View Full Version : Speed beads when trolling?
Sunshine
07-23-2001, 01:44 PM
How many of you are using Speed beads when trolling? At what distance from the lures are you placing the speed beads? I justed started using them to keep junk off the lures and I'm using them about 6 feet away from lure. Curious what others are doing.
3 - 6' is the distance most use. The distance can be about as long as the rod. You just need to be able to net the fish. Good luck.
What are speed beads and what do they do? How are they rigged. Never heard of them before but would like to learn more.
Juls_WI
07-23-2001, 04:53 PM
They're normally used to keep the planer board from hitting the fish, when the boards are used in such a way that they release and slide down the line. In this case, the speed beads are being used to keep weeds and other junk from fouling the baits. They are a little bigger than a float used on a live bait rig, and attach to the line by "cuts" in the speed bead. Easy on and easy off.
Juls
ristorapper
07-23-2001, 06:42 PM
I use split shot lead weight(s) ahead of my cranks for the same purpose and they work very well at a much more sensible price. Speed beads when I last purchased them were about 6/$1.00. I find speed beads very usefull for ice fishing to mark the line at which I let out to just stay above the bottom. The speed bead ends up just at the bottom of the tip up once you have measured the bottom correctly. I have used split shot for this purpose too but they do not work as well as they will slide up and down the line and the speed beads once attached to your line properly will not slip.
Speed beads can also be used to stop an inline weight from hitting your fish if you so decide to attach an inline weight to slide down your fishing line once it has been released.
BW(ND)