Haven't used it over a bead. Don't see how it would work, to be honest. Also doesn't really work on the other large SW patterns and steelhead swingers I tie. But the ergonomics of it, the way it fits in my hand, can't be beat. And it works on about 50% of the flies I tie otherwise, so definitely worth the extra $10 over a different standard bobbin.
I also find that the adjustable tension feature saves me from breaking the thread when I'm tying teeny swift river flies.
It's funny... As fly fishermen we'll drop $100 on gas for a trip, easy. We'll spend hundreds of dollars on tying materials, some of which rarely get used. But when it comes to spending a little extra for a bobbin... Which is such a vital tool to tying... we start pinching pennies. Go figure!
Threaded Mode