I taught a fly tying class a few weeks ago; and while I thought I packed everything I needed, my middle aged brain failed me and I forgot my bead tweezers. Of course, the first pattern on the list was a #18 bead head midge pupa. So much for a great plan and a smooth start …. If you tie a lot of bead head patterns; especially smaller flies, invest in a good pair of bead tweezers. They save a lot of time, minimize the frustration of mounting them on your hooks, and prevent losing them to your carpet. I can’t remember where I bought the Bead Nabber tweezers shown here; but they make a world of difference, and these seem to work better than any others I’ve tried. There are small dimples at the tips of the jaws to hold a bead and a sliding collar that locks the bead in place until you have it on the hook. Another thing to consider is a storage solution for your beads, cones and other small items to keep them organized. I love these craft store stack packs that screw together, and I label them according to the size and use of the contents. Tying bead heads doesn’t need to be frustrating. Till next week …… www.ramsayflies.com
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