Brass vs. Tungsten Beads

[Skook]

Let's assume that you had no beads for tying bead head flies, and you won a contest to walk into a fly shop and take a package of beads in each of the popular colors and sizes. Would you take all brass beads, tungsten beads, or a combination of both? In other words, completely disregard the cost difference.

Is there still a place for brass beads, or is tungsten just more of a good thing?

I need to replenish my stock of beads, and I'm thinking of looking for some good deals from local fly shops at the Lancaster Fly Fishing Show next month. I'm just wondering whether I should keep using some brass beads or make things simple and buy all tungsten beads from now on.

If I keep using both, I need to come up with a way to identify them once they are tied onto a fly. I'll probably pick a certain color of thread for either brass or tungsten and use it exclusively to identify the bead. Does anyone do this? How about a certain color of thread to identify lead-weighted flies vs. unweighted? Any other identification system that works well?

 

[ColdBore]

Skook wrote:

... you won a contest ... In other words, completely disregard the cost difference.

I need to replenish my stock of beads, and I'm thinking of looking for some good deals from local fly shops at the Lancaster Fly Fishing Show next month. I'm just wondering whether I should keep using some brass beads or make things simple and buy all tungsten beads from now on.

If cost was no issue, of course we'd all take tungsten.

However, I (and apparently you) still haven't won that contest, so cost continues to be a real life factor.

As long as I'm footing the bill, I'll continue to use both.

Tungsten obviously has its place and uses, but lots of times brass will work just fine, at a fraction of the cost.

And yes, I know that "per fly", we're talking a matter of cents difference, but when we start looking at filling a couple boxes with flies, and knowing that we're going to end up leaving more than a few of them attached to the bottom of the stream, it does start to add up.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

I have use of both types of beads. If I HAD to choose, I would go with brass since I can add wraps of lead free wire to add weight (except on small flies where there is less room for wraps of weight behind a bead). It just seems more flexible that way. Also, tungsten can get a bit pricey.

Your last paragraph describes practical solutions for identification.

So, ideally, you should have unweighted, weighted with wraps, brass bead heads, and tungsten bead heads to cover all possibilities....or add shot to your tippet.

 

[Skook]

Ya. I'm not independently wealthy. Cost is always a consideration, but it's not the most important factor to me when it comes to choosing hooks or beads.

At least for the foreseeable future, I get to spend a limited number of days on the water, and I want to maximize them as best as I can. If I drive 2 1/2 hours to the Delaware or Little J no more than a few times per year, or over 4 hours to fish for steelhead once or twice per year, I'm not concerned with the cost of beads.

I'm curious to know if tungsten is typically better, or if there are times when a lighter bead could offer an advantage - maybe in shallower water or when you want a fly to sink a little slower or maybe have a bit more movement on the end of a dropper.

I probably tie a few dozen flies per year, and maybe half are bead heads. I guess if I tied and fished more often, I could better answer these questions myself.

 

[bassfanpa]

Time and place for everything. Do you always use 3 BB shot? For all water conditions? Of course not. same with beads and sink rates. Buy both and use them when the situation is presented you will have what you need.

 

[Skook]

Makes sense. But let's assume I'm fishing a bead head nymph somewhere between size 10 and 18. If I'm fishing shallow water, it usually has decent current speed, like riffles or pockets. On the other hand, if I'm fishing slower water, like runs or pools, it usually has decent depth.

In which of these circumstances, or others, would an appropriate-sized tungsten bead be too heavy on a fly of this size? When would a brass bead be a better choice?

 

[PennKev]

It depends...


I use both. Tungsten especially on smaller flies as I often want some heft but a #18 or smaller fly might not accommodate an appropriate size brass bead AND lead wire without becoming too bulky. A #20 midge larva for instance, is a good application for a tungsten bead. Also, many of the Euro style nymphs pair well with tungsten. On the other hand, on some larger nymphs I go for a brass bead with lead wire because either a tungsten bead of appropriate size is overkill, or a I actually want the bulk of the lead wire wraps. I weight many stonefly imitations this way for example. This is especially true of the flies I use near home as many PA trout streams don't have the depth or current speed that requires really heavy, large nymphs.

Aside from those examples, I like having choices when it comes to weighting flies. Utilizing, brass, tungsten and lead wire in different configurations provides a lot of versatility and ability to fine tune. I can really dial in how I want a fly to look and fish.

As for cost of tungsten, the fly shop prices are criminal. There are plenty of on-line sources that offer very reasonable prices. I'm all for supporting local shops, but a pack of beads should not cost 8 bucks.

 

[Dave_W]

I really like tungsten and have been using it a lot more lately.

I tie a lot of intricate, small flies and being able to use a much smaller bead and still get the weighted effect I want helps considerably and produces a more lean and slender fly.

They're worth the cost IMO.

 

[Skook]

Come to think of it, the flies I tied most recently around the holidays were Whitlock's Red Fox Squirrel nymphs, some with a bead and some without. Sizes 10 and 12.

True to what I believe is the original recipe, I used lead wire on both styles with a brass bead on the bead head type.

A tungsten bead with lead wire might have been overkill on these.

Maybe I'll go with brass beads with or without lead wire on sizes 12 and larger and tungsten beads alone on sizes 14 and smaller. Then I won't need to worry about some sort of identification system, except for unweighted flies, and with or without lead wire, and.... :-?

 

[bigjohn58]

I use brass beads for almost all my ties but I also tie a lot of double bead patterns. I personally find tungsten too heavy a lot of times. There is a time and place for everything.

 

[Steeltrap]

It depends upon the stream current, width, and depth. Small streams with tungsten will at times, snag far to much.

 

[drakeking412]

I use tungsten period end of story. I'm also fishing dry flies or euro nymphing and that's about it so take that as you will. My bead box has slotted beads in 4 colors per size (sometimes less colors but I try to keep 4) in size 2mm 2.3mm 2.8mm 3.3mm and 3.8mm. I also use lead wrap in sizes .010 .015 and .020. I'll also point out that almost all my ties are in 14-18 and some in the 10-12 and 20-22

Yes it is more expensive to buy tungsten but it is a good way for me to keep streamlined and I don't lose many flies at this point so I don't care too much. Also what Kev said.... if you need a good slotted tungsten vendor @ 50% of the normal shop price PM me