Winter Bucktail Tying

[chefchris401]

Wonderbread Bucktails

I tied some of these a few years ago and gave most of them away but caught a bunch of fish on the few I saved, I lost my last one early last season to the rocky bottom.

So decided to tie some more on 1oz jig heads.

The shank is tied with 8 yellow hackles, white, blue and bright pink hair, then allowed to dry.



Once the shank was fully dried I tied the collar with yellow, light pink, bright pink, blue and white hair, its time consuming blending all the different colors together and only using small amounts of each one at a time, but the results are pretty cool.



Even though they may not catch better than all white or another solid color I’m a big fan of my plugs, lures and my gear being visually appealing, it’s a personal preference thing but I’ll be fishing this hard come spring.




Tying helps me pass the time in the winter months, helps keep away the non fishing madness.

[ecduzitgood]

Outstanding
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[piemma]

Nice Chris.

[fatcow]

what kind of thread u wrapping with

[jlnel]

Nice jig heads.. ;-)

they came out nice, i have one or two thousand more for you to tie for me...lol

[chefchris401]

Originally Posted by fatcow

what kind of thread u wrapping with

Danville 140, it's what I've always used, easy to get, cheap, all lots of color options
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[Surf Caster]

Chris, do you pour and paint your own jigheads?

[stripermaineiac]

Hey Chris try danvilles flat wax nylon and size A rod wrappin thread. A good head cement is Duro super glue. it's water proof. I've been usin it for yrs. Put some flash in them it makes a diff trust me. those lead heads that have the reces for tyin can be filles with size E rod thread so your hair sets bettter that way you don't need to tie on the shank. you .ve done some nice stuff. Ron

[Saltheart]

Nice job Chris.

I use Gudebrod nylon to tie my jigs. About any thread will do if you seal it after wrapping. If you don't use head cement or epoxy to coat the thread , I would stick with nylon as natural thread will deteriorate over time if not protect by a sealant. I use head cement to seal them.

I have poured over 10, 000 jigs in my life. I dip them in rustolium if I want them painted. I mostly use bare lead jigs with rubber tails but have also painted and tied many hundreds of bucktail jigs from 1/2 to 5 OZ.

[O.D. Mike]

Chris, what are you using for a vise?

They look great!!!!

[chefchris401]

Thanks guys.

I use that thread cause that's what I've always used and was taught with.

I don't pour my own jigs, I have one guy I trade plugs with he pours em and has a ton of different sizes, styles and colors.

I also get them from another guy on this site.

I usually get unpainted jigs so I can tie whatever color I want, then if I want I'll paint the head or just leave it silver.

For sealer I use super glue while tying then hard as nails on the finished threads or epoxy.

Usually while I'm tying I add a few drops of super glue or hard as nails to keep it in place. Then keep wrapping and build up thread and hair and glue.

It may not be the best system but it works for me and the jigs last, have a few that are three years old.

I've tried other threads but stick with that one.

The vise is a dyna vise. Heavy base, it's one of the cheapier models like 100 bucks.
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[landwave]

Those are some nice looking jigs! It must be winter boredom to tie all those colors

[tlapinski]

Very nice! I always say I will fish different colored bucktails each year, I tie up some differnet colors, and end up throwing solid white 100% of the time. Now I have a pile of different color ones that never see the of light of day.

[chefchris401]

Originally Posted by landwave

Those are some nice looking jigs! It must be winter boredom to tie all those colors

Yeah man it is, I have a list of winter projects and chip away at them while I'm not working.

I have various projects at all different steps to help pass the winter months.
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[teezer]

Nice looking jigs
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[WESTPORTMAFIA]

Originally Posted by tlapinski

Very nice! I always say I will fish different colored bucktails each year, I tie up some differnet colors, and end up throwing solid white 100% of the time. Now I have a pile of different color ones that never see the of light of day.

White, day and night! Even thought I have some pretty ones that I pack and don't end up using. I hear you though Chris it's nice to have some pretty ones especially if your tying them yourself. They look great!

[Saltheart]

White , black and red. I get the red because in order to dye the bucktail truly jet black you need to dye it red and then after it drys , dye it again from red to black. If you try white to black direct it comes out a grayish black.

I use a Thompson Vision Vice. Its a beauty. All brass and stainless but the big thing is it has interchangeable jaws to accept different hook sizes. On my big canal jigs I use 8/0 Mustad 34184's and there is a jaw insert that is perfect for those large hooks. It also clamps to the table which is good for big jigs.

I like Chris's jigs because they are so full of hair. This causes them to puff out during the retrieve and that makes them more effective than one tied with sparse hair which kind of just streams behind.

[chefchris401]

I like a full jig, allows for a slower fall, and more lifelike action.

A lot of spots I fish are very rocky or have a rocky structure, the fuller jig allows me to fish a slightly heavier jig to be able to reach certain points or bars.

Really like the full jigs, sparse tied ones have there place too.
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[pbadad]

Chris nice lookng jigs. I guess I better find time to tie. Nice meeting tonight at the Ct Surfcaster meeting.

[justintrask]

I never thought about tieing directly to the shank like that. I always had problems getting the bucktail thick enough with that kind of collar on it. Always flares out too much.

[Swimmer]

Chris did you underwrap the shank with thread before you tied on the feathers?

[chefchris401]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

Chris did you underwrap the shank with thread before you tied on the feathers?

Yeah just like you know when you tie the collar, helps keep it all in place.
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[Swimmer]

Thery look great Chris, and they dont take that long to do. Where did you get those particluar jigheads?

[Mr. Sandman]

Nice work...they'll catch!

[chefchris401]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

Thery look great Chris, and they dont take that long to do. Where did you get those particluar jigheads?

From my buddy in northern mass who pours his own.
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[Surfpirate]

they look great!

they pass the first test, I'd buy them!