DIY bucktail wrapping

[JasonGotaProblem]

As every Floridian knows, bucktails are the secret to landing big snook. And as every Floridian knows, they're overpriced.

So last night I wrapped my first one, and it was super easy, and I can make them exactly the way I want them. At least in theory. so I'm gonna start doing more. Does anyone have a source for non-crap 1oz jig heads that dont cost a fortune? I know how to use the search function on eBay just fine. I'm looking for recommendations for ones that are of an acceptable quality for the money.

[thorhammer]

never fished for snook, but what kind of hooks do they take? I pour my own for stripers- have made thousands.

FYI- if you find a head you like, buy it in raw color. theyre cheaper, and paint as you want. Powder paint is also very easy durable, just need a way to heat jig. toatser oven or heat gun is great.

[JasonGotaProblem]

Do they have snook in NC? They've got huge mouths, I tend to use a 2/0 -4/0 but thats not based on any observed limitation. I've caught one on an 8/0 circle rigged for shark with ladyfish cut bait.

Redfish like the bucktails too. And being able to cast them a mile certainly doesn't hurt.

[oc1]

I have never like poured jig heads.  When the fish shakes it's head the momentum of the lead head swinging around can pry the hook loose.  Better to start from scratch and make a flexable connection between head and hook.

What kind of dubbing do you use?

[oldmanjoe]

  How far are you into it .........     I have the tools that you can borrow for a while if you need .     I have buckets and buckets that you can pick from .
    i have to look for the molds if you want to cast some lead .

[thorhammer]

I'm pouring 1/2 oz to 3 oz on 4/0 to 7/0 hooks. For all practical purposes most any tackle you might use on reds is good on stripers. We catch them together in the sound and surf. For clarity, the reverse isnt true- not all striper tackle is good drum stuff- speaking on the trolling side.

[Decker]

Yeah bucktail jigs are so pricey.  The NJ local fluke rigs come with bucktail tied directly on the hook with monofilament line.  I want to learn how to do that.

[jurelometer]

I have never like poured jig heads.  When the fish shakes it's head the momentum of the lead head swinging around can pry the hook loose.  Better to start from scratch and make a flexable connection between head and hook.

What kind of dubbing do you use?

I messed around a bit with free swinging hook designs on jig heads.  What I found was that if the hair tail or plastic is attached to a free swinging  hook, you tend to have less snap in the action, as the tail will tend to swing more as one piece, instead of the tension in the materials working  like a spring fixed at the base. I think that the fixed base action is more close  to the whiplike propulsion of natural prey.

And if the hook is not too large for the target species, I get a lot of corner and jaw hook sets with a fixed hook, which makes for a nicer release.  OTOH,  a big fixed hook pointing up will brain hook a small fish, so the mortality on fish intended to be released can be high.

I am sure that there are cases where free swinging jig hook is a better choice, but it is not universal.

Yeah bucktail jigs are so pricey.  The NJ local fluke rigs come with bucktail tied directly on the hook with monofilament line.  I want to learn how to do that.

You just use a nail knot for the mono.  IMHO, mono is not the greatest choice, but it is a bit faster process, because you usually don't need to cover it with coating.   Hollow hair like bucktail will flare out as you tighten it, but mono has to be really tight to hold, so it is hard to control the flair.   And it is difficult to get a permanent grip on the material with mono, so you end up needing to do a bit of coating anyways.   I prefer to use thread, and coat with something hard to add durability.  Danville flat waxed nylon is king for the very small stuff.  Thick nylon thread for the big stuff.  If you have  size D rod wrapping thread handy, you are all set for one oz jigs.  When using thread, you just wind around and tie off with 4 or more half hitches, or a whip finish if you want to impress the fly tiers. 

Nail polish works fine for a thread coating.  Switch to epoxy, UV resins, or a thick urethane if you need to protect the thread more from chewy fish.

Lots of interesting choices for hair as well.  Nothing wrong with bucktail, except that it is not super durable. 

It seems like there is no shortage of rabbit holes when it comes to making fishing tackle.

-J

[steelfish]

It seems like there is no shortage of rabbit holes when it comes to making fishing tackle.
-J

Seems that Jason has a touch to find all the rabbit holes on fishing hobby, moding reels, building rods, building bucktails and a lot more waiting

[JasonGotaProblem]

I'm going to hesitantly post a pic of my first bucktail, with the excuse that its the first one I've wrapped and looks like it. Had mica powder in the epoxy from a lure I'm salvaging, but that may become a different thread. My second one looks better.

Ive wrapped a few now and I'm doing it in about 4 minutes this way. I could crank these out. I'm just epoxying the wraps on like rod guides. I'm using pro wrap color thread and coats all purpose white. I'll probably go get cheap color threads, after all I'm making these to throw them away.

[JasonGotaProblem]

Seems that Jason has a touch to find all the rabbit holes on fishing hobby, moding reels, building rods, building bucktails and a lot more waiting

It feels like a natural progression. The desire to have nice things without paying nice thing prices inspires us to learn how to make our own nice things. Also now I can play with colors.

Do you have snook over by you? I've heard you do, by the name of robalo. They. Are. The. Best.

[jurelometer]

Looks good Jason.

The general rule of thumb is to keep  the jig tail length under 2.5x the length from the eye of the hook to the bend.  This will mostly prevent the tail from wrapping around the bend and fouling on the cast.  The exact length will vary depending on how far back you tie, and how stiff the material is.  My guess would be that yours is on the long side, as the material and flash look a bit long and limp.  Less can be more on the amount of material used. 

There are some tricks for getting away with a longer tail, but I don't like to use them unless I have to.

I am curious if they get snook as far north as Alex inside the Sea of Cortez.  We have caught a few juveniles in bait cast nets, and I saw one jumbo hanging off the beach in the central area.  Never caught one in the sea of Cortez myself. There are a few small populations, but not big numbers.  And like zero catch and release.  More, but not a lot of snook on the Pacific coast side, as far north as Bahia Magdalena. They even get the odd permit every now and then.

-J

[oc1]

What I found was that if the hair tail or plastic is attached to a free swinging  hook, you tend to have less snap in the action, as the tail will tend to swing more as one piece, instead of the tension in the materials working  like a spring fixed at the base. I think that the fixed base action is more close  to the whiplike propulsion of natural prey.

I don't attach the dubbing to the hook.  The hook swings free insie the dubbing.  The dubbing is attached to the head.

[JasonGotaProblem]

I wonder if that length rule is more for flies of the unweighted variety. I see people on piers and catwalks throwing 2oz bucktails with 12" of tail (and landing fish!), so casting may be affected less in the case of heavier jig heads because of the better weight distribution. And really it seems the fish have a preference for these longer tails, so maybe exploiting that preference is worth the risk of casting complications. And I've been throwing these guys for years with tails not only a bit shorter than what I'm making. It's just the norm around here.

Its also possible that these lure makers know your longer tail tricks and that's why it goes smoothly. Come to think of it the store bought varieties are definitely a stiffer tail material. I guess I'll have to go out and try them now. All in the name of science.

[Squidder Bidder]

Owner makes production jig heads in raw lead and they're priced reasonably but not cheaply. Obviously they use high quality Owner hooks. Tackledirect carries some.

But if you're wrapping your own you're already on the road to a lead pot and jig molds. My concern about sourcing jig heads from ebay for customization would be the quality of the hooks used, and you can control that by pouring your own.