Bucktail jigs are effective offerings for many species throughout the fall season. By varying the weight of the jighead one can ply both shallow and deeper areas.

“Bucktails are very natural looking,” says Jim DeZurik, a Minnesota-based hardcore fishing enthusiast who ties some of the finest custom bucktails you are going to find. “They look like part of the environment, like they belong there. When you bump into pods or schools of fish, you can catch one right after another using a bucktail jig. They don't seem to know what is happening. Hair jigs simply look like something to eat, and the fish aren't able to identify them as anything else. And they are very durable. You are not constantly changing tails, as you might be if you were using a soft plastic grub.”

While DeZurik admits that bucktails are quite effective in lakes and reservoirs, he feels they really shine when fished in flowing water.

“They really excel in current,” notes DeZurik. “There is something about the hair on the jig that really excels in current. It breathes in the water, even when the jig is still. But the jig has to be tied correctly.”

DeZurik ties his bucktail jig with a relatively sparse amount of hair, which he believes has a lot to do with how it behaves in the water.

“That way the hair has room to move,” he explains. “It there's too much hair on there it looks pasty, it looks dead. But you don't want to get too sparse, because you do want to have some texture, something for the fish to hold on to. And there must be enough there to expose the color that you wish to show.”

DeZurik adds a bit of accent to some of his jigs, which can be attractive to bass in particular. He shies away from tinsel, opting for a more subdued accent like flashabou. His signature Riverbug jig incorporates a couple of feathers which serve as a tail.

“Most living things in the water have tails,” says DeZurik. “Crayfish have tails and legs. When you watch a crayfish move in the water, its legs drag. Minnows have tails that create a certain movement.”

DeZurik says that feathers are durable, often the last things to be rigged off of the jig on those days when dozens of fish bite it. He ties the two feathers on in opposing directions.

“That way they stick out away from each other,” he notes. “When you pull forward one feather collapses while the other opens up.”

The body is just one component of a hair jig. It should also be tied on a quality hook. High-grade light-wire hooks will often bend, allowing it to free from a snag prior to the line breaking. The head is another significant factor. Jigheads are available in a variety of shapes; do-it-yourselfers have an equally varied list of molds available. But DeZurik feels the traditional round ballhead serves his style of fishing well.

“It goes in and out of cover pretty well. I like the way it drops. I don't care for a jighead that swims. I want to be able to lift the jig up, and have it drop head first back

When fishing in current, DeZurik believes less is more, in terms of jig movement. He relies on the flow to work the hair. Much added movement by the angler, he feels, produces an unnatural look more likely to spook fish than to trigger them to bite.

“Throw up into the quiet water near the bank, lift the rod tip, and allow the current to sweep it back on a semi-tight line. A good tactic is just to hold the jig in the current for a period of time before bringing it in. Don't impart any extra action. It's like fishing live bait. You just let it hang in the current, with the flow moving the hair of the jig.”

Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle