The effect of feather and bucktail on flags and siwash hooks

[numbskull]

My experience is that jointed plugs usually have too much action and often you want to slow them down if you're trying for large bass. A smaller lip, more body length and more weight also helps.

Also, I often use both feathers and bucktail. A bucktail collar over a few skinny longer hackles.

[Swimmer]

My reply has more to do with how the tailhooks are display rather than how the dressing make the plug swim.

If you have just plain bucktail on the hook there is a less pronunced back and forth action, I call it less sexy.

But if you have a tailhook, preferably a siwash using feathers, and just the right amount, then the action can be really provocative (more sexy), and in my opinon really adds another dimension to the plug. Use bucktail as a platform or a very slight collar when using feathers.

I have an AH yellow danny that came from Don with a tag and bucktail. It didn't do much for me. I changed it to yellow feather with very little bucktail and the difference to me was stunning. Standing a few feet about the water watching the plug during retrieve should convince anyone. Besides the feather actually looks like a fish tail.