In this section:
Intro
Eyes
- Bead chain
- Cast/dumbbell
Beads
Cones
Tying them on
Contacts
Flies with eyes:
Magnus
Bjarke
Fair Fly
Crazy Dane
Flies with beads:
Flashback Prince
Nymph
Bead Head Scud
Goldkopf nymph
Flies with cones:
Coney flies
FMJNM
Magnus cone
Further reading:
The history
of the bead head
Bead chain eyes
Monofilament eyes
Pearl eyes
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Roman Moser's slender brass cones used for the FMJNM.
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I have always been a big fan of the bullet shaped beads - also known as cones. These will in my opinion lend much more style to a fly that any round bead. The round beads are very common though, and the overall effect is excactly the same.
Integrated part
The cone shape seems to integrate better with almost any fly. Good examples are Bas Verschoor's Coney flies, which could be tied with round beads, but look much better with Bestco's cones.
My own cone headed Nutria Muddler would not be the same with a round bead or two and even the banal Woolly Bugger type of fly like the Magnus can benefit from the aerodynamical shape of a cone compared to a round bead.
Orange Devil, no cone (right)
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Orange Devil with cone (Left)
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Cones can be split into many types. The most ordinary one is the conical brass cone, but cone heads come in many shapes, materials and colors. The newest cones are extra heavy tungsten cones.


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Cones and eyes from Bestco - a company that can deliver a large assortment.
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