# Jig Making Question!



## RabidWolf (Sep 23, 2014)

I've been passing the time making some jigs for the reefs this spring. My question is about the hair material. I've been using craft fur which is what the salesman at Netcraft told me most people use. Does anybody use buck tail? I make a lot of bucktail and Maribou jigs for local lakes that I fish and bucktail is easier to work with in my opinion than craft fur.


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## gaterman (Dec 29, 2010)

You can use deer fur but prefer the craft fur due to it has more action in the water, deer fur is stiffer. It seemed I caught more with craft fur than deer but could be just a confidence thing?


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## davycrockett (Apr 9, 2005)

As gaterman mentioned the buck is stiffer. It is also hollow which makes it more bouyant. It all depends on what effect and profile you want. The bucktail will give you a fatter look and will give your jig a slighly slower fall. The craft hair will be more streamlined and lively and give your jig a faster fall. In my experience the faster fall is critical with maintaining bottom contact. That is achieved with a heavy head (3/4 oz is what we throw 95% of the time in the spring) and the hair. Dont be afraid to experiment. Try some buck and fur combinations. I usually tie in some flashbou to add more flash. Not sure if it makes a difference in the bites but it looks cool!


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## Bad Bub (Jan 17, 2006)

I actually tied this jig for smallmouth in the Ohio river, but I've caught more walleyes, saugeyes and crappie than bass with it. It's only 1/8oz. so you'd definitely want to find heavier heads, but it's tied with deer hair and crystal flash. It's become and absolute favorite of mine in November and December after the tournaments are done and I'm just fishing to catch fish.


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## Headboat Hunter (Apr 18, 2010)

If your talking jigging for walleye on the reefs, I use craft fur for this. I have never tried anything else being it has worked well.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

I do all of mine with a combo of bucktail and craft. Main body of buck for bulk and accent color of craft. Jig is baked powder paint plus a size six or eight stinger hook tied in with heavy/stiff mono.


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## RabidWolf (Sep 23, 2014)

Thanks for the responses Guys. I have some pics of the jigs I've made. I cannot figure out how to upload them!


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## RabidWolf (Sep 23, 2014)

Shortdrift said:


> I do all of mine with a combo of bucktail and craft. Main body of buck for bulk and accent color of craft. Jig is baked powder paint plus a size six or eight stinger hook tied in with heavy/stiff mono.



Great Idea. I never thought of combining the 2 materials.


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## Flathead76 (May 2, 2010)

I find that less material is more when it comes to action of the material. Shortdrift has about the perfect amount of material on his jig pictured.


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

A good all around weight for Spring Reef jig is 5/8 oz. 3/4 or even 1.0 oz. when the wind comes up and you are in decent sized waves. Purple as pictured, black with chartruese trim, John Deer Green with same trim and a color referred to as "Got One". I don't have a picture of Got One but maybe someone else can post it. Many people tip the jig with large shiners but I don't care for the mess and usually start bare and then tip with a 3 or 4" Gulp Shiner. I believe there are times when "bulk size" is the key and that is when tipping helps.

Oh Yeah! I forgot that one friend on my boat has had good success with"Hot Pink".


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