Bucktail jigs

[Big T]

Hi Larry,
I saw on your show you were using what looked like a bucktail jig on peacock bass. I was wondering if a bucktail jig would work on Largemouth Bass? I have some that I bought for saltwater fishing but have never used them. Would I be wasting my time?

Thanks Big T

[Henry Schmidt]

I have had luck with Spro bucktail jigs for all kinds of saltwater fish and largemouth bass. In particular I have had better luck without a trailer than with a standard 'modern' jig with a trailer.

[dahlberg]

HI big T,
IMO you're never wasting your time using a bucktail. Most LM bass jigs are set up to imitate crayfish and are used with a lift/drop bottom bouncing retrieve. You can do this also with bucktails (ask the tennesee smallmouth guys about the efficacy of bucktails dressed with a small pork chunk), but for simulating a baitfish a bucktail is hard to beat. Especially significant when comparing it to "swim bait" type plastics is the bucktails ability to make quicker darting movements than a paddle tailed plastic will make. Often, especially in warm water, it can be a powerful trigger that makes a difference.
One of the main reasons you don't see more bucktail used is that it's much more expensive to tie than rubber or silicone skirts, and also more difficult for an angler to replace.
best,
L