bucktails and hair jigs

i have been reading with interest all summer long about how some of the anglers on this site catch walleye on hair jigs and bucktails casting wingdams. first off is a bucktail a hair jig and a hair jig a bucktail? if so then how do you work a wingdam with them? do you cast them like a crankbait and work them fast snapping/jigging them back to the boat or do you drift them into the wingie and work them like you would a ringworm, leech, or crawler along the trough or face of the wingdam closer to the bottom. thanks in advance for your answers.

A bucktail is a hair jig. A hair jig is a bucktail.

I fish hair jigs more aggressively than plastics or livebait in the fall. I like to snap them fairly hard and then allow them to settle back on a semi-tight line.

I don’t know a thing about wing dikes but I have been fishing our own hand tied bucktails for wipers the last ten years and have hammered the walleyes in the spring and fall fishing them fast and snap jigging them.

One thing I make sure to do with them, espicially in cold water is to pause for a considerable time between jerks. I think it gives the fish time to find the lure.

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I like to snap them fairly hard

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James…How far would you estimate you’re moving the jig with each snap? Are you moving it inches at a time or more than that?

Thanks…

Rootski soon to be on Pool 2 fishing wingdams

A 6″ – 12″ snap is about right. And like Gator stated, followed by a nice long pause at the bottom.

I really like black hair w/ black head, kelly green hair with a black head and anything with orange in the fall.

BFT has some good examples if you tie your own.

http://bfishntackle.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=42

Thanks. I’m going to give this a try.

Rootski

I gave it a try last fall and early this spring. It worked for me. I now am tying my own jigs…colors similar to what James said. The small ones have worked so far for crappies just a couple days ago.

Don’t forget white/pink. This color and black are my go-to colors.

ARE YOU GUYS ADDING A TRAILER ON TO THE HAIR JIG ?? PLASTIC OR LIVE BAIT ?

I AM GETTING INTO TYING SOME OF MY OWN WITH MARIBOO (SP) AND HAVE COME UP WITH A COUPLE OF COLORS THAT ARE WORKING, ONE IS A WHITE W/ BLACK BACK (SHAD) AND THE OTHER I CALL PERCH, DARK GREEN BACK CHARTUSE BODY WITH WITH A LITTLE ORANGE ON THE BELLY, WITH ALOT OF GLITTER IN BOTH OF THEM.

ONE THING I AM TRYING IS TO START THE JIG WITH A RABBIT STRIP (FOR A TAIL) BUT ARE HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH IT WRAPPING AROUND THE HOOK, BUT, WHEN THESE JIGS ARE ARE NOT FOWLED THEY ARE OUT FISHING THE ONES WITHOUT THE STRIP.

STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS, BUT HAVING FUN WITH IT.

ANY IDEAS ??

I don’t fish hair jigs with any kind of trailer. I add a minnow about 10% of the time. Usually its just “straight hair” for me and I prefer very sparsely tied hair jigs. No puff balls for this guy.

I DON’T TIE THEM TO BE PUFF BALLS, I TIE THEM PRETTY SPARINGLY ALSO, I LIKE THE ACTION OF THE MARIBOO.

I’M STILL IN THE LEARNING PROCESS.

Bucktails are standout producers from this time of year through mid – late october for me and then again in the spring around post-spawn. Between then I stick mostly to plastics. I have tried half a ringworm as a trailer in the past along with super doo bodies, etc., but I’ve never caught more than a couple eater sized fish.

THANKS FOR THE INFO

Garvi, aren’t you suppose to be working?

James, you ever fish those hair jigs with a willow cat in the fall?

Garvi, started tying my own hair jigs now as well. Can’t wait till the feed bag starts, I will be throughing them all the time. Plan on using them in the WAT up in Trempealeau as well.

I have more than a few times.

Once I get into October the willowcat bite really falls off for me. Early October can be good if the water temps are still warm (60 degree stuff) but once the temps start falling my willow cat bite dries up.

If I’m using livebait in the fall more often than not it will be crawlers.

I AM WORKING NOTICE THE TIMES JUST HAPPEN TO BE AROUND BREAK TIME .
I AM LEAVING FOR YELLOWSTONE TOMMORROW FOR A WEEK (I’LL SEE IF I CAN STILL USE A FLYROD)

SEE YOU BOYS IN A WEEK.

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I don’t fish hair jigs with any kind of trailer. I add a minnow about 10% of the time. Usually its just “straight hair” for me and I prefer very sparsely tied hair jigs. No puff balls for this guy.

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No pink and no “puff balls”!! Those are good things to know about you James!!

The only thing about hair jigs is the sheepies sure like them too !

Chris

what weight jigs are you using in the river? It is better to use a little heavier because of current?

For casting I use mostly 3/16. For vertical jigging 1/4 – 3/8 will get the job done in the fall. In the spring when the current jumps up many guys will move to 1/2 hair jigs.

The weight used is dependant on wind and current speed. A guy wants to get by with as light a jig as possible without sacrificing control. If you can’t maintain precise position in relationship to the bottom 100% of the time you need to jump to a heavier jig.

Dog hair works surprisingly well for hair jigs. If you have a dog, be sure to try it.

I have just started using a jig head with a lip. It dives deeper with less weight, but the best part is that it is much less likely to snag. It is like those anchors that have a release for the flukes.