Buck tails and double blade spinners

[Gavin P]

Been watching a load of Muskie videos and I am curious if anyone has tried with much success their big bucktail and double blade spinners

[Steve Dennington]

They catch, but burning them across the surface like the musky anglers do isn't overly effective for pike.

Chico used to sell the Dadson bladebaits and I caught a lot of fish on those.

[Oldskoolfool]

I've had a couple on smaller homemade versions but never tried a US sized beast

[Chico 48 PAC]

Single blade bucktails certainly do work on pike here. Bucktails are possibly the No.1 fish catcher in the US but have never been popular here...they ought to be though. I have certainly caught well on them as well as basic spoons. Why they are not more popular heaven knows but it is a waste of time stocking them as the buggers simply do not sell.

I stocked the Dadsons for a good while and they were popular with certain people. Dealing with Dadson was very hit and miss so eventually gave up bothering.

One of the reasons I stocked the Dadsons was my old friend Steve Voigt, Muskie Machinery spinnerbaits, taught Dadson a few finer points on how to make things well. I have never stocked Spinnerbaits since Steve died as I have never found anything to remotely get close to the stuff Steve built, I wish I could.

As for the baits like double cowgirls etc.. I don't think that they are worth throwing here, they would be no more effective than single bladed bucktails, sure every so often one might get hit by a big girl but in reality they are nor going to up ones catch rate with any reliability.

[Stewlaws]

I have had some success on bucktails .. use to be a banker on a certain drain, but couldn't replicate on the local rivers

[Chico 48 PAC]

Horses for courses and all that, some waters simply will not do topwaters, others will. Part of the fun is finding what differing waters prefer.

[Steve Le maitre]

I had an obsession with big bucktails in 96 - 97 and did well on the pits - hooked and lost the biggest Pike I'll ever see and I won't ever get over it.
Joe Bucher has always said a Willow Blade is the best for Pike and that Pike thought so too.
15" long, blk & org with a size 4 Colorado wired on the back, was like winding in a dead cat !!
The problem was fish were levering themselves off the hooks due to the two hook design and long solid wire form, it was articulated in the middle but with 7" of solid wire at the front and the first treble wired inline 7" back it was a disaster waiting to happen.

[Gavin P]

So next question is if Chico doesn’t do them anyone know where I could get some ?

[Chico 48 PAC]

You would have to narrow down what you actually want or want to try. There is a massive amount of styles/sizes out there. Bucher and even mepps do some smaller variants but there are hundreds of bucktail based baits out there.
I would try single blades for a start and see where your needs take you.

[andrew_nagel]

I've caught on Mepps Muskie Killers and Eagle Tails. The Muskie Killers have a heavy gauge hook(s) which I'm not a fan of. I tied some 2x gauge hooks with bucktail to replace them. The Eagle tails use tandem single siwash style hooks, which hook up well. Johnny Dadson gave me a couple of his Lil' Darlin's when i fished with him on Geogian Bay... Place to get them is the US or buy the components and make some which is pretty simple.

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[Mark Phillips]

Been watching a load of Muskie videos and I am curious if anyone has tried with much success their big bucktail and double blade spinners

I've never done any good with the big in-line bucktails and certainly gave them a good go. Like everything, I am sure others have had some success, as every lure has its day. What's interesting for me with bucktail, is that on spinnerbaits, I have done more than OK. The big bladed bucktails that they burn on the surface or slightly sub-surface, again have not worked well in my hands. Simple test for me was to use them on a prolific water and there was little interest was shown, switched to another lure (Scuttlebug, Hawg Wobbler, etc) and I instantly get takes. In the end I sold all my in line bucktails.

I watch a lot of musky footage on YouTube and whilst there are many parallels to be drawn with pike, there are also some very marked differences in their behaviour and the lures/techniques used to catch them. Something to always bear in mind when buying lures.

[Catch 22]

Been watching a load of Muskie videos and I am curious if anyone has tried with much success their big bucktail and double blade spinners

I've never done any good with the big in-line bucktails and certainly gave them a good go. Like everything, I am sure others have had some success, as every lure has its day. What's interesting for me with bucktail, is that on spinnerbaits, I have done more than OK. The big bladed bucktails that they burn on the surface or slightly sub-surface, again have not worked well in my hands. Simple test for me was to use them on a prolific water and there was little interest was shown, switched to another lure (Scuttlebug, Hawg Wobbler, etc) and I instantly get takes. In the end I sold all my in line bucktails.

I watch a lot of musky footage on YouTube and whilst there are many parallels to be drawn with pike, there are also some very marked differences in their behaviour and the lures/techniques used to catch them. Something to always bear in mind when buying lures.

I agree with you regarding behaviour Mark but I'd be interested to get your views on what the main differences are.

[davelumb]

I've not done anything on large in-line bucktails, although I never tried very hard. I did tie up some small ones with size 6 Colorado blades that have caught me a few small pike. However, one in-line I have caught a good few pike on into doubles, but nothing huge (someone I know had a lump on one), is the Slippery Sam (and home made versions of it).

[andrew_nagel]

I seem to recall one or two of the better Llangdydfed fish were caught on big Mepps. And I’ve heard one or two tales of Mepps doing the business on another trout water with a very good track record.

[Steve Le maitre]

I seem to recall one or two of the better Llangdydfed fish were caught on big Mepps. And I’ve heard one or two tales of Mepps doing the business on another trout water with a very good track record.

Pete Climo's 42lb 05oz was reputable caught on a Mepps and he received a Mepps 'Maestro' award.
Word has it the fish actually took a Shakespeare Jet

[davelumb]

I've not done anything on large in-line bucktails, although I never tried very hard. I did tie up some small ones with size 6 Colorado blades that have caught me a few small pike. However, one in-line I have caught a good few pike on into doubles, but nothing huge (someone I know had a lump on one), is the Slippery Sam (and home made versions of it).

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