-N-glows, Jensen Eggs, Gooey bobs, etc, I do not remember deep hooking fish and worrying about them not making it.
Just my thoughts. Maybe we think too much on the beads and how to use them best? Seems like it is being made to be something new and more complex than it needs to be
Dano
Author
Topic: Soft beads/Hard beads vs Jensen Egg. New school technology or "illusion" of new (Read 5129 times)