A Bucktail question: I am going to try tying some buck tail jigs ( sometime before spring) a friend gave me a tail that I had to cut and debone, I am wondering what kind of glue you...

Uncle_T Loc: Georgia

I am going to try tying some buck tail jigs ( sometime before spring) a friend gave me a tail that I had to cut and debone, I am wondering what kind of glue you would use on the finished thread, I don’t want to have to get any expensive or special fly tying glue, hoping that some nail polish or epoxy would do.
Also, another question is, has anyone ever tried tying buck tail as a skirt for a hula popper? Is that a good idea? Why and why not?

Fredfish Loc: Prospect CT.

Uncle_T wrote:

I am going to try tying some buck tail jigs ( sometime before spring) a friend gave me a tail that I had to cut and debone, I am wondering what kind of glue you would use on the finished thread, I don’t want to have to get any expensive or special fly tying glue, hoping that some nail polish or epoxy would do.
Also, another question is, has anyone ever tried tying buck tail as a skirt for a hula popper? Is that a good idea? Why and why not?

I have used clear nail polish when tieing up saltwater bucktail hooks Uncle_T. Usually I put on 2 coats, and it lasts as long as the hair does , catching Stripers and Bluefish.
I've never tried hair on a hula popper, but give it a shot and let us know how it works out.

Uncle_T Loc: Georgia

Fredfish wrote:

I have used clear nail polish when tieing up saltwater bucktail hooks Uncle_T. Usually I put on 2 coats, and it lasts as long as the hair does , catching Stripers and Bluefish.
I've never tried hair on a hula popper, but give it a shot and let us know how it works out.

Thanks Fred, I think nail polish it is then,
I wonder about buck tail on spinners as well but that’s just my imagination wandering, I’ve never caught anything on a spinner but I’ve caught many on hula poppers with the rubber skirts and a buck tail jig is a confidence bait for me

Jer Loc: N. Illinois 🇺🇸

Uncle_T wrote:

Thanks Fred, I think nail polish it is then,
I wonder about buck tail on spinners as well but that’s just my imagination wandering, I’ve never caught anything on a spinner but I’ve caught many on hula poppers with the rubber skirts and a buck tail jig is a confidence bait for me

Reach out to Flytyier. I am certain that he can offer some pointers.

Graywulff Loc: Cortez,Co.

Uncle_T wrote:

Thanks Fred, I think nail polish it is then,
I wonder about buck tail on spinners as well but that’s just my imagination wandering, I’ve never caught anything on a spinner but I’ve caught many on hula poppers with the rubber skirts and a buck tail jig is a confidence bait for me

Mepps calls theirs squirrel tails but I don’t know why bucktail wouldn’t work just as well. Sally Hansen’s Hard as Nails on the thread.

1Oldboat42 Loc: Kearney, Nebraska

Uncle_T wrote:

Thanks Fred, I think nail polish it is then,
I wonder about buck tail on spinners as well but that’s just my imagination wandering, I’ve never caught anything on a spinner but I’ve caught many on hula poppers with the rubber skirts and a buck tail jig is a confidence bait for me

I enjoy fishing inline spinners just under the surface in shallow water and watching a large mouth bass slamming it. And I too use clear nail polish on lures.

Flytier Loc: Wilmington Delaware

Uncle_T wrote:

I am going to try tying some buck tail jigs ( sometime before spring) a friend gave me a tail that I had to cut and debone, I am wondering what kind of glue you would use on the finished thread, I don’t want to have to get any expensive or special fly tying glue, hoping that some nail polish or epoxy would do.
Also, another question is, has anyone ever tried tying buck tail as a skirt for a hula popper? Is that a good idea? Why and why not?

Cheap clear nail polish is all you need as head cement. Might want to have a little acetone to clean up or thin it a bit

Wv mike Loc: Parkersburg area. Wv

Nail polish is what I use

Uncle_T Loc: Georgia

Flytier wrote:

Cheap clear nail polish is all you need as head cement. Might want to have a little acetone to clean up or thin it a bit

Thanks Flytier, that’s what I was hoping to hear, I want to try tying my own bucktails because around here they are hard to find lately and when you can find them they are more expensive than I want them to be, there are a lot of people around who hunt deer so tails shouldn’t be too hard to get, I could even stop at the ones that got hit by cars probably lol

Uncle_T Loc: Georgia

Thanks everyone

Charlie H Loc: Greer, Arizona

Mepp’s calls them squirrel tails because they ARE squirrel tails. 😀
Mepp’s buys squirrel tails from the public.
If you decide to pour your own heads or want to paint lead heads, I’ve had great success with Powder Coat.

Wv mike Loc: Parkersburg area. Wv

I’ve not used buck tail on a hula popper but most of my pop r has ether buck tail with crystal flash or marabou

Uncle_T Loc: Georgia

Wv mike wrote:

I’ve not used buck tail on a hula popper but most of my pop r has ether buck tail with crystal flash or marabou

Yeah the pop r,s have it on the rear treble on a hula it would be directly on the end of the lure, don’t know if it would make any difference the rubber skirt is probably just as well

Uncle_T Loc: Georgia

Charlie H wrote:

Mepp’s calls them squirrel tails because they ARE squirrel tails. 😀
Mepp’s buys squirrel tails from the public.
If you decide to pour your own heads or want to paint lead heads, I’ve had great success with Powder Coat.

I’ve never tried to paint anything yet and don’t know how to use powder coat, don’t you have to bake it or something?

Bcmech1 Loc: Clinton Wisconsin

Uncle_T wrote:

I am going to try tying some buck tail jigs ( sometime before spring) a friend gave me a tail that I had to cut and debone, I am wondering what kind of glue you would use on the finished thread, I don’t want to have to get any expensive or special fly tying glue, hoping that some nail polish or epoxy would do.
Also, another question is, has anyone ever tried tying buck tail as a skirt for a hula popper? Is that a good idea? Why and why not?

As most have already said, clear nail polish for the glue. You can use colored polish as well for different head appearances.
As far as buck tail for a hula popper, I would think that it would get too heavy when wet and sink the rear of the bait. This would make the lure behave unusually.