Bucktail/Feather jigs for Freshwater Bass

Hey TinBoaters!

Just wanted to see if there were any anglers out there who use bucktail jigs for largemouth or smallmouth bass. I've used Spro bucktails with a dropper loop and a hook about 12" up from the bucktail (both tipped with 4" Gulp Swimming Mullets)to catch fluke for just about as long as I can remember, but it recently dawned on me that I've never thrown a bucktail in freshwater, even though I've had great success with them in the salt with the aforementioned fluke (summer flounder), as well as stripers, blues, sea trout/weakies, etc., and for the life of me, I don't know why that is! They have incredible action, are pretty widely available in a variety of manufacturers, colors, weights, shapes, etc., but I don't think I've met or even heard another bass angler use bucktails for freshwater bass.

I know swim jigs are a pretty popular lure, especially in the last few years, but I've never been a fan -- I've always preferred a spinnerbait or a soft plastic jerk or swimbait rather than throwing a silicon/rubber-skirted swim jig. However, I'm more than intrigued at the prospect of throwing some lighter (3/8 oz. - 3/4 oz.) Spro bucktails in the sweetwater for bass, pickerel/pike, etc. The only application I've really heard of being used consistently for hair jigs was a float n' fly for finesse wintertime crappie/bass fishing. I have not heard much in the way of using them as a swim jig rather aggressively in the fall or spring, but can't think of a reason that they wouldn't absolutely slay bass! Anybody do just this and use bucktail/feather jigs for freshwater presentations?

-- SMDave

If "it " looks like a small fish...fish will eat it. They don't know the difference.

If they did,why, in heaven's name, would any fish hit a spinner- bait?

richg99

richg99 said:

If "it " looks like a small fish...fish will eat it. They don't know the difference.

If they did,why, in heaven's name, would any fish hit a spinner- bait?

richg99

Click to expand...

Simple enough -- thanks :LOL2:

Float 'N Fly Detailed Writeup

[youtube]baWUImmCBTs[/youtube]

Awesome technique for finicky fish - can be made to work fishing from the bank if you can cast out at an angle and get sort of parallel to the drop.


Apart from that I've seen them used as a cast & retrieve bait or dead-sticked beneath the boat in really cold water (<40 degrees). Can't think of anyone using anything heavier than 1/4oz in those situations, as at those temperatures it's all about slow natural motion imitating a dying minnow settling to the bottom.

Up on Candlewood in CT there seems to be two schools of coldwater guys - hair-jiggers and bladebaiters. I only seriously started fishing late into the year a few years ago, I've seen consistently one or the other produces fish I just haven't found what pattern causes the fish to favor one bait over the other the way they do.