# lets talk about BEADS



## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

all - 

i mostly surf fish for pomps and other small bottom fish in SE NC, have always tied my own rigs out of fluoro, circles, no hardware, live fleas...and i have ALWAYS used beads, predominantly orange as the CW says to do this if u are going after pomps. anywhere from 5-8mm beads, both glow beads and non-glow beads, also used different shades of orange/purple which have a metallic reflection (similar to a coquina shell), green, pink, chartreuse, etc. i have used them all but i always go back to the orange bead as I have had the most success on this (equal success with both 8mm and 6mm, maybe slightly better with 8mm with the "big" 3+ lb pomps)

i have never really given a bead-less rig any sufficient time but I am wondering whether a beadless rig cuts down on the attraction of pinfish, etc. to your bait? This past week was messing around and throwing a 2 drop rig with one orange and one pink bead and the pink bead's flea was often untouched while the orange one got picked apart by pinfish/small fish....got me thinking about this.

any ideas/theories? do any of you fish predominantly bead-less rigs and still get the citation pomps at any frequency, don't care about big mullet...dime a dozen where I fish.


----------



## River (Sep 30, 2006)

Orange is a good color but Pearl Pink has did well this year - several of the leading fish in the Anglers Club Members contest have been caught using pearl pink - black has worked well too but I still fish with the naked Rig - no beads - most of the time, It has served me well - I also stick with the smaller 6mm beads, I have found beads work better later in the summer on till the Pomps leave, naked works better in the spring and early summer, not really sure why yet, I have caught a lot of Pomps over 3 lbs with some consistency - IF they're here, haven't seen many 3 lbers this year ---- River


----------



## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

Last year the pink did better for me. I did catch on the orange and naked but it was all rat reds on those.


----------



## Alexy (Nov 1, 2010)

AbuMike said:


> Last year the pink did better for me. I did catch on the orange and naked but it was all rat reds on those.


I had the best luck this year with a blue/green metallic bead this year. I have no idea what the diffrence would be and the only reason I noticed at all was that in the past just about every bead I have ever fished has been the orange so the change caught my attention...maybe it did the same to the fish..


----------



## JAM (Jul 22, 2002)

*I fish Nakid # 6's*



greg12345 said:


> all -
> 
> i mostly surf fish for pomps and other small bottom fish in SE NC, have always tied my own rigs out of fluoro, circles, no hardware, live fleas...and i have ALWAYS used beads, predominantly orange as the CW says to do this if u are going after pomps. anywhere from 5-8mm beads, both glow beads and non-glow beads, also used different shades of orange/purple which have a metallic reflection (similar to a coquina shell), green, pink, chartreuse, etc. i have used them all but i always go back to the orange bead as I have had the most success on this (equal success with both 8mm and 6mm, maybe slightly better with 8mm with the "big" 3+ lb pomps)
> 
> ...


My favorite is the rr number 6 Nakid, pretty much my go to.. Not into the beads.. JMHO.. JAM


----------



## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

Alexy said:


> I had the best luck this year with a blue/green metallic bead this year. I have no idea what the diffrence would be and the only reason I noticed at all was that in the past just about every bead I have ever fished has been the orange so the change caught my attention...maybe it did the same to the fish..


I put some test colors together. Purple/Chart. Purple/Orange with the Coquina clams in mind.


----------



## Alexy (Nov 1, 2010)

AbuMike said:


> I put some test colors together. Purple/Chart. Purple/Orange with the Coquina clams in mind.


 Awesome...... fish them side by side and see what hits.
BTW if you happen to be down at the 55 ramp the pomp bite has been very good in spite of the weather the last few days.


----------



## JAM (Jul 22, 2002)

Alexy said:


> Awesome...... fish them side by side and see what hits.
> BTW if you happen to be down at the 55 ramp the pomp bite has been very good in spite of the weather the last few days.


55's been on Fire!!!!JAM


----------



## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

I've used the purple for a while now and only caught a few good fish on it. I've done best on the pink this year


----------



## dirtyhandslopez (Nov 17, 2006)

A little red(bloodworm, fish bites etc) and a little 1/4th"flag shaped( at the top of flag shap) cut bait seems to work. Or, 1/2" fleas's with a little red on a small hook seems to be the ticket(thank you kindly River).
It would seem orange would be best as it mirrors the egg sac colors, but who knows. If the fish aren't there, they aren't there. They are somewhere else


----------



## cooper138 (Aug 8, 2012)

JAM said:


> 55's been on Fire!!!!JAM


Pretty much skunked on 30 today few croaks and slim mullet. Nothing else didn't see anyone else doing much either. Gonna try for a night bite and maybe hit 55 tomorrow thanks for the heads up


----------



## surfmom (Nov 3, 2012)

Hmm tieing rigs for tommorrow ill try some nakef ones..


----------



## bo_peep (Aug 12, 2013)

interesting about beads, I think I will get pink, and try for better luck at catching fish.


----------



## Oldscout2 (Sep 15, 2008)

AbuMike said:


> I put some test colors together. Purple/Chart. Purple/Orange with the Coquina clams in mind.


Hi Mike,

I'm curious to hear if that chartreuse/purple rig works. I had good luck with purple and amber a couple of years ago with black drum in particular. I've tried just chartreuse rigs and my observation was that they didn't catch much. 

Thanks,
George


----------



## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

I used to tip my fleas with 1/4" piece of brightly colored fishbites, used pink bloodworm, chartreuse sandworm (?), also orange crab/clam. all worked but pink blood worm worked the best. stopped doing it b/c was hooking up too much w/trash fish (doggies, skates) compared to a flea alone, did catch more big pomps with that way though...maybe will restart. 

i'm going to give naked a decent try for the next several trips, this past week pink worked as well as orange for me...


----------



## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

also mike, depending on the thickness of your leader you can run your line through the beads twice (creating a tight loop) that will hold them close to the hook shank...don't know if it makes a difference but I usually do it that way...


----------



## jmadre (Jan 3, 2008)

I have tried a bunch of bead colors over the last year and now tie three combinations: no beads, hot pink/fire red beads, and occasionally one with black beads. The 'naked' rig (no beads) has produced far more Pompano in clear water. The hot pink/fire red bead rig produced citation Mullet, Pompano, Black Drum, and Sheepshead in dirtier water. The black bead rig has worked well for Pomps in clear water on occasion , but we haven't fished it consistently enough to say for certain that it is a winner.

I thought I had a winner with a glow bead, but it hasn't performed consistently.


----------



## gonefishin703 (Jul 12, 2011)

Fished this summer with no beads and did really good. I usually use orange and it has always produced, but this summer without beads was the best bite by far


----------



## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

This is what some fail to see. Take the basic info and experiment. How so you think this was developed? Instead of tearing down try your own version,knots, colors and configuration.


----------



## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

greg12345 said:


> also mike, depending on the thickness of your leader you can run your line through the beads twice (creating a tight loop) that will hold them close to the hook shank...don't know if it makes a difference but I usually do it that way...


that's the way I put mine on ... I use mostly pink and orange for pomps but Green has always been a killer for mullet for me


----------



## surfchunker (Apr 10, 2006)

also I'd think the clearer the water the better the naked rig would work


----------



## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

greg12345 said:


> also mike, depending on the thickness of your leader you can run your line through the beads twice (creating a tight loop) that will hold them close to the hook shank...don't know if it makes a difference but I usually do it that way...


I have but sometimes I go as lite as #10 and the rigs don't last long


----------



## Drumbeater (Jul 18, 2010)

I'm at AC Moore, they have glass beads, but no plastic...?.?.?, where are you guys acquiring these beads? Store? Brand? Thanks, hunting 5mm, Bass pro was limited as well


----------



## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

I get mine off Ebay.


----------



## markedwards (Jan 29, 2001)

I'm not chasing pomps but I use orange and chartreuse beads during the summer and I agree with dirtyhandz I think during the summer the orange beads mimic sandfleas and crabs egg sacks and the fish are attracted to that. bright sunny day I throw chartreuse and get perch, croakers, and or kingfish. with pink beads I get trout and flounder and flounder hit green beads pretty good too.


----------



## Drumbeater (Jul 18, 2010)

AbuMike said:


> I get mine off Ebay.


Hey, is there a certain type u search for, brand wise? Or a certain Seller? I was on eBay and didn't care for what I was seeing, looked low quality with plastic flashing still on the beads. But, I wasn't sure "what" I was looking for or at.. Thanks


----------



## Loner (Sep 9, 2009)

..Lure Parts Online are the BEAD PEOPLE!!!....I use the florescent ones.....but have used a bunch of the others too...
They sell the glow in a variety of colors and the glow will produce........(kinda expensive though).....


----------



## Drumbeater (Jul 18, 2010)

Loner said:


> ..Lure Parts Online are the BEAD PEOPLE!!!....I use the florescent ones.....but have used a bunch of the others too...
> They sell the glow in a variety of colors and the glow will produce........(kinda expensive though).....


Thanks, it's easier to ask... Love learning stuff on here.. Any others?


----------



## Drumbeater (Jul 18, 2010)

Hey, one more question? Translucent or solid color?


----------



## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

Both......sorry


----------



## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

i have used both, lately been using solid glow beads from lure parts online, orange or pink, works well...


----------



## Loner (Sep 9, 2009)

......love them orange glow.....


----------



## Drumbeater (Jul 18, 2010)

Gonna order some up, thanks for the insight..


----------



## bronzbck1 (Jun 13, 2007)

Net craft has beads too. They are cheaper buying them from a craft place instead of a lure place because that is where they buy them and mark them up.


----------



## Barbandit (Oct 16, 2008)

Check out Troutbeads.com They have a fantastic selection of colors and ship super fast. They have glow beads too.


----------



## surfmom (Nov 3, 2012)

okay you really have my attention now. Glow beads? can anyone expound on those? I get clear water = naked rigs cloudy=beads  and I want pink but hard to tell. I want the lighter colored pink should I get http://shop.troutbeads.ihoststudio.com/productinfo_v3.aspx?productid=TB-24 or http://shop.troutbeads.ihoststudio.com/productinfo_v3.aspx?productid=TB-21 oh and what size?!!! Im looking to catch Pomps and some drum not too big maybe in the 15-20" range

so many choices!!!!


----------



## Drumbeater (Jul 18, 2010)

Oh.... I was looking for the pink pearl... Gonna have to get some of those too!
any ways I went to a dealer on eBay, "olecoyote" was the name, he had batches of beads by the 100 for 1.09, so I got 500 in different colors, cost me 10 bucks with shipping, any ways just passing it on, I was advised to go with translucent by some seasoned experience, so I'm gonna try those first.. But was also advised to stay with a naked rig as much as possible.. So.... 500 ought a last a good while lol!


----------



## Drumbeater (Jul 18, 2010)

Oh.... I was looking for the pink pearl... Gonna have to get some of those too!
any ways I went to a dealer on eBay, "olecoyote" was the name, he had batches of beads by the 100 for 1.09, so I got 500 in different colors, cost me 10 bucks with shipping, any ways just passing it on, I was advised to go with translucent by some seasoned experience, so I'm gonna try those first.. But was also advised to stay with a naked rig as much as possible.. So.... 500 ought a last a good while lol!


----------



## Barbandit (Oct 16, 2008)

I just received a shipment today. Picked up some more of the glow beads. Ready for next weekend if it will ever get here.


----------



## Loner (Sep 9, 2009)

...for all U pomp finatices out there..A REAL THOUGHT....I have experimented with BIG BEADS....BIG as I could purchase.....AND THE POMPS ATE EM UP!!!!...They be sight feeders and while I was ORANGE SINKERING MY CRAP..I chuncked THE BIGGEST BEAD I could get on my flea rig and it layed right over with a 3 lb fish.......now I want to try DOUBLE BEADS..TRIPLE BEADS.......LOTS OF CRAP!!!!


----------



## Barbandit (Oct 16, 2008)

Let us know how that works out for you Loner. I've used double beads, multi colored beads, no beads, flo orange sinkers, tipped the hook under the flea with a piece of 1/4" orange rubber worm or grub (had some success with this when I couldn't buy a bite), plain rigs and just about everything short of absurd. It's all good and there is no magic potion or combination. Orange works great, but the other colors may on any given day work just a well. Try it all until you find something you have confidence in. When you are confident, you fish hard. When you fish hard, you will more likely be successful catching something. I love trying to figure it out. It makes success that much sweeter when it comes.


----------



## greg12345 (Jan 8, 2007)

all my biggest pomps at topsail have come on an 8mm bright orange bead (non glow)....have not been able to tell a difference with orange sinkers yet


----------



## Barbandit (Oct 16, 2008)

greg12345, I'm considering ditching the orange sinker. I've been using it long enough now to determine it didn't make a noticeable difference in numbers of fish or quality. I believe it attracts if it is visible and not buried. I believe that the beads are better attractants and I know the piece of orange rubber worm or grub work great when there are fish there. It's right on the flea and that's what you want them looking at. Water clarity is a huge factor! I believe that's why getting out past the second bar produces fish. I have heard 1000 times to fish in the wash or suds and that can be true at times because that's where the fleas live and the pomps will come in there after them. It's clearer further out and visibility is better. Everything likes an easy meal including pompano and if they see the bait, most likely they will eat it even if they aren't actively feeding per say. My biggest pomps were caught without beads.


----------



## Loner (Sep 9, 2009)

....have we mentioned Orange Hooks?????.....o yea


----------



## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

I have used beads less and less the last couple years unless I am fishing really clear water and pomps are running the beach. I target black drum and sea mullet more than anything so I use a naked rig most of the time. When I do fish a bead I like green and pink and many times I will go pink on one trace and green on the other.

I remember many years ago (when I was a kid) fishing with a sea striker rig that had a pink skirt above one hook and a green skirt above the other and that rig was deadly!


----------



## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

Oldscout2 said:


> Hi Mike,
> 
> I'm curious to hear if that chartreuse/purple rig works. I had good luck with purple and amber a couple of years ago with black drum in particular. I've tried just chartreuse rigs and my observation was that they didn't catch much.
> 
> ...


Just got home and wanted to answer this......Caught Pups up to 28" as fast as you could put a flea on. Both colors worked great on them but the Mullet did not like them at all. Did catch 10 or so 1.5-2.0lb Sea Mullet on the necked, pink, green, orange and blue bead rigs.


----------



## River (Sep 30, 2006)

That's some nice Sea Mullet Mike, Congratulations - beads really kick in at times, how did you do on the Pier ? River


----------



## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

River said:


> That's some nice Sea Mullet Mike, Congratulations - beads really kick in at times, how did you do on the Pier ? River


Avalon was on fire Mon and Tue.....2lb Mullet all over









This is a sampling from the surf.....2lb Mullet and 20" 3.5lb Pup


----------



## surfmom (Nov 3, 2012)

nice!


----------



## Drumbeater (Jul 18, 2010)

Wow.. SICK


----------



## Oldscout2 (Sep 15, 2008)

AbuMike said:


> Just got home and wanted to answer this......Caught Pups up to 28" as fast as you could put a flea on. Both colors worked great on them but the Mullet did not like them at all. Did catch 10 or so 1.5-2.0lb Sea Mullet on the necked, pink, green, orange and blue bead rigs.


Thanks Mike, guess I'll dust those chartreuse beads off and try a pup rig again with purple... Congrats on the citation whiting...


----------



## catchneat (May 13, 2013)

I like the orange esp when fishing with fleas, its the same color as the eggs, I also use a small orange crab fish bite lashed to his belly with ghost thread, one helps keep him on during a powerful cast second again looks like eggs. But I still have most luck with a yellow float on top rig when targeting pomps.


----------



## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

catchneat said:


> I like the orange esp when fishing with fleas, its the same color as the eggs, I also use a small orange crab fish bite lashed to his belly with ghost thread, one helps keep him on during a powerful cast second again looks like eggs. *But I still have most luck with a yellow float on top rig when targeting pomps*.


yeah I saw that youtube vid also.....


----------



## Vinnx (Nov 11, 2012)

Caught 2 big Pompano Sunday using a big shiny Pink Bead that resemble coquina clam colors.. Think I'll keep trying it for a while, definitely didn't seem to hurt lol


----------



## tjbjornsen (Oct 31, 2009)

Damn Mike, that is some serious Mullet there!


----------



## MSRIEF (May 21, 2007)

personally I prefer glass beads as they don't dull like plastic.


----------



## HStew (Jan 8, 2009)

Sample of beads for rigs- spotlight on the oblong,glass coquina beads as "match the hatch"...


----------



## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

MSRIEF said:


> personally I prefer glass beads as they don't dull like plastic.


They also sink, which is something worth noting.


----------

