bucktails?

[Scoot]

I'd like to pick up a few bucktails that cast like rockets, have smaller French blades, not a ton of hair, and can be retrieved very fast. Anyone have any suggestions? Musky candy are an option, but is there a better option?

[RuKiddingMe]

Scoot,

The Northland Bionic Bucktail, would be the perfect bait for the application you just decscribed. I bought one about mid year, I had a gift cert to galyans and that was about all I could find that either I didn't already have or just plain didn't want, pretty disappointing selection there. I used it a few times, it looks awesome in the water, never had a follow, hit or fish on...

RU

[Scoot]

Thanks RU. I'm pretty well covered for safety pin style baits. I'm wondering about inline bucktails similar to the Musky Candy bucktail. Just wondering if there are better options than the Musky Candies.

[guideman]

Mepps and BlueFox both make baits with the small blades however, I'd take Muskie Candy over either of them.

[David Swenson]

I do not think are to many other bucktails that are like the muskie candy out there (that I know of anyway). There are others that are similar but they have more hair, different or bigger blade, or they are hard to cast if there is even a breeze. One thing about Muskie Candy is you can cast it a mile and cover water fast. I think a Lily Tail is the nearest to Musky Candy that I know of. I myself prefer for a smaller bucktail a small Vibrax with a fluted blade, but you can not cast it if the wind is blowing to hard. But, it pulls easy and you can keep it above the weeds easily.

David Swenson

http://muskieguide.homestead.com/

[RuKiddingMe]

Scoot,

Northland makes an inline one, and that is the one I'm referring to, it's a 1 oz bait that flies through the air...

Here's a pick...

RU

[Scoot]

I'm a little slow on the uptake there, RU. Thanks. I've seen them, but for some reason the safety pin style popped into my head.

Thanks guys!

[RK]

Scoot -

The baits made by Al Jacobson in the Twin Cities are *exactly* what you're looking for. I don't know what Al calls them, but Al and Jack Burns designed them years ago because they were what Jack was looking for, so I've always called them Burns Burners. .051 wire, #7 Lakeland French blade (#7 Lakeland is like a #5 Mepps), two sparsely tied bucktails that *aren't* tied on the hooks, 2 3/0 Mustad round bends.... They're great bucktails. I have tons of them.

Al doesn't sell his baits in stores, so it's all custom orders. Nice cuz can get exactly what you want as far as color/blade combos. I can't find Al's phone number for the life of me at the moment, but if you have any copies of recent In-fishermans around, see if you can find the article Jack and I did on bucktails this past spring. Al's number is in there someplace... If you can't find it, drop me an email.

Cheers,

RK

[Derf]

I got some Tinsel Tails from Thorne Bros in the Twin Cities. They are smaller and cast like a bullet even into the wind. The tinsel really looks different in the water too, especially on sunny days. I see they are in Pastika's catalog too.

[Muskydanno]

I'm with RU on this one. Bionic bucktails are dynamite and cast like a bullet. Very easy retrieval also due to the pretty mellow blade cupping. Blade stays real tight to the body. A great burn bait. Also like blue fox musky bucks. Very easy to burn and have a smaller blade. For that matter Musky Candy or the small size eagle tail are a good option also. Theres a plethora (ten dollar word) of choices out there for you.

[Baldy's Baits]

I like Mepps and Blue Fox for this, but I mostly make my own when I cant find what I want.

Shoot me an email and maybe I can whip you something up...

[TMan]

Do yourself a favor and call Matt Nelson of Wolftrap Bucktails in Minneapolis and tell him Phelps told you about him. (612) 866-0019. He has a keel designed bucktail that is simply indestructable and doesn't spin at any speed. Plus, for what you pay for those other outsourced brands you can have him make them specific to your needs, with color, blades, hair, everything. He's a small time guy looking to make this his business so he's eaqger to please you with his product. He's always at the MN Musky Expo with a booth so you might have seen him. Plus he's killer guitar player.