Thread: Beads on trolling rods

I could hear the bead click against the rod a couple of years ago......cant hear that anymore.....the VA has hearing aids on order for me.....supposed to get them on the 10th. I was supposed to get them before Christmas but the delivery folks lost them in transit somehow.

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I bought fluorescent orange PONY BEADS at Hobby Lobby, they have a 5mm hole and the line slides through much easier than fishing beads. They come in a bag of 500 for about $6. I tried 5 of them, thats too many!!! causes tangles. I reduced to two and put them between the second and third eye counting the tip. PERFECT! I am fishing with 12 foot rods and they have helped me miss fewer fish! Nice little rattle. Michael s and Walmart have them too in the craft department. You can buy them on Amazon too. Make the rod tip easier to see as well!

The glass beads will make more sound. They are more expensive but worth the extra cost for my terrible hearing. Get the ones with the angles. Facetted?

One thing I noticed using them is that they alert you on a really lite bite, may not know which rod but you are looking hard at the poles, definately helps the catch ratio.

I am a firm believer in using beads. Sure has helped me. I use the bigger bead from the 2 size pack at Wally World. Between second and third guide. Tried glass beads and did not find them to be as good as the plastic. They are heavier and have a tendency to wrap around rod more when dropping bait back in water. I am pretty deaf without my hearing aids and they sure help me. Like Ree's said they really help on real light bites. I fish them on 14's and don't have a problem hearing them. I have tried various sizes and numbers and found that large single bead to work best.

Mine seemed to tangle up a lot. It I put them in between the first and second eye. Might try it between the second and third eye. I can use any help I can get lol.


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Mitch Glenn showed me a trick.....take a piece of fishing line ...put the bead on it then tie the line tight between second and third eye and trim the ends. Then run your main fishing line thru the bead....it will still click against the rod when you get a bump but it will not tangle around your pole.

Originally Posted by FurFlyin

Never heard that trick before. I think I got the jist of it from Rees post, but can y'all expound on it a little? How large does the hole need to be? Don't guess it would matter much.

Beads?.......