Beadhead
Also called bead head, beaded nymph
A beadhead is a fly tied with a metal or tungsten bead at the front. The bead adds weight and a little flash, helping a nymph sink and ride hook-point down.
- Group
- Nymph patterns
- Category
- Flies & fly types
- Level
- Beginner
- Water
- Freshwater
Last updated
What Beadhead means
Look at the front of the fly, right behind the hook eye. If there’s a round bead there, it’s a beadhead. The bead is usually brass or tungsten, and it can be gold, copper, black, or painted.
The bead serves two jobs. First, it adds weight so the fly gets down faster without needing as much split shot. Second, it creates a small “hot spot” of flash or color that can help fish find the fly in deeper or faster water.
Beadheads show up on many nymph patterns, from a Pheasant Tail Nymph to a Hare’s Ear Nymph and a Prince Nymph. You’ll also see beadhead versions of some streamers and wet flies, but the term usually comes up in nymph fishing.
Why it matters on the water
Weight placement changes how a fly drifts. A bead at the front helps the fly sink quickly and track a little more nose-down, which can keep it closer to the bottom where trout and other fish feed.
Knowing “beadhead” helps with quick rig choices. If the water is deeper, faster, or you’re trying to keep a two-fly rig from tangling, swapping to a beadhead (or to a heavier bead) can be a cleaner move than adding more external weight.
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Read next
- Hare's Ear NymphA classic, buggy nymph pattern meant to suggest a range of mayfly nymphs and other small aquatic insects. Usually tied with hare’s mask dubbing and often with a rib and a bead.
- PerdigonA Perdigon is a slim, heavily weighted nymph with a smooth, glossy body (often UV resin) built to sink fast and track near the bottom.
- Pheasant Tail NymphA slim, buggy nymph pattern tied with pheasant tail fibers, usually to imitate mayfly nymphs. It’s a standard “search” nymph for trout and other freshwater fish.
- Prince NymphA Prince Nymph is a beadhead attractor nymph with a peacock body and two white biots for wings. It’s fished subsurface to suggest a range of aquatic insects rather than one exact hatch.