For some anglers the bucktail jig might be considered an “old school” approach to catching fish. For those who have first hand experience fishing jigs dressed with natural bucktail, there is no substitute for the power of hair.
Gabe VanWormer the videographer for Fishing 411 TV enjoyed a break during filming an episode focusing on the benefits of using bucktail jigs.
Natural fibers have been adorning fishing lures probably since prehistoric man first carved a fish hook from bone and tried to figure out the best way to decorate a hook! Iconic lures like the Mepps Spinner use squirrel hair to dress the treble hook, the classic Yakima Bait Roostertail spinner is adorned with real chicken hackles and countless lead-head jigs feature real bucktail hair to make them more attractive to fish.
All of these natural fibers and a some noteworthy synthetic fibers have the unique ability to pulsate in the water, creating the illusion of life. In the case of bucktail jigs, it’s more than just an illusion. When a bucktail dressed jig is sitting motionless on the bottom, the bucktail pulsates enticingly even with the slightest movement of water. The instant the jig is moved, the bucktail flattens out and instantly pulsates back into shape when the jig stops.
Moved along the bottom in a stop and go motion, a bucktail jig looks so much like a crayfish or minnow scurrying across the bottom, it has been the undoing of countless smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike, brook trout and many other species. In short, even with our advanced technology and modern synthetic fibers, no one has made a better “mouse trap” for jig fishing than the classic bucktail jig.
WHEN DO BUCKTAILS SHINE?
A bucktail jig can be a fisherman’s best friend when casting, vertical jigging, drifting and dragging along the bottom, fished below a float and ice fishing.
Clearly the majority of anglers who use bucktail jigs spend their time casting to fish in shallow water. Bucktails are an ideal choice for casting presentations and just as effective vertical jigging in deep water or drifting in rivers and vertical jigging.
Fished below a float a bucktail jig is deadly on crappie and other panfish, walleye, smallmouth bass and even stream trout and steelhead. A little wind or current to drift the float is the magic it takes to bring out the best of this unique presentation.
For the avid ice fisherman, a bucktail jig fished on a “dead stick” is one of the best ways to tempt finicky walleye, sauger, pike and brook trout into biting. Even when the jig is sitting still, the natural current in the water causes the bucktail to pulsate, giving the jig life even when it’s not moving.
WHAT MAKES THE PERFECT BUCKTAIL JIG?
The market is full of bucktail jigs, but truth be told not all are created equal. For every quality bucktail jig out there, it’s likely half a dozen less than desirable jigs hanging on tackle shop walls.
One of the biggest issues with inferior bucktail jigs involves jigs that are tied using poor quality bucktail. If the hair on the bucktail is not preserved properly, the hair will quickly disintegrate. In many cases the hair is falling out even before the jig is taken out of the package!!
The natural and subtle action of a bucktail jig is hard to beat when targeting heavily pressured walleye. This pair of brutes came from Green Bay just weeks after ice out.
The second most common problem with bucktail jigs is they are often made using the least expensive hooks on the market. A jig made with a poor quality hook is an evil thing in that it looks good, but functions very poorly.
A good hook for bucktail jigs must be made from thin wire and feature a razor sharp point to maximize hook penetration. Because bucktail jigs are fished routinely using light action rods and light line, the hook itself must be exceptionally sharp
if the angler is going to have any hope of driving that hook home.
The Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp Pro V Bend jig hook is the jig hook all others are compared to. Made right here in the USA, this exceptional hook is made from thin wire, comes in the ideal shaft length for jig fishing applications, features a wide-bend hook gap that holds fish better than traditional hook designs and is literally “sticky” sharp. Many avid anglers who make their own jigs for tying up bucktails insist on the Pro V Bend hook. Finally, the length of the bucktail is also important. Many manufacturers produce bucktails that are four to five inches or longer, not taking into consideration that when in the water a bucktail jig pulsates and looks bigger than it is.
Unfortunately, you can’t just trim the bucktail to achieve the desired overall length. Because true bucktail is thicker at the base and thinner at the ends, trimming the bucktail jig destroys it’s natural pulsating action.
WHAT ABOUT MARABOU?
Many anglers put bucktail and marabou jigs in the same category because they both do a nice job of creating a pulsation action. However, bucktail jigs have more body or shape compared to marabou. Some companies compromise by mixing both bucktail and marabou when designing jig dressings.
No doubt there are some bucktail/marabou jig patterns that catch fish, but generally it’s best to stick with bucktail that is matched with a few strands of synthetic fiber to add flash.
COLOR MATTERS
Anglers who are “hard core” about fishing bucktail jigs will tell you any color is good so long as it’s black. Black, purple and black/purple are the three colors of bucktails every angler needs a good selection of. These three colors are the foundation of fishing bucktail jigs.
Aside from black, purple and black/purple, other colors worth owning include white, white/red, chartreuse, chartreuse/green and chartreuse/orange and chartreuse/green/orange.
All of these colors also benefit from a few strands of Flashabou or Krystal Flash, which are synthetic fibers that help add a little flash to a bucktail jig. The key words here are “a few strands” is all it takes to create that subtle hint of real life flash.
Jake Romanack of Fishing 411 TV caught this nice walleye while filming a bucktail jig show.
THE MOST POPULAR SIZES
Bucktail jigs come in a host of sizes ranging from crappie and panfish versions, up to and including trophy, pike, musky and lake trout jigs. For panfish and crappie an assortment of 1/32 and 1/16 ounce jigs is a good starting point.
For bass, walleye, pike and brook trout, an assortment of 1/8, 1/4 and 3/8 ounce bucktails will get the job done most places. For musky and lake trout jigging larger 1/2, 5/8, 3/4, 1 ounce and 1.5 ounce models are going to be necessary.
WHAT ABOUT TIPPING?
Purists who know the fish catching power of a bucktail jig would say it’s not only unnecessary to tip these jigs with live bait, it can be counter productive. Perhaps, but in a tough bite tipping a bucktail jig with a small minnow, leech or piece of nightcrawler can make a huge difference in the number of bites.
Ice fishermen in particular are going to want to tip the bucktail with a small minnow or perhaps just the head of a minnow to add a little natural scent.
IS ADDING SCENT PRODUCTS A GOOD IDEA?
Adding scent to a bucktail jig is a good idea, but many scent products are simply not designed to be used on hair or feather hackles. If the scent product is oily chances are it’s going to mat down the hair and hackles, eliminating the natural pulsation action in the process.
Make sure when using scent products to pick ones that are water soluble such as Pro Cure Water Soluble Fish Oils. This unique product comes in a pump spray bottle and is offered in a bunch of different fish oil versions and variations. All of these products are water soluble, making them ideal for using on jigs that feature hair or hackle dressings.
Another good option would be Yakima Bait Roostertail Spray Scent. Also a water soluble product, a few squirts every 10-15 minutes helps add natural scent to bucktail jigs without killing their natural pulsating action.
SUMMING IT UP
For some anglers the bucktail jig might be considered an “old school” approach to catching fish. For those who have first hand experience fishing jigs dressed with natural bucktail, there is no substitute for the power of hair. When it comes to making a jig look life-like, nothing does a better job than good old fashioned bucktail.
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