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What do you think of bucktail used to make a jig tail? Should the tail on a jig always be made with a soft feather like marabou or are there situations where a stiffer material like bucktail is advantagous.
http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j3...ailtailjig.jpg
I tie lots of buck tail jigs for crappie fishing!
I live in LA. Anything saltwater here is *usually bucktail. With that being said most tied jigs freshwater,locally are buck or kip.
I like feathers b/c that's what I have and don't spend bunches on material.
I think buck tail is about as tough as it comes and is very versatile, but us bayou/river/salt guys down here are a world apart from those reservoir and lake guys.
That is an awesome looking jig and you should have complete confidence in it!
I think all work if they're put to use how the fish want it. Still, swimming, etc. You can make any jig material work. I just tie with what I have and never have problems. You just gotta adjust. Material will never be the problem to the fish. Only fisherman's eyes.
You can use whatever you want for a tail. For bucktail though you really have to cinch it in so it doesn't slip. Some like calf body hair instead of kip tail. Tie what you like and let the fish tell you.
Some like it and some don't. I kind of like Kip tails a little better for my personal hair jigs, but I have tied crappie jigs using Bucktail. Ot's all about your own personal preference. I have a lot of big Northern Bucktails and also a good many Southern buck tails and they are different. The hair is longer and stiffer on Northern than Southern. There is even a difference in deer and elk hair weather it's taken early season of late.
If it works for you use it. I prefer Kip tail like Skip. Think that it makes for a better tie. Just MHO now a lot of people use buck I just get a better tie with kip tail. A better profile and a better action in the water. I have a few patters for bigger fish than crappie that I use nothing but bucktail. I just like kip tail better for crappie jigs.
Redman
I like hair jigs
Skip makes a good point on the difference between northern and southern tails. I prefer the southern, I believe for small jigs I get more action out of them.
If you put down a thread base with a little head cement, it will not slip.Quote:
Originally Posted by Fatman
anybody ever use squrill tail?
i use a little squrill and it maks a good looking jig
Here's a few I tied using large northern bucktails. Lot of thread used but I like them. Ignore the top two. They have orange marabou tails not bucktail.
http://img.tapatalk.com/4a524041-565d-3d0e.jpg
http://img.tapatalk.com/4a524041-568d-5a82.jpg
Yes I have a lot of it and in lots of colors. Some really looks great!Quote:
Originally Posted by buck128
Squirrel tail works very well and easy to work with also..
I use squirrel. Imagine a big bucktail saltwater type jig, and then down size it to a 1/16-1/32 jighead and natural fox squirrel tail... I call it a squirrel killer
May want to try some Southern Buck Tail if you have not before. It's got thinner hair and you can tie smaller jigs, but I also like squirrel and other hair more. Example is Rabbit & Fox are both not so stiff as Buck tails are.
I have had good luck using craft fur for jig bodies. The craft fur is very durable and holds up well when catching toothy critters.
For tail materials I use marabou or rubber hackle.
I don't believe there is a wrong way to dress a jig.
HI Bob/Mn, welcome to the board.
I think your right, all is fair when making jigs as far as what materials you use. Lots of options out there and if they catch fish that is all that matters. Some better than other for some fish as they are not all equal either.
Just started 'trying' again and use mostly bucktail, don't know how they will hold up under biting fish as haven't taught any how to swim yet. some are posted on Florida message board 'lumberyard jigs'. Bucktail worked fine for grouper(years ago) --shu
Skip turned a bunch of us onto artic fox tail for jigs and I love it!!!!!!! but I just can't turn away the bucktail or squirrel have just caught too many fish on them!!
Also started doing some with crosscut Zonker strips, it makes for a really nice tail.
Skip - I've heard that comment a few times now about Southern bucktail, I'll have to try some. See if anyone in the hunting section has some for trade.
Fatman you will like it much better then the big Northern ones. The hair is thinner and easier to tie.
I have been using the rabbit strips for a long time now and yes you can make some awesome looking jigs with it. I even like just using the crosscut for the whole jig. Of course you can also use both that and Zonker and both ways look really good. Also like how soft rabbit is. Have you ever seen or tried the Bunnybou strips yet? It's rabbit special kind that has no guard hairs and fluffy as heck. Can wrap it and make a wide soft jig body, really big with this stuff. I have had some a few years and it's pretty awesome.
Growing up and fishing in Wisconsin, it all depended on the time of year. When the water temps dropped and the fish become a little sluggish they don't seem to want the fast actions of marabou or other feather. When you tie on a bucktail, kip, or similar stiffer hair that didn't have the action we would get bit a lot more. It's all a personal preference!!
Anybody else think the bucktail works better in cooler water? Cause this is what I've always been told. So I been tying up some bucktail jigs getting ready for fall. I've tried a few over the spring and summer, and I'm not sure that I caught a single fish on em. May just be a confidence thing though.
Sure I do. I use Kip very early spring because I believe they are still not wanting fast action when the water is still pretty cool. February here is a great time for kip tail jigs, but some use them all the time especially over in Louisiana. A few years ago had a customer from over there send me some jigs he liked and couldn't really find any more. I sent out the jig head to get the mold made and the jigs poured. First I got 2 sample jigs back as other than send them I also talked about the specifics of hook and type collar with no barb. ANyway I got them back and tied the 2 up, went down to my bank and had not even been fishing yet, but dropped it down under a cork just about 2' off the bank and pulled it back out to move it and saw a flash under it as I pulled it out so dropped it back in. Just 10 to 20 minutes later I had 4 crappie with the smallest at 14". I was sold, LOL!