The Bucktail Jig Nonetheless Catches Every little thing. Here 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 Japanese Shore. My dad and I spent the day chucking white 1 1/2-ounce bucktails on the huge concrete pylons. It was miserably chilly, with the wind biting by means of our greatest base layers, however the fishing was improbable. 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 picture survives from that journey — a snapshot my mom nabbed as soon as Daddy and I have been again on dry land. We had been far too busy reeling in fish to fret about footage out on the water. 

As a child, I believed bucktail jigs have been terribly boring, despite the fact that my father may catch something on them. Like a fishing magician, he appeared to conjure fish of each dimension, form, and coloration with them – from bluegills to lunker largemouths in recent water and flounder, pompano, redfish, and tautog in salt. They’ve a profoundly primary design, and I might nearly at all times go 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 properly, a bucktail realistically mimics each baitfish and minnow that swims—in recent or salt water. 

As a result of they’re so efficient, bucktails are a few of the hottest baits on the earth. Any angler price his salt may have not less than a handful tucked someplace in his deal with 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 historic Greeks who used wool and rooster feathers to create a bucktail-like fly. Others declare North American natives have been the primary to trend deer hair into fish-catching jigs. 

The Upperman brothers have 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 improbable 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, easy lures turned world well-known when the U.S. navy 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 dimension and coloration, 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. 

Nonetheless, if you happen to 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 trendy anglers discover deeply satisfying.  

Bucktail Hair

It stands to motive {that a} bucktail jig can be made with deer hair. Nonetheless, the hair doesn’t essentially have to return 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 by means of the water, permitting the unreal 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 inclined to consider they appear extra like baitfish. Whether or not predator fish agree is up for debate.

For those who discuss to a purist, bucktails can solely be crafted from deer hair. Nonetheless, trendy bucktails typically characteristic 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 brilliant, eye-catching colours, and presents loads of real looking swimming motion. Nonetheless, if you happen to’re into tying your personal jigs, artificial isn’t fairly as pliable and might be tougher to tie than pure hair.  

So as to add selection, different hair (particularly rabbit) and feathers (like marabou) might 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 burdened baitfish’s flaring gills and fins. Comfortable, fluffy marabou, historically produced from 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 want to sweeten the deal by including a trailer.  Fashionable trailers embody recent fish or squid strips, stay eels or minnows, pork, and tender plastic grubs and worms. A trailer can add spicy motion, coloration, and real looking scent to draw apprehensive fish.  

The Greatest Bucktail Jigs

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

Bucktail Jigs Are Versatile

The bucktail jig could appear 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 properly in nonetheless ponds as in rolling surf. Forged them, troll them, jig them, it doesn’t matter. They are often fished as-is, enhanced with recent bait (like strips of squid, lower bait, or shrimp), or embellished with a tender 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. If you need one thing that may put up an epic battle, bucktails can be utilized to catch tarpon, massive cobia, and mahi mahi.  

Bucktails are credited with serving to land a number of record-book catches, together with the New Jersey state document 90-pound, 6-ounce cobia that Len Andalis hooked on a white bucktail whereas he was flounder fishing.  The South Carolina state document 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 tender plastic lures. They will battle with a number of aggressive and toothy fish, like bluefish, mackerel, pike, and speckled trout, they usually nonetheless come out largely unscathed. Whereas assertive fighters could finally shred the hair off of a bucktail jig,  you’ll be able to at all times take it house, tie on some extra, and use it to fish one other day. 

Tips on how to Fish a Bucktail Jig

Like its easy design, working a bucktail might be comparatively easy — Use a sluggish to average retrieval pace and run the jig on the depth the place fish are feeding. Whereas this primary method can and sometimes does work, actually profitable bucktail fishing could be a bit extra advanced.

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 pace of your retrieve. Reel it quicker, and the bucktail will skitter alongside the highest of the water or scoot it simply above a weed mattress. If you have to 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 is determined by water depth and situations, the species you’re concentrating on, and generally the altering moods of the fish. If the fish don’t appear taken with your jig, preserve experimenting till you get bit.

Learn Subsequent: The Solely 8 Lures You Have to Catch Fish, Anyplace

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 3 ounces) are additionally simpler to fish deep and work properly in roiling surf or fast-moving currents. Smaller, light-weight jigs (¼ to 1 ounce) are excellent for fishing nonetheless or shallow water. Tiny, “micro” jigs (⅛ ounce) are a enjoyable strategy to catch panfish gentle deal with. These super-small bucktails transfer identical to grass shrimp or tiny baitfish. 

Remaining Ideas on Bucktail Jigs

Bucktail jigs are true classics of the angling world that also earn their preserve within the trendy age. Their exceptional versatility makes them efficient in practically any water situation, attracting a variety of fish species. Bucktails certainly deserve a spot in each deal with field.