Texas Rig : With or Without bead ?

[WRB]

Started using brass n glass in the mid 80's and it's become my standard T-rig; 3/16 to 1/4 oz painted brass bullet weight and 8mm tempered glass faceted bead.

Tom

[Cgolf]

I rember reading about this as a doodling rig in Bassin magazine many years ago. Sure enough a quick Google search came up wth this. 

 

https://www.bassmaster.com/news/don-iovino-doodling

 

 

[scaleface]

Never have used a bead ..

[Mike L]

I Always use a bead except when I throw a Florida rig. 

 

Other than knot protection, when hitting the weight an intermediate clicking sound, especially in stained water can only help. 

 

Tip...If you use a glass bead always check it periodically. Glass has a tendency to chip banging against the tungsten weight all day. 

Not so much useing lead. 

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

[Bass Turd]

23 minutes ago, Mike L said:

I Always use a bead except when I throw a Florida rig. 

 

Other than knot protection, when hitting the weight an intermediate clicking sound, especially in stained water can only help. 

 

Tip...If you use a glass bead always check it periodically. Glass has a tendency to chip banging against the tungsten weight all day. 

Not so much useing lead. 

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

 

 

I like tungsten but was warned not to use a glass bead because of what you stated. I started using two smaller tungsten weights "base to base" so they click together. I works out good. Smaller profile because I fish a rocky lake and still get the clicking with out damaging my line. 

[Big Swimbait]

Red tungsten bead for me.

[FishingMN]

I use a 1/4 weight and a plastic bead. I have to retie about every 20 casts because small nicks/damage on the 12lb fluorocarbon line that seems to form around where the bead is.  Does anyone else have this problem?  I don't like retying.

[papajoe222]

I went to a different T-Rig school than most.  I use a bead with brass, or tungsten in clear water. My reasoning is because it gets the fish's attention. Getting a fish to look at your presentation is half the battle.  How many times do you figure your plastic bait passes behind, or to the side and back of a fish. If she doesn't see it back there, it gets ignored. I think of drivers that rarely look in their mirrors, focusing only on what's in front of them.  Coming up from behind them, a bump on the horn will get them to look. Whether that driver, or Ms. Largemouth or Smallmouth chooses to ignore what's behind is up to them, but they will be aware of its/your presence.

[Deleted account]

No bead on a t-rig, ever.

[J Francho]

Fourscore and 11 years ago someone wanted to dress up a Texas Rig

 

I used to like to put a bead between the hook and bullet.  I went so far as to buy fancy beads from stores in Corning, NY.  Somewhere along the way, I stopped doing it.  Nothing has changed with my success/failure rate with a Texas rig.

[Fishes in trees]

Sometimes I use a bead and sometimes I don't.  I think it depends on when I'm digging around the hook box, when I'm retying,  if there is a loose bead that catches my eye or not. I'm pretty certain that is why I leave loose beads in my tx rig hook box.   If there is a more scientific reason to choose to use a bead on your tx rig or not, I don't know it.

[Todd2]

I've done both, haven't noticed a difference either way.

[fishwizzard]

I use a red glass bead when I am fishing an unpegged weight, I feel like it protects the knot a little and I figure the occasional clacking noise can't hurt.  I have a big bag of glass beads and I think they look cool.  If I didn't have them with me I would shrug and move on. 

 

However, one time I always want a bead is when I am fishing 4" worms on what I call a T/C-rig.  The rigging goes "hook -> largish red glass bead -> bobber stop -> 1/16-1/8oz tungsten weight -> bobber stop".  Rigged this way I can switch between a T-rig and a C-rig in seconds.  It's really useful in some of the creeks and small ponds that I fish both of which have a lot of empty mud/silt bottoms.  I use it t-rigged when targeting cover/structure and C-rigged when I am dragging the empty bottom looking for cover/structure or just in desperation.  When in C-rig mode the bead usually stays stuck on the knot and I 100% believe there is something about the weight of the bead and the bit of flash that make it a ton more effective then without it.  

[Mike L]

I only use them when in heavily stained water and/or in congested mature pad areas. 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike

[waymont]

You people who use beads have an opinion on plastic beads. I have a bag and might give them a try. Is glass the better sound?