First attempt tying with bucktail

[camelbird]

First attempt tying with bucktail. Made some dropper flies and trailer hooks, thinking bay chovies. I can see how this is addictive

[lovett88]

They look good! First time I tied some I probably did 12 flies in a row. Great way to pass the time in the winter.

[Mark]

Great job. They look like you've been tying for years.

I do all my tying in the winter. I stock up then and usually I don't have to tie during warmer months.

Here are two flies I made predominantly from bucktails that I've used for stripers this year:

P1000445.jpg

The bottom fly is a Clouser Minnow. It's a great all-around fly for stripers, blues and white perch in the Bay. The chartreuse/white color pattern is the only fly I used in the CBKA Tournament last September.

The top one is a foam popper and I used one like it just last week in Kent Narrows for some surface action.

Sorry this shot is not clear but you can still see the popper in the striper's mouth. I had been skunked for hours but got 3 small stripers in about 3 minutes on the surface as I got near the ramp.

StriperonPopper.jpg

[Shady]

Nice! I've been experimenting with lure making/customizing lately. It's rewarding to catch fish on something that you made!

[J.A. Veil]

Last Sat I jigged at the bay bridge and other spots to the north. Whenever I saw marks on the bottom, I would drop a metal jig and get hooked up. The jigs you show in the photo would be perfect -- one of the lures I used was exactly like the blue and white Crippled Herring, except in 2-oz size. Another was a 2-oz Stingsilver. The fish would not bite on BKDs but went after the metal jigs aggressively. I wish I could report that the fish were large --sadly they were 12" to 14". Still it was great fun and offered steady action.

I think the bucktailed trailer hooks make those lures even more attractive to the fish.

[camelbird]

Thanks guys. Hope to test a few out at the M+G

Mark,
I like that popper you made. And the type of thread bucktail you used. Looks like I'll be making a trip back to orvis for some supplies

John,
Do you think that they were just feeding on smaller fish such as bay anchovies or maybe just not any bigger fish in the area? Have you had success catching bigger stripers on sting silvers/cripple herrings?

[Mark]

I use Rainy's Foam Cylinders for the poppers.

http://www.rainysflies.com/cylinderpoppers.php

I shape the foam with a razor blade.

I super glue the hook into a slot I create with the razor blade on the underside of the foam. You'll get better adherence by wrapping the hook with thread before gluing.

Then I tie on the bucktail and paint eyes on the foam with latex craft paint from hobby stores.

It's a very simple and effective pattern and it holds up well.

For freshwater bass I make them a little smaller and add rubber legs.

[mytmouse]

Those look great!!! I am really feeling that teaser with the feather...

[scorpioreno]

Those lures look great. Mabey I will start tying.

[J.A. Veil]

John,
Do you think that they were just feeding on smaller fish such as bay anchovies or maybe just not any bigger fish in the area? Have you had success catching bigger stripers on sting silvers/cripple herrings?

I think they were feeding on smaller bait. One other theory is that the 2-oz metal jig reached bottom more quickly than a 1-oz jighead. It allowed me, a moderately skilled jigger at best, better control of the line and an easier feel for the bite. I had good luck with the Stingsilver on the previous 3 trips to the bridge too (including several keepers on each of those trips)-- I switched initially because the blues were biting off my BKDs on the first drop. I encountered no blues last Sat.

I wish I had more talent as an artist or craftsman. Many MKF members, such as you, produce well made and very attractive lures. If I tried, they would be functional but boring to look at.