Beadhead
Spinner Fly
Specifications |
Type |
Inline Spinner |
Material |
Metal blade and various fly materials |
Colors/Patterns |
12+
available |
Size |
Fly
size 6 |
MSRP |
$16/dozen |
About Clear Water Lures: Clear Water Lures, located in
West Virginia, was started by John Lanham and Lorrin Pickens, two avid
anglers who love fishing mountain streams and lakes for trout. After years of fishing they
decided to create a lure that is different from what's on
the market today, one that would satisfy their needs to catch more fish in even
the toughest conditions. Today as interest for their products grow, they
continue their line of lures by introducing new and unique patterns for anglers.
Impressions: My first impression of these spinners is that they are a
blend of what a spinning angler and a fly angler might come up with if they
merged their two lures. And that's pretty much what it is. The Beadhead Spinner
Fly is exactly what the name suggests. This lure has a gold or silver
Indiana blade and a large sized beadhead fly all attached on a wire. Many
similar products you see usually use smaller sized flies like 3 or so, but Clear
Water Lures decided to use only size 6. Their reasoning, to make the trout
believe that it is going to get a mouthful, and the idea that the larger fly would attract
larger fish. The addition of a trailer treble hook attached to the fly
hook makes absolute sense because the fish usually strikes at high-speed and then
dart away, the treble hook maximizes your chances for a hookup. The trailer hook will ensure more hook ups, and if you're not
allowed to use multiple hooks at your location, it is simple enough to remove
the trebles with a pair of clamps or pliers.

A size 6 Beadhead Woolybugger fly
on a spinner
The Beadhead spinners come in different patterns
and there are ones that are made especially for targeting a specific types of
trout. Clear Water Lures offer a rainbow, brown, and brook trout specials
along with other patterns.
Complete Rig
for Clear Water Lures Test |
Rod |
St.
Croix Premier Traveler(PS60LF4) |
Reel |
TICA
Cetus SB500 |
Line |
2lb.
Maxima & 4
lb. Sufix DNA |
Real
World Tests: If you're an avid trout fisherman, then you know how effective
inline spinners are, especially in mountainous rivers and streams.
Sometimes finicky trout will only bite the more natural looking lures. The Beadhead Spinner Flies
was tested on both wild and stocked trout in rivers and
reservoirs.
The Beadhead Flies: Taking a closer look at
the beadhead flies, the colors/patterns used were carefully selected to insure
they will work in many regions. I find that
out of the dozen that I have tested, they have all worked in a variety of situations. When the trout are not hitting one pattern, there will be one from Clear Water
Lures kit that will prove to be effective.
The construction of the spinner is simple and well
put together. The blade and its assembly is in good quality. The
flies, like any others, are hand tied and are first-rate in terms of appearance
and quality.

The Beadhead Rainbow special is a
killer for stocked and wild bows, and even steelheads
Casting: The distance you can reach will be determined by
the fishing line you are using, and if you want to toss the lures with or without split
shot. Casting the Beadhead spinners using 2lb. test
without any weights attached to it is possible, even on the windy days. With heavier line, one or two BB split shots can be added
to the line to make it easier to cast. Since the flies are large and not
designed to be all that aerodynamic, they do create more air resistance thus limiting your
casting distance, depending on the wind conditions at the present time. But
for fishing
in streams and rivers, you won't need to cast that far to get to
the fish. Accuracy is your primary goal, as placement of the lures in front
of the strike zone is key. In rivers most of the time you cast, then let it drift in the
flow and wait for the strike.
Retrieving: This
is the part of the test that I enjoyed the most and that's because
retrieving the Beadhead Spinner Fly can be done in multiple ways with completely
different results. Unlike other spinners or lures such as Kastmaster where
you would normally use a steady retrieve, the Clear Water Beadhead is a lot more
fun and has unique actions produced by both the blade and the fly itself. In lakes and low flow streams and rivers, twitching the spinner fly during a
slow retrieve can be very attractive and can entice more strikes
from trout. If a constant steady retrieve is called for, slow is the key. Working the Beadhead too fast will minimize the actions, but you will still hook
up. Another way is to retrieve, stop allowing the spinner to fall, then repeat. Usually the strikes occur during the drop.
Since the spinner is light in weight and the fly
decreases the sinking rate, retrieving in shallow streams is ideal with the Beadhead.
With other spinners you would have to downsize to the smallest lures, but
with the Clear Water lure you are able to cast out, retrieve slower, and won't
have to worry about it sinking too fast and snagging on rocks, vegetation, or
anything else, and all this is done with a size 6 fly on a spinner.

The Red Comet is one of the
patterns available for trolling
For those anglers who wish to troll using the
Beadheads, they can simply attach enough weights on the line to get the spinner
down deep enough, or they can purchase the weighted Beadheads used for trolling.
Again, slow is the key here. Troll just fast enough to get the blades
spinning for the best results.
Durability: Flies,
as many know, don't last forever. It all depends on the materials used,
how well it was tied, and how much you fish it. The flies attached to the
spinner are well constructed, but certain Beadheads are more durable then the
others. Like the Black Woolybugger, which will last a long time due to it's
design and probably one of the most tightly tied. But the
Rainbow Special is not as durable. The feathers have a greater chance
of being ripped apart by trout that miss the hooks instead grabbing the "wings" of
the Rainbow Trout Special. The good thing is that trout will normally
attack the spinner from the rear and hook the fish on the lip, keeping the body
of the fly from being torn up.

The trailer hook is attached to
the main hook and can be easily removed if needed
Final Notes: The Clear Water Beadhead
Spinner Flies are great fun to fish and they really produce in clear water where
trout are normally very shy. The trailer hook that is attached to the fly hook has it's pros and cons. If the trout misses the fly, the trailer hook will increase your chances in
catching it. But if you do get the trout on the fly hook, then the trailer
hook can provide a obstacle when removing the lure from it's mouth. If the
trailer hook needs to be removed, simply cut the line that attaches the hooks
together and you're good to go. As
with any flies, you should definitely be careful and do your best to keep them
in good shape after each use. Blow on the lures to spread the feathers or materials and let
them dry before
storing. This will help prolong the life of theses lures and keep the flies in
top original form.
Ratings:
Beadhead
Spinner Fly Ratings (?/10) |
Construction/Quality |
The
overall construction is good and will be appealing to anglers using spinning
gear. The flies can always be tied better or use better material, but
it's already good enough |
8 |
Performance |
Great action when retrieved correctly. Blades spin well and does not
tangle up. To be comparable to other spinners, casting the Beadhead
will require adding weights |
8 |
Price |
Good price for an inline spinner |
8 |
Features |
Features are in the patterns, colors, and appearance of each fly on the
spinner. Each fly mimics something that's in the wild and one will
produce fish if the others will not. Also an added trailer hook
provides more hookups for when the trout strikes short |
8 |
Design
(Ergonomics) |
Designed to mimic a more natural fly in a spinner is great for both wild and
stocked trout. The flies aren't exactly aerodynamic and can limit
casting distance |
7.5 |
Application |
Great for trout in rivers, streams, and lakes. Can be used in streams
that are just 4 inches deep. It has also been used for other species
such as bass, crappie, and others |
8.5 |
Total Score |
8.0 |
Pluses and Minuses:
Plus
Minus |
J
Great action |
L
Needs additional weight |
J
Works good in shallow waters |
L
Not exactly the most durable |
J
Mimics a natural prey |
L
Difficult to find |
Conclusion: From time to time people hear and ask about ways
to attach a fly to a spinning rig. They would use methods like
bobbers/floats to keep the fly in depths needed, afloat, and more. Even though
there are other companies out there that produce spinners with a fly-like fuzzy
thing on the hooks, anglers who use spinning tackle can now benefit from a truly
hybrid lure. The Beadhead Spinner Flies by Clear
Water Lures have the attractiveness of a spinning blade plus the action and
appearance of a large natural fly. The Beadheads exhibit good results in rivers, streams, and lakes. One of the advantages
of these lures are that they can be used in extremely shallow
water when fished weightless. If you fish for trout and inline spinners
are your thing, don't pass on a chance to try this new and exciting hybrid spinner.
