01 Sep Rigging the Egg
THERE IS MORE THAN ONE WAY TO THREAD AN EGG
It seems that when it comes to Alaskan trout fishing there are two types of anglers; those who use beads, and those who don’t. Regardless of where you stand on this issue, one thing is for certain – beads catch fish. Lots of fish.
Both trout and anglers alike are well aware of the protein rich smorgasbord that floods Alaskan rivers each year. Every salmon that survives the gauntlet of fishermen and Volkswagen sized brown bears will end up pushing out hundreds of eggs. Seeing as there are millions of salmon flooding the rivers every season….well, you do the math. No wonder that a perfectly round, little plastic bead reigns as the best way to match the Alaskan egg hatch.
It seems that all guides and anglers have their own way of rigging up a bead, each having its own set of pros and cons. Below are a few different ways that we have seen anglers rig up beads throughout the years. Which one is the best? We will leave it up you to decide.
The Trout Bead Knot
Pros: Fairly simple. No other gear needed. Strong. Can reuse bead.
Cons: Bead can slide if not done properly. Fish teeth can fray line.
The Tooth Pick Peg
Pros: Fast. Simple. No line to fray. Strong.
Cons: Need toothpicks handy. Bead can slide after much use. Toothpick stuck in hole can render bead unusable for multiple riggings.
The Peg-It
Pros: Fast. Simple. No line fray. Strong.
Cons: Bead sometimes reusable if you can get the peg-it out. More expensive. Bead can slide after extended use.
