crappie bucktails

down on buggs Island lake ( kerr reservoir) , those crappie fisherman use something that I never hear of anyone else using, it's the bucktail jig, tied in 1/32, 1/16, and 3/32. I wish I was set up to post pictures, cause I'd show ya'll some. anyway white, chart. or pink seem to be the favorites, and they use size 4 hooks on all sizes with red flat waxed nylon thread. the hair is real deer tail, and the local variety is way better than the ones you buy, because they are smaller with finer hair. It's just a basic bucktail jig, withhair about 2-21/2 inches long, and tied sparse enough to see light thru when held up.so ya need to use enough hair to cover the collar on the head but sparse enough to see light thru, so there is a fine line there. they use them casting over brushpiles, using the countdown method, and also around bridge pilings. they use 1/32 in cold weather and the hevier ones when the water warms. I have tied some and they worked good the few times I used them, which was in a pond. It is a local bait that you won't see anywhere else that I know of.
they are tied on jigheads with a collar, my do-it molds produce a tapered collar, and I just carve the barb off with a knife. Oh yeah, do not paint the head. they claim they work better that way, I clear coat them.

oh yeah,
they generally use 4 lb. line with a 5'- 6 1/2' foot rod, and a 2500 size spinning reel. they do look awsome comming thru the water. I gave a couple white ones to a guy at work, and he came back shaking his head, said he caught a couple crappie then a pikerel took one away and he lost the other one somehow, and he had that beggin look on his face, like he had to have some more.

I suspect you can blame that on Fishdoc.

:D....Lord know's I have tied enough of those and sent them to the BIG Va. STATE...I call them Cotton Top Jigs...because most of them have been white. But there has been a few exceptions over the years..lol. BUT I CAN"T TELL....:cool:

Thats my main squeeze, a bucktail jig!!

yes, fishdoc is definitely the one to blame for the bucktails popularity.

One of the best crappie jigs I tie is a Shad Dart. I pour the heads ( no collar ) and tie a bucktail on them. No body. Awesome crappie jigs! Cabelas sells them, too.

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...1222396344.jpg

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...1222396477.jpg

they do work !! I first started using "deerhair" jigs, oh .... around 1960ish :eek:
Never really got into using them for Bass, during my Bassin days :p but, it wasn't because Billy Westmoreland didn't try to tempt me into it ... LOL!!
Then, when Crappie regained its #1 status with me, marabou and plastics had already become the materials of choice for the masses. Then, along comes all these other artificial materials, and I eventually come here and meet all the great guys and gals around the country (via the web), many of whom are the creators of some of the greatest baits that ever got thumped by a Crappie.
It's good to see that hair jigs are still around, and still producing.

.... cp :cool:

The Clouser Minnow is basically a light bucktail jig. It's one of the most popular flies in the world -- works in freshwater and salt.

There's times when a hair jig will beat plastics every time, I've had it happen often enough to believe that. Bucktail is good for the jig you mentioned but it was originally tied with polar bear hair or dyed brown bear hair. The original doll fly heads have been around a long time and you can even find some of the original if you're lucky.

Fatman

Been making and using buck tails for about 50 years and wouldn't go anywhere without'em. collect my own tails from deer processing houses in the winter, bone'em out, dry'em, and dye the things all colors.VERY deadly bait on just about anything.

Here is one of my favorite summer patterns for crappie. I love using the bucktail, especially the ones off the deer I kill myself.

wills,
thats cool that you have been fishing them that long. I am curious as to your favorite colors, sizes, and method of using them. the only way I've used them is casting and swimming it back to the boat.

Just started making my own jigs, just joined this board. I made a few of these bucktail jigs and tried them yesterday. Worked great, I made one with a 1/32 white head, orange buckhair on top, brown on bottom. This one worked great yesterday, filled the cooler with some big slabs.

thats awsome! keep us posted on your results.

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Originally Posted by crappiepappy

they do work !! I first started using "deerhair" jigs, oh .... around 1960ish :eek:
Never really got into using them for Bass, during my Bassin days :p but, it wasn't because Billy Westmoreland didn't try to tempt me into it ... LOL!!
Then, when Crappie regained its #1 status with me, marabou and plastics had already become the materials of choice for the masses. Then, along comes all these other artificial materials, and I eventually come here and meet all the great guys and gals around the country (via the web), many of whom are the creators of some of the greatest baits that ever got thumped by a Crappie.
It's good to see that hair jigs are still around, and still producing.

.... cp :cool:

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Pappy, you are going to date yourself in a minute. You are about as old as me man. Anyway hair has been around a long time. I still prefer kip over buck however they both will work. So will a Marabou or squirrel or spoon. I guess the point is to check the water conditions and let the fish tell you what they want that day. Whatever it is, slow down your presentation. Most of us fish way too fast for a quality crappie to bite.

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Originally Posted by Mo Crappie

Just started making my own jigs, just joined this board. I made a few of these bucktail jigs and tried them yesterday. Worked great, I made one with a 1/32 white head, orange buckhair on top, brown on bottom. This one worked great yesterday, filled the cooler with some big slabs.

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Welcome from Alabama. Brown and orange are Cleveland Browns colors. Go Browns! Glad those colors work for fish. Chaunc still likes black and gold for some reason. Crappies just want to eat. Give them what they want. Mine is called Brown Dawg.:D:D:D:D
http://i225.photobucket.com/albums/d...iverJigs-1.jpg

yeah mike,
one of the biggest sources of anxiety for me is deciding what to try first. lol especially on a new body of water. on a certain level I am jealous of those guys that won't fish with anything but minnows. their life is so much simpler.
but then what would we do with our creative energy?

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Originally Posted by redear

yeah mike,
one of the biggest sources of anxiety for me is deciding what to try first. lol especially on a new body of water. on a certain level I am jealous of those guys that won't fish with anything but minnows. their life is so much simpler.
but then what would we do with our creative energy?

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We enjoy the ride and smile everytime we fool a crappie with something we made.

Man Ship those are some great looking jigs. You do a jam up job...You and Skip really make me jealous of your skills in tying..