Bucktail vs Kiptail

[MattRagle]

Alright I haven't tied a jig since back in March and I'm readying up for the winter. Which material do you prefer for tying jigs for winter use? Pro's and con's? Jig comparison pictures? Anything will be helpful I've only tied using Bucktail for winter and hackle and marabou for spring.

[Cray]

I like kip tail. It's a little easier to tie, lasts a lot longer, and a little more action.

[redear]

you need both, I tie white crappie bucktails in 3/32 with red thread plain head with tapered collar, just leave the barb, and I tie a lot if threadneck kiptail jigs in smaller sizes for use under a small float and tipped with a crappie nibble. the biggest mistakeI made for years is using too much hair, yeah it looks great but won't catch as many fish as the sparse kiptail tie, go kinda sparse on the bucktail too. google fishdoc's bucktails and see what keith wray uses, he is a master with the bucktail for crappie. the tail off a small doe is better than a large northern buck also, the hair is finer.

[skiptomylu]

Kip tail is much shorter so maybe just depends on if you want a short jig/tail or a longer one. Kip is easier to tie for the most part, but if you can find some Southern Bucktail then it's easier to tie than the large Northern ones for sure! Maybe as reader said the doe tails are better, but I also know the Southern Bucktails are a finer hair also and east to make look nice. So when you call a supplier just ask him if he has large Northern ones or Southern ones. That cold North makes them grow the large tails and even their bodies are larger as you go North. Also maybe you can make a friend that hunts in the South and get some tails from that person too. I have done that in a trade thing before and was quite happy with the bucktails I got from him.

Skip

[MattRagle]

I've got 4 deer tails from last year all off younger deer that a few of us had shot. I'll be tying a lot of 1/16th jigs with chenille bodies and several popeye style jigs would you use the kiptail on the popeye's?

[skiptomylu]

I've got 4 deer tails from last year all off younger deer that a few of us had shot. I'll be tying a lot of 1/16th jigs with chenille bodies and several popeye style jigs would you use the kiptail on the popeye's?

Can not say for anyone else, but I use Neck Hackle on my Popeye jigs with no body chenille and just red thread neck style. Now let me say up front when tying hair I like a collar without a barb and maybe just a ball or flair on the end of the collar to help control the width of the thread. I know some tie hair on a jig head with no collar and I have as well, but most of my hair jigs have no chenille body. I have never tied a Popeye jig with hair, but see no reason that it wouldn't work? Below is a picture of my Popeye jig. I for sure do not want a collar if tying chenille body!

Skip

1/32 Oz.

[Rockhitter]

Where do you get your kip tail?

[skiptomylu]

I buy Hareline Kip tails and seem to have better luck with theirs as some tails have really short hair. I think they can be found at JS Flyfishing and Bob Marriott's, probably other places too. I get mine from Hareline!

[redear]

I use a lot of small 1/64 to 1/16 thread neck kiptail jigs under a small float, been tying these for a long time. they used to be called pinky jigs back in the day. this is my opinion based on what works in my Virginia waters, when using kiptail I don't use any chenille, just all kiptail and thread just behind the head, tie the hair kinda sparse. I tried the chenille body with kiptail tail and it didn't catch nearly as many fish for me, but in Mississippi where the waters are murky the chenille and kip works wonders I think partly because it helps the fish see it. I use plenty of chenille and it catches a lot of fish but for me but the tail needs to be saltwater hackle vee cuts with long wispy fibers or marabou.

[redear]

just wanted to say a little bit about the chenille again, do yourself a favor and try some of the size 10 or 12 mylar type chenilles like what skip uses, I finally did and the junebug with a chart tail made from salt hackle vees unpainted head really produced under a float tipped with a nibble.