The Bucktail Jig Nonetheless Catches All the pieces. This is Why

We launched our boat that chilly December morning and motored straight throughout the Chesapeake Bay to the Bridge-Tunnel, simply off Virginia’s Jap Shore. My dad and I spent the day chucking white 1 1/2-ounce bucktails on the large concrete pylons. It was miserably chilly, with the wind biting via our greatest base layers, however the fishing was incredible. We reeled in big striper after big striper. It was the fishing journey that made me fall in love with bucktails. I’m bummed that just one grainy photograph survives from that journey — a snapshot my mom nabbed as soon as Daddy and I had been again on dry land. We had been far too busy reeling in fish to fret about photos out on the water. 

As a child, I believed bucktail jigs had been terribly boring, despite the fact that my father might catch something on them. Like a fishing magician, he appeared to conjure fish of each measurement, form, and shade with them – from bluegills to lunker largemouths in contemporary water and flounder, pompano, redfish, and tautog in salt. They’ve a profoundly fundamental design, and I’d nearly at all times cross them over to tie on one thing flashier, fancier, and extra thrilling. I didn’t understand then {that a} bucktail’s magnificence is in its simplicity. These primitive synthetic baits are simply modest tufts of hair tied round a jig head, however when fished nicely, a bucktail realistically mimics each baitfish and minnow that swims—in contemporary or salt water. 

As a result of they’re so efficient, bucktails are a number of the hottest baits on the earth. Any angler value his salt can have no less than a handful tucked someplace in his sort out field, whether or not he’s after monster saltwater striped bass or farm pond panfish. 

Historical past of the Bucktail Jig

The origin story of the bucktail lure is fuzzy. Some attribute the design to the traditional Greeks who used wool and rooster feathers to create a bucktail-like fly. Others declare North American natives had been the primary to vogue deer hair into fish-catching jigs. 

The Upperman brothers had been the primary to commercially produce bucktail jigs. Invoice and Maury made them of their Atlantic Metropolis bait store, pouring lead into lima bean-shaped molds, portray the cooled heads by hand, after which tying on actual deer hair. Invoice Upperman utilized for a patent for his design in 1941. The patent was awarded two years later. It describes the lure design in incredible element, from the precise angle of the hook to the exact placement of the hair:(“the shank of the hook is bent or curved inside the physique to emerge on the prime … and disposed within the aircraft of the invoice of the hook and considerably inline with barb … [hair is] heavier on the prime and backside of the necks than on the sides in order that they fan out”. 

The brothers’ easy, simple lures grew to become world well-known when the U.S. army included them in survival kits assembled for Navy pilots. 

Right this moment, many manufacturers tag the Upperman title on their bucktail packages as a part of their description. Right this moment anglers should buy Upperman jigs in each measurement and shade, some with catchy hunger-inducing names like “shrimp scampi,”  “broccoli cheese,” and “key lime pie.” Though plain previous, boring white nonetheless appears to be the most well-liked variation. Undoubtedly, as a result of it’s often the best. 

Nevertheless, should you can’t discover one thing that strikes your fancy, loads of anglers make their very own customized bucktails utilizing lead molds, painted jig heads, and hand-tied deer hair. Touchdown fish with a do-it-yourself jig crafted with hair from a whitetail deer you harvested your self is kind of an accomplishment, one even fashionable anglers discover deeply satisfying.  

Bucktail Hair

It stands to cause {that a} bucktail jig can be made with deer hair. Nevertheless, the hair doesn’t essentially have to come back from the tail. Stomach hair can also be a well-liked supply for jig-making. 

Deer hair has a pure buoyancy. Plus, it flares and sways because the jig head is pulled via the water, permitting the substitute bait to imitate the pure swimming movement of a baitfish. 

Deer hair can also be extremely receptive to dye. Bucktails with a two-toned skirt, notably one with a darker prime and light-colored backside, are well-liked choices as a result of anglers are likely to imagine they appear extra like baitfish. Whether or not predator fish agree is up for debate.

For those who speak to a purist, bucktails can solely be crafted from deer hair. Nevertheless, fashionable bucktails usually function totally different skirt supplies, particularly artificial hair. Artificial hair is a comparatively new materials for bucktails. It’s cheaper than pure hair, is available in shiny, eye-catching colours, and affords loads of reasonable swimming motion. Nevertheless, should you’re into tying your individual jigs, artificial isn’t fairly as pliable and may be harder to tie than pure hair.  

So as to add selection, different hair (particularly rabbit) and feathers (like marabou) may be tied round a jig head with or with out deer hair. Rabbit hair is finer than deer hair and produces distinctive underwater motion. Cease a rabbit hair jig within the water, and the hairs flare, mimicking a harassed baitfish’s flaring gills and fins. Gentle, fluffy marabou, historically comprised of stork feathers however now primarily sourced from home turkeys, creates a pure fluttering motion, undulating even in nonetheless water. 

Loads of bucktail aficionados fish a bucktail jig simply as they arrive — lead head, hook, and hair. Others desire to sweeten the deal by including a trailer.  In style trailers embrace contemporary fish or squid strips, reside eels or minnows, pork, and smooth plastic grubs and worms. A trailer can add spicy motion, shade, and reasonable scent to draw apprehensive fish.  

The Greatest Bucktail Jigs

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There are a ton of fine bucktail jigs on the market, however these are a few of my favorites.

Bucktail Jigs Are Versatile

The bucktail jig could seem unsophisticated, however its elementary design makes it extremely versatile. They are often fished nearly anyplace, from the shallows to deep water. They work simply as nicely in nonetheless ponds as in rolling surf. Solid them, troll them, jig them, it doesn’t matter. They are often fished as-is, enhanced with contemporary bait (like strips of squid, minimize bait, or shrimp), or embellished with a smooth plastic trailer. 

In freshwater, bucktails are attractive sufficient to land largemouth and smallmouth bass, pike, muskie, trout, shad, catfish, crappie, bluegill, and sunfish. Head to the shoreline and an excellent bucktail will fill your cooler with redfish, striped bass, flounder, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, and speckled trout. In order for you one thing that may put up an epic battle, bucktails can be utilized to catch tarpon, huge cobia, and mahi mahi.  

Bucktails are credited with serving to land a number of record-book catches, together with the New Jersey state file 90-pound, 6-ounce cobia that Len Andalis hooked on a white bucktail whereas he was flounder fishing.  The South Carolina state file gag grouper, which weighed 50 kilos, 4 ounces, was caught by Jim Lasher utilizing a cut-bait enhanced bucktail. 

Plus, bucktail jigs are extra sturdy than many smooth plastic lures. They will battle with a number of aggressive and toothy fish, like bluefish, mackerel, pike, and speckled trout, and so they nonetheless come out principally unscathed. Whereas assertive fighters might finally shred the hair off of a bucktail jig,  you may at all times take it dwelling, tie on some extra, and use it to fish one other day. 

The way to Fish a Bucktail Jig

Like its easy design, working a bucktail may be comparatively easy — Use a sluggish to reasonable retrieval velocity and run the jig on the depth the place fish are feeding. Whereas this fundamental strategy can and sometimes does work, actually profitable bucktail fishing generally is a bit extra complicated.

You’ll be able to add much more attractive motion by pausing the retrieve or bouncing the rod tip. Generally simply these slight variations are sufficient to set off a strike from reluctant fish. 

You’ll be able to regulate the depth of the jig by altering the velocity of your retrieve. Reel it sooner, and the bucktail will skitter alongside the highest of the water or scoot it simply above a weed mattress. If you could attain deeper fish, let the jig sink earlier than you start to reel. A sluggish retrieve will let your jig work round deep construction or alongside a drop-off. 

The easiest way to work a bucktail jig depends upon water depth and circumstances, the species you’re focusing on, and generally the altering moods of the fish. If the fish don’t appear enthusiastic about your jig, maintain experimenting till you get bit.

Learn Subsequent: The Solely 8 Lures You Must Catch Fish, Wherever

Jig Sizes

Bucktail jigs are available quite a lot of sizes. The bigger the jig head, the heavier it weighs. Giant jigs are usually designed to catch bigger fish. Heavy-headed jigs (one to a few ounces) are additionally simpler to fish deep and work nicely in roiling surf or fast-moving currents. Smaller, light-weight jigs (¼ to at least one ounce) are good for fishing nonetheless or shallow water. Tiny, “micro” jigs (⅛ ounce) are a enjoyable solution to catch panfish mild sort out. These super-small bucktails transfer similar to grass shrimp or tiny baitfish. 

Remaining Ideas on Bucktail Jigs

Bucktail jigs are true classics of the angling world that also earn their maintain within the fashionable age. Their outstanding versatility makes them efficient in practically any water situation, attracting a variety of fish species. Bucktails certainly deserve a spot in each sort out field.