Scratching the bucks tail :)

Scratching the surface

The title says it all really, a couple of years ago tinkered with 21 and 28 gram bucktails, success was had in deep water but i needed heavier rods to launch them a distance into the surf etc. Then i started using them on bait finesse gear well i was glad i did to say the least :) Every session the bucktails have picked out the better fish now. But i quickly found that there are rules appearing rather quickly.
At night the white and chartreuse heads are out fishing all over colors though during the day the head color is less important it would seem? White and chartreuse still fish better than all other colors but why?? I feel at present this could be a strike point in the light and bright colors arousing interest from the fish? The more i fish them the more i find that i am asking more and more questions.
I must have spent thousands of pounds on hard lures over the years but nothing has fished this well and in comparison they are cheap as chips but a dam site more versatile. Why do they work? When they are in the water they form the profile that is designed when tying them in the first place slim fat medium differing head types color variants on the head body color? All of these are changed with ease stinger hooks fitted for shy taking fish. When fishing a Fiish minnow i would go through a great many bodies they work sure but now take a bucktail that will outlast 10+ Fiish bodies?
So they last but what about shapes or weights?
This leads me into the next phase of bucktail research it has become a personal project for me now i have taken fiish for weeks with out a blank session. I have taken a great many fish and species now. But head types? I have been using a minnow head from 3-10 grams i could also use a much lighter version don to 1/64 of an ounce if i should wish. Bullet type jig heads, banana types jig heads hot lips type jigs all falling differently or bouncing at a differing angle? Them i could look through the hand painting options with a airbrush or hand painted and dry brushed? This is all in the future though at this stage.
But what about species and takes? Well ?







Well i think that we can safely see that the bucktails are working well enough :) But i do think that they could work a lot better given time and experience. I have found favor with the 4,8,10 gram versions for my own fishing both with and with out trailers and stingers fitted.
As for the coming year when i could buy a mold to make a differing type of jig for less than the coast of 2 hard lures it really is a no brainer on costs for fishing. Hard lures and soft lures all have a place as do bucktails. Using the right technique or lure at the right time will land more fish and provide great sport at the same time.
but on top of this i have been using a 6lb mono for a couple of sessions now, i did find that on smash take i did lose a couple of fish on the fluro lines, though this said with the mono i was finding that the slight shock absorption was providing a nice cushion and the lines were landing almost all fish. I lost a cracking fish and my favorite jig the other night. This said i am only scratching the surface on the use of buck tail jigs and i have a long time ahead of me to learn and refine fishing the jigs. Traditionally they have been fished heavy but i like using the lighter versions. I did have issue finding them so i started making them down to 2 grams at current on small hooks and very slight dressing but giving the bait-fish profile tipped off with isome if i am going after micros species. I have also been tinkering with the smaller version and flies tied on jig heads that have been killing it for close quarters work but keeping that under wraps until the trout season kicks off again but i am very excited i must admit :)