Bucktailing

[TenMile]

On and off over the past few years I've dragged a bucktail fly behind the boat. In previous years did it with my 7/8wt flyrod, but this year I switched to a light spincast reel/rod setup that one of my kids won at a fishing derby.

Had some good success this week around Bamfield inshore and in a span of a day, we were able to hook up about 6 Coho with 3 to the boat but all wild so released. Largest was about 10lbs which on a light spincast rod is a big fish!!! Lots of "hits" that didn't hook up, but its fun when they do.

Wanted to hear how others who do this find the most successful. I've been leaving the drag fairly loose so that a light pull will take out line. That seems to work well but wonder if a tighter drag would get a better hook set or pull the hook out? Also find that sticky sharp hooks are very important here too...

As for the fly -- I have no idea where I got it, but I've been using one with a 3" polar bear tail with a piece of pink wool tied to it. Small cream coloured spinner at the front with a trailing hook hidden at the back of the tail.

Best results so far are just at the back of the wake bubbles from the kicker -- roughly 40' behind the boat. Hookups are generally a surprize -- rod will just start singing.

For anyone who hasn't done it yet, give it a try. Can be very productive when you see the Coho jumping.

 

[Dogbreath]

It's funny how a little Pink can make such a difference and Yes the spinner blade does too-I learned that one year @ Duval Point when there weren't many fish around but the Gulls kept diving on the bucktail w/the blade(s).

 

[Finandtonic]

We used to use Cowichan spinners ahead of the hand tied Polar Bear hair Bucktails tied by old Joe in Cowichan Bay many years ago. The spinners were a tear drop shape made from Abalone with a red dot on the inside in the center of the blade, Grey Ghost was a favourite back then.

 

[Big Green Machine]

Are you using spinning reels or spin cast reels, there is a difference.

 

[TenMile]

Right. Spinning reel, not spincast.

 

[tubber]

I was standing on the dock in Ukee when I guy about to get on a guide's boat with a flyrod for bucktailing was told "coho is a four letter word!"
I've tied dozens of bucktails and always plan to use them, but end up chasing springs and taking cohoes as by catch, often when too slow hooking the line to the clip and sending it down. I have 5 solo days in Ukee coming up. I think I'll dedicate at least part of a day to bucktailing tight to the beach where downriggers don't go. I saw lots of cohoes chasing bait inside Lyall Point on a kayak day a few summers back.
Dogbreath, I caught a 32lb spring with the green fly at the top of your picture in the kelp outside Porlier in 1977. Big spinning reel and fiberglass pole.
I think I'll use an 8'6" trout rod and silver aluminum Daiwa 175/275? on one side and a 9' 8 wt and my Lamson flyreel with mono on the other side. Locking rod holders facing aft on a loose drag is what I've used when I have done it. 15-20 feet back just outside the bubbles in deeper water and 40-60 feet back in the kelp.

 

[Dereke]

It's funny how a little Pink can make such a difference and Yes the spinner blade does too-I learned that one year @ Duval Point when there weren't many fish around but the Gulls kept diving on the bucktail w/the blade(s).

Just wondering how do I rig up the spinners? I can tie the bucktails but can I get the wire and blades from any tackle store? I am headed up to Kitimat on the chuck in a couple weeks with a guide and he encouraged me to bring my fly rod.

 

[wishiniwasfishin1]

An I am just wondering if you guys that bucktail find it more productive than running a 4 oz weight and a spoon or an anchovie or something other than a bucktail off the back of the boat?

 

[trophywife]

An I am just wondering if you guys that bucktail find it more productive than running a 4 oz weight and a spoon or an anchovie or something other than a bucktail off the back of the boat?

productive? this is bucktailing were talkin aboot.

polar bear with a green nose planer from a hooch set up.

 

[Dogbreath]

Just wondering how do I rig up the spinners? I can tie the bucktails but can I get the wire and blades from any tackle store?

Yes most tackle stores carry the shafts, clevises and a variety of blades I like Silver but White works too.

 

[Seafever]

I find those work around the end of August and later when the returner Coho show up and are more prone to be surface lurking.....

Up until that point I troll lure such as Apexes, very small plugs, spoons etc etc...until the "returners" show up my best depth for decent Coho is 70 to 90ft. off mid ECVI.

 

[wishiniwasfishin1]

productive? this is bucktailing were talkin aboot.

polar bear with a green nose planer from a hooch set up.

I know, I have yet to catch a fish on a bucktail so I dont find it that productive. I guess my question was, given that you are going to run a line off the back of the boat in the prop wash, do you find bucktails are more productive in general than spoons or bait?

 

[Dereke]

Yes most tackle stores carry the shafts, clevises and a variety of blades I like Silver but White works too.

Thanks Dogbreath, If I am running it off a fly rod do you guys have any suggestions for a line type? Heavy sink? Or should I run Mono and a slip weight of some kind etc... We will be fishing Douglas Channel in a few weeks and would love to connect with some fish using this method.

 

[Dogbreath]

...... my question was, given that you are going to run a line off the back of the boat in the prop wash, do you find bucktails are more productive in general than spoons or bait?

Spoons work and usually don't need a weight-Apexes often work better and do need a weight-never bothered dirtying my hands with bait for something that's so easy but a so called firecracker a Herring cut @ a true 45 degree angle and spinning like crazy was a favourite of an old buddy of mine.

Thanks Dogbreath, If I am running it off a fly rod do you guys have any suggestions for a line type? Heavy sink? Or should I run Mono and a slip weight of some kind etc... We will be fishing Douglas Channel in a few weeks and would love to connect with some fish using this method.

OK I wrote a reply while TenMile was posting his it's all there.

FWIW I knew some guys who used to catch Coho up in Douglas Channel using nothing but a bare hook attached to a bead chain-either dragged like a Bucktail or off the downrigger-it ain't rocket science-if hes following, following, following then jerk the line a few times and watch him explode.

 

[TenMile]

Thanks Dogbreath, If I am running it off a fly rod do you guys have any suggestions for a line type? Heavy sink? Or should I run Mono and a slip weight of some kind etc... We will be fishing Douglas Channel in a few weeks and would love to connect with some fish using this method.

I've had good success with the bucktail right at the surface an inch or less below the water. I've found that the sinking line doesn't do much good when the fly is being dragged behind the boat at 2+ knots. A banana weight will get it down a few feet but I think it's the combination of the action and spashing of the fly on the surface that attracts the attention of the coho. The spinners tend to add some action and hold the fly just below water. You could do the same with a hoochie rigged to some sort of spinner. Even a Rapala (shallow or deep) will work. You want something with some flash and action that looks like a wounded fish at the surface.

For me, this type of fishing is all about the fight with the light setup. A small 4-8lb Coho feels like a monster on a light rod and they have much more fight when not pulling against the flasher. The fly rod is great, but my Arbour reel retrieval is slow, so switching to a spinning reel allows us to clear the bucktail out of the water very quickly when we get a big hookup on one of the mooching rods. My fly rod also doesn't fit well into my Scotty rod holders and I've found it to be a major fumble to get it out. There are special made fly rod holders you can get, but I do this so infrequently that I'v never bothered getting them.

 

[mbowers]

Thanks Dogbreath, If I am running it off a fly rod do you guys have any suggestions for a line type? Heavy sink? Or should I run Mono and a slip weight of some kind etc... We will be fishing Douglas Channel in a few weeks and would love to connect with some fish using this method.

IMHO The fastest sinking fly line you have is better than a floater or straight mono with a weight. An integrated shooting head or full sink. You can also just pick up a piece of lead core line or the custom tips available at lots of fly shops for a couple of dollars. A 6 ft sinking tip and a 4 ft mono leader should clip on nicely to a mooching rod swivel if you don't want to run a separate fly rod. We just had the kids hold on to the rods in the wash and the fly rods did at least as well as spoons and flashers for coho on a trip to Renfrew with Last Chance. They also worked off the beach on coho and black rockfish to keep the kids busy during the troll for a big spring. Try to learn to set the hook by pulling straight back on the rod or strip set the line rather than lifting the rod like a regular hookset. If there's no fish on the regular hookset the line will fly into the cockpit and the fly is in a bad location for the fish to take a second shot at.

 

[specbelly]

Just another option. I tie my bucktails with a trailer hook set up. Instead of attaching the hook in the braid loop, I attach a swivel. I then make a coloradeo setup, (slipring with blade and then the hook). Works awesome having the spinner at the tailend.

 

[wishiniwasfishin1]

Specbelly,
Any chance you have a pic of that setup?

 

[reelfast]

I use a short piece of 800 grain sinking line. you can buy this in lengths, 'shooting heads', and just cut it to size. about 8' is plenty for slow trolling or even some faster movement used for dorado. if the fish wants your fly, there is no hook setting necessary. just make sure your fly reel drag is set at not over about 1# straight off the reel and you are good to go. through long experience and hundreds of fish, if you have tied your flies with eyes, especially doll eyes, you don't need to bother with a trailer hook as the fish most always attack those eyes.

the 'traditional' set up is a single chrome Colorado spinner blade, roughly 7/8" in total length. use 3 very small red beads on the leader first followed by a clevis with the blade and you are good to go. this is right on the leader so no wire or anything special is really needed to make this work. as usual, the great setups are super simple.

 

[trophywife]

the 'traditional' set up is a single chrome Colorado spinner blade, roughly 7/8" in total length. use 3 very small red beads on the leader first followed by a clevis with the blade and you are good to go. this is right on the leader so no wire or anything special is really needed to make this work. as usual, the great setups are super simple.

sounds like a a fresh water set up... wedding band sort of? i am sure yoyos would whack it!!