Hard beads versus soft beads versus corkies

[JHawk]

I'm new to the steelhead game and I'm trying to learn quickly, but there's a lot of 'stuff' to know.

What are the relative merits of hard beads versus soft beads versus cheaters versus Fish Pills versus corkies?

I've read posts that say to stay in the 8mm to 10mm range for hard beads. I've read other posts that say soft beads are better than hard beads. I've read other posts that swear by corkies, which just seem to be large beads.

I'm totally confused.

Thanks!

 

[Throbbit _Shane]

Either of them, as long as you have a 6' leader! LOL :lol:

Yarn should be another option. Or eggs with some yarn and scent...

Id say any of it will work as long as it's presented correctly, maybe some more then others depending on the river and the pressure.

 

[OnTheDrop]

Dude. They are all relatively similar. Put it in front of the fishes face and they won't care what material it's made out of because by the time they realize they've committed and you have already set the hook. It's not like bait where they might grab it and engulf it if they like it or grab it and move on if they don't like it.

For drift fishing I would choose a corkie because it is buoyant and will come off the bottom when drifted. ( Steelhead look up, not down )

For float fishing I would use a bead between 6-14mm bead with a split shot or two on the leader. ( My favorite )


Boom. Your golden.. Now get out on the water and test it out...

 

[SOMCREW]

For drift fishing I would choose a corkie because it is buoyant and will come off the bottom when drifted. ( Steelhead look up, not down )

For float fishing I would use a bead between 6-14mm bead with a split shot or two on the leader. ( My favorite )


Boom. Your golden.. Now get out on the water and test it out...

Hit that that spot on. one thing I can add is i like to take the tip of a toothpick and break it off inside the hole of the corky once its on your leader line. I also slide it up from the hook shank about 1/2 inch to ensure its next to my yarn or bait and not just sliding up and down the line. In a faster drift water the corky will naturaly slide to the eyelet of the hook with out a problem.. just an idea.. Good luck!!eace:

 

[JHawk]

Do any of you have experience with the rubber band system that Hevibeads uses? It seems like a decent concept being able to change beads without re-tying the leader, but does it work as good as they show on the video?

 

[SOMCREW]

Yes we pro-staff for hevi-beads. They have some sweet color patterns and the rubber band and tool works great. I suggest pre-tying them before you hit the rice tho. The cold hands and rubber bands don't mix. We have more info on hevibeads on our website.

 

[JHawk]

Yes we pro-staff for hevi-beads. They have some sweet color patterns and the rubber band and tool works great. I suggest pre-tying them before you hit the rice tho. The cold hands and rubber bands don't mix. We have more info on hevibeads on our website.

For somebody like me just getting into beads for steelhead, are 8mm and 10mm the best sizes to start with? 12mm and 14mm look huge! What colors of Hevibeads would you recommend for starting out?

 

[DirectDrive]

I'm new to the steelhead game and I'm trying to learn quickly, but there's a lot of 'stuff' to know.

What are the relative merits of hard beads versus soft beads versus cheaters versus Fish Pills versus corkies?

I've read posts that say to stay in the 8mm to 10mm range for hard beads. I've read other posts that say soft beads are better than hard beads. I've read other posts that swear by corkies, which just seem to be large beads.

I'm totally confused.

Thanks!

Different buoyancy values.

For pegging, "square center" long taper toothpicks work very well if you choose to peg (mostly a Corky thing)
Always peg on the hook side of the Corky.