Fluke Bucktail Tips

[Gerry Zagorski]

This thread started out as a Blackfish Seminar notification but quickly turned into a really good Bucktail Fluke discussion so moved it here and renamed it.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Some questions I had for Captain Dan after sitting in on his Fluke Seminar


A few things things I had some questions on.

Why do you think the longer 36 inch leader on the teaser hook works better than a shorter one?

Your hook up ratio on the Bucktail vs the teaser hook is the total opposite of mine since 95% of my hook ups are on the teaser, not the Bucktail.. I'm thinking that unlike you, I'm bouncing the Bucktail right on bottom rather than up off the bottom... Would you agree?

Thanks!

[hammer4reel]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

A few things things I had some questions on.

Why do you think the longer 36 inch leader on the teaser hook works better than a shorter one?

Your hook up ratio on the Bucktail vs the teaser hook is the total opposite of mine since 95% of my hook ups are on the teaser, not the Bucktail.. I'm thinking that unlike you, I'm bouncing the Bucktail right on bottom rather than up off the bottom... Would you agree?

Thanks!

I would say 30” is about max on teaser leader , many times it’s 20-24”.

Teaser being further back gives presentation of one being chased , or one lagging back .

As far as bucktail ratio , it’s more than likely height off the bottom .
Try swimming the bucktsil 12-18” off the bottom , and just occasionally touch bottom dropping your rod tip to check your still close .

Will be more natural presentation as well as a few less snags in the ruff stuff .

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by hammer4reel

I would say 30” is about max on teaser leader , many times it’s 20-24”.

Teaser being further back gives presentation of one being chased , or one lagging back .

As far as bucktail ratio , it’s more than likely height off the bottom .
Try swimming the bucktsil 12-18” off the bottom , and just occasionally touch bottom dropping your rod tip to check your still close .

Will be more natural presentation as well as a few less snags in the ruff stuff .

Makes sense, thanks Dan!

[Duffman]

Originally Posted by hammer4reel

I would say 30” is about max on teaser leader , many times it’s 20-24”. .

So your tying a 20 to 24” leader to the teaser?

Interesting. All I’ve ever done is a basic dropper loop 12-18” above the bucktail. Do you change leader length according to water depth or just a experiment to see what works that particular day?

Any specific knot for the dropper? Something to keep it stand off the main line like a Grand Banks knot?

[hammer4reel]

Originally Posted by Duffman

So your tying a 20 to 24” leader to the teaser?

Interesting. All I’ve ever done is a basic dropper loop 12-18” above the bucktail. Do you change leader length according to water depth or just a experiment to see what works that particular day?

Any specific knot for the dropper? Something to keep it stand off the main line like a Grand Banks knot?

I tie a three turn dropper 12-14” above my bucktail .
Teaser is a snelled 8/0 on approx 20” of leader with a surgeons loop on the opposite end .
Run dropper through surgeons knot and drop hook through dropper so they look like a hand shake knot (figure 8)
.
Leader length can change depending on drift speed .

You can feel the bucktail better because of the way the teaser comes off the main line .
It also gives you more action on the teaser
.

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by hammer4reel

I tie a three turn dropper 12-14” above my bucktail .
Teaser is a snelled 8/0 on approx 20” of leader with a surgeons loop on the opposite end .
Run dropper through surgeons knot and drop hook through dropper so they look like a hand shake knot (figure 8)
.
Leader length can change depending on drift speed .

You can feel the bucktail better because of the way the teaser comes off the main line .
It also gives you more action on the teaser
.

This makes a lot of sense to me... Look out Flukes, I got some new tricks up my sleave this year. Thanks Dan!!

[Gerry Zagorski]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

This makes a lot of sense to me... Look out Flukes, I got some new tricks up my sleeve this year. Thanks Dan!!

And what pound test are you using for main and teaser hook leader

[hammer4reel]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

And what pound test are you using for main and teaser hook leader

I use 20 pound braid tied to 12’ of 50# with a Pr knot .
Same 50# for the teaser .
It doesn’t helicopter as easily if a bait gets twisted , and hold up better to nicks around the ruff stuff

[RU fan]

Good stuff....thanks guys