Need jig help

[Amistad]

I'm a pretty seasoned soft water fisherman, but relatively new to the ice game. I've purchased jigs and caught fish on several different kinds, but I really don't know if one is better than the other. Sometimes I think they hit it because there's a piece of meat on it. One jig in particular has me confused, and I'd like your help understanding it.
The jigs have a red plastic bead stuck on the bend of the hook with just the point of the hook protruding from the bead. Obviously the bead is meant as an attractant, but how in the heck do you get a hook set with the bead in the way?
Couldn't you just use a soft, red salmon egg that wouldn't impede the progress of the hook driving into the fishes mouth? Do you lose a lot of fish on this style of jig?
I'm intrigued by this bait and obviously, a lot of you guys use them. Please help me understand how it works and the rationale behind the design.

Thanks

[CASTMASTER 5000]

The reason for the short hook is so that when the fish comes up through the ice, you can just bounce it off the ice and he pops off. this way you can get right back in the water. They work great for me. I wondered the same thing until somebody told me.

[joecc]

I break off the bead, use a jenson egg so I can use different color eggs...and bend down the barb if I want to be able to bounce fish.

[initforfun]

The reason for the short hook is so that when the fish comes up through the ice, you can just bounce it off the ice and he pops off. this way you can get right back in the water. They work great for me. I wondered the same thing until somebody told me.

:yeahthat: I've heard the same thing as Derek plus the added attraction.

[MuskyHunter]

I rarely use the jensen eggs or the lures with the plastic beads. My go to jigs are gold(various styles and sizes), purple or the mamooshka(usually green with white). Everything else usually sits in my tackle box until I get desperate or until I'm slayin the fish and wanna try something different. Having at least two types of bait can help as well to get some fish.

[da fish hunter]

Thats the exact reason i use it like that ..... as long as you keep constant presser on the fish all the way up you'll bring them in more times then not ..