Bead size guide
Best Bead Size & Colour for Chum in Blown Out Water
Quick answer: a 19mm bead (16–19mm) in Chartreuse, Purple.
Below a clear trib only.
Every experienced Chum angler adjusts bead size and colour to the day's water, not a fixed favourite. The calico tiger of late fall — last fish of the season, biggest roe. When the river is running blown out, the usual rules about matching a natural egg shift, because visibility itself has changed. Below a clear trib only. For chum specifically, that means leaning on chartreuse, purple in the 16–19mm range rather than a one-size-fits-all pick. Quick ID if you're new to the species: white mouth/gums; no spots; calico bars spawning; white anal-fin tip; dog teeth. Use the 19mm recommendation below as your first tie-on, then let the fish tell you whether to size up or down. Keep a few sizes and colour families on hand so you can adjust without a trip back to the truck. This page covers chum specifically in this water condition — use the interactive Bead Match tool linked below to compare all four conditions side by side, or to switch species entirely.
Shop chum beads for blown out water
Common questions
- What size bead should I use for chum in blown out water?
- 19mm is the starting point (16–19mm covers the range), sized for blown out conditions specifically — Below a clear trib only.
- What colour bead works best for chum when the water is blown out?
- Chartreuse, Purple are the recommended families for this combination. Below a clear trib only.
- Does the right bead change if the chum water condition changes?
- Yes — Chum respond differently across low/clear, prime, high/coloured and blown-out water. This page covers blown out specifically; use the Bead Match tool to see the full breakdown across all four conditions.
