Favorite Bucktails & Spinner Baits

[FishingwithJake]

Hi guys, I'm wondering what your favorite Bucktail/Spinner baits are? There are so many of them so I figure if I ask guys that have used them, I won't get stuck buying baits that fall apart. Thanks for the info ahead of time!!

[Tonka Boy]

My favorite bucktails...

Musky Buck with the #5 mepps spinner - black/brown/white -trolling

Muskie Harasser - brown/red/black - fast trolling or burning.

I don't use spinner baits too often, but that is only because I don't have many. I hear they work great tipped with a sucker minnow though. This year I may try that angle.

[WMRP Member]

Bucktails: Harassers, Bootails, Shumway bucktails, Rabid Squirrell Tails, Tinsel Tails, Trojan Tails.

Spinnerbaits: Shumway spinners, Trojan Tail spinners, Rad Dogs, Grinders.

[squeedunk]

Bucktails: Harasser, Buchertail, Lilly Tail

Spinnerbaits: Rad Dog, Northland Reed Runner

[FishingwithJake]

Great stuff guys!! How about Jerkbaits? What do you like to use? Also, can anyone tell me what the difference is between a glider and a normal jerk bait?

[WMRP Member]

You can find some info on what baits in the thread titled "First time muskie fishing".

Hope this helps.

[Stratosman]

Eagle Tail. Hands down for me.

[RK]

Hiya,

Spinnerbaits - hard to beat Rad Dogs and Grinders. Light RDs as search baits, heavier RDs or Grinders for slow rolling or grinding. Like Shumway's Funky Chickens for slow rolling too. In rushes, a tandem Rad Dog or one of Jack Shriver's spinnerbaits.

Bucktails - Lilytails, or Shumway Flashers for bulging, or...

You know, this just dawned on me.

Almost all the bucktails I use are ones I have made for me, because I know *exactly* what I want, and I can't really find them in production models, so I have guys custom tie them for me. I don't really care if crankbaits are in tune or not unless I'm trolling (I figure if I'm twitching, erratic and crooked is just as good as erratic and straight), could care less if my topwaters flip over once in a while, and never really worry about what jerkbaits are doing unless they pop out of the water, but I'm fussy as all get out about bucktails.... That makes no sense at all.

Anyhow - small custom tied french bladed tails for burning, Eagle tails for big slow movers...

Cheers,

RK

[guideman]

I throw a lot of spinnerbaits and they catch fish in all conditions. Grinders, Voo Doo Tails, Rad Dogs, Northland and Billy Finns are my favorites.

For bucktails I also use a number of custom baits

along with the over the counter stuff. Harassers,

muskie candy, Billy Finn, TM Tails, Eagle tails and Voo Doo tails make up the bulk of my arsenal.

"Ace"

[Cooter]

Hey WMRP Member - You must be related to Fred? If you're gonna chase the big girls, better use a trojan... tail. Doesn't sound like we're gonna get in Miss R strain muskies in Wissota this year? I'm thinking we could raid one of MN's rearing ponds some night

[cmoredrakes]

My favs are any Harasser blade, Mepps Giant Killer, or Burner Bucktails. I like the Burners 'cause they have the blade on the back of the lure so you don't have to mess with tangles around the blade as much. I'm not really a fan of tandems. I sort of like them for trolling and stuff but I can't get enough distance on them as well as I can with the in-line spinners for some reason. I know they are very productive on weedlines and in shallows but I've caught more big bass and walleyes on the tandems than I have muskies. I like the in-lines better 'cause you can retrieve them faster. I found that the size of the lure doesn't matter the size of the fish you catch, its the retrieve that triggers them into striking. I was usin' a little crappie spinner once and ended up catching a 35 inch northern. {It was pretty fun catchin' that fish on an ultra-lite rod and 4 pound test line }

[whitewolf6647]

My fav for a bucktail would have to be the Musky Buster Bucktail this thing has a flare that doesn't end I love it. As far as spinner baits go both the hawg spin (espceially for trolling) and the stump hawg both made by Fudally.

[markkstanley]

Bucktail - eagle tails, musky buck

Spinners - Rad dog, grinder, grim reaper and my fave CJ Spins.

I usually favor the spinners except when Tonka Boy is smokin me with those musky bucks.

If you are trolling go with the spinners 2oz to 3oz size

[Cooter]

I like to have em made custom by Ron at Crazy D. At bit spendy, but you can pick every component and get a unique bucktail tailor made for where you like to fish. Is time to start making my own.

[TECK]

Rad Dog and Eagle Tail

[TMan]

Wolftrap Bucktails by Matt Nelson, the same guy who ties all those eagle tails you folks are buying. He designed a keel weighted bucktail that doesn't twist - ever. He's at all the MN 'skie shows and you'll see his stuff right next to the eagle tails he ties at Thorne Bros. Or call him and he'll make customs for you. They're all I have now, threw away all my Buchertails and Mepps...

[RK]

Heya,

TMan - right on on Matt. He makes some very good tails. He's also making Huntertails, which were previously made by Tom Bastian. Lots of my custom tails are Bastian models that Matt now makes. Check out Matt's keel weighted single hook baits. Only inline bucktail I've ever seen that you could throw in rushes. Neat deals. Can also troll his keel weighted baits and they won't turn your line into a twisted nightmare. Work pretty well behind boards...

Cheers,

RK

[Guest]

One more vote for Huntertails!!!!! The only Bucktail I throw. For spinnerbaits I like C.J's and Grim Reapers.

Brian Muskieschaef

[MedicDan]

The only four muskies I caught last year were all on the mepps musky killer(bucktail),the one with all the different BRIGHT colors!

[J Rookie K]

Spinner bait, M&G hands down. Marvs are a close second. Bucktail: Eagle Tail, Blue Fox Muskie Buck, Land O Lakes.

[TMan]

OOPS! You're right Robb, they are Huntertails that used to be Tom's, not Eagletails. Please forgive my "tail" mixup...I use neither. Regardless, Matt's private stock stuff is the bomb. I R&D'd them for 2 years before he even started selling them. Same with the "Rushbuster" spinnerbait you spoke of. I pointed him to my patent attorney for the protection on that keel design because I thought it was such a cool idea.

TMan

[The Yeti]

I like the eagle tails. I remember a lure some years back made by a dude up in LongVille called a Lilly Tail? Still around and does anyone use them?

[AWH]

Lilly Tails (now made by Musky Mania/Drifter) are great tails for fishing in the reeds. They're light weight so you can really burn them. And the single hook makes them come in nicely through the reeds without getting hung up.

Aaron