I just bought some beads this year and I have already tried to fish them for steelhead this past week. I was fishing with egg sacks and had already hooked 4 fish and decided since I had the beads with me Id give them a shot.
Well after drifting the bead through the area I was fishing I hooked up on my second drift. The first thing I though was cool , they work and after landing the fish I looked to see where the hook was and how it had penetrated the fish. It was hooked right on the INSIDE of its mouth. So I drifted the area a few more times. Not only did I NEVER snag any fish , all of the fish I did hook while fishing that bead were INSIDE the mouth.
I was using a size 14 hook and pegged the bead 1/2 inch above the hook. So if you really want to gauge how far up from the hook I pegged it , then it was about the distance across your thumb nail.
Its just like site fishing in a bass tournament. You can target bass while site fishing but all your hook ups have to be proved to the judge on board that it is in fact hooked on the inside of the mouth for it to be a LEGAL catch. So if the hook is on the inside of the mouth while bead fishing for steelhead whats the problem ?
If there are any factual answers that beads are illegal Id like to know as well. I personally dont care since I have never snagged a fish before in my life