Let's Talk About The Bucktail

[cchobot]

So here goes, after some less-than stellar reviews on the premium bucktail, we feel it best to open it up for discussion here in the fly tying forum.

The thing about the premium bucktail is that the emphasis has always been on the length of hair. Not the overall length of bucktail. We do now offer the standard Large Northern Bucktail, for those looking for a lower cost option.

So here goes, what's everyone's thoughts on the bucktail? Let us have it .

[zimmjas]

Long, thin and uber fine. When I mean fine, I mean the hair pulsates when someone walks by 5 feet away. I guess all types of bucktail have their place in some fashion or another, but the most difficult to find is that stuff... that's what I'm always looking for when I'm in the shop.

[zimmjas]

I guess I should preface that if I had to choose between texture and length, I would go with texture first. Though length is nice, you can manipulate your tying style with various techniques (or with the support of other materials) to gain the appearance of length.

I guess the best way to describe it is something like marabou. Not super straight hair, just a bit of crinkle to it and definitely not hollow.

[Pete_G]

Plenty of great, best in the world reviews too.

[E-Z MURF]

I get a kick out of this topic. Everyone always seems to get real picky when it comes to Bucktail. As with any natural material, every tail is slightly different, lets face it, there not machined steel. With that said, we all have our preferances based on tying style or intended use. Most of the time I pick what I feel is the best of the batch and work with it.

I've found that when it comes to bucktail, it always comes down to hunting for 2 things.

1st is texture, a good balance of softness, kink and overall straightness.

2nd is uniform length

If anyone finds the perfect bucktail mother load, I'll be happy to trade you some plastic for some of it.

Murf

[cchobot]

I get a kick out of this subject too. Ever since I've worked at the Edge it's been one of the central themes. From stories of show fiascos & getting prime bucktail stolen right out of your car, to quotes like these:

Not super straight hair, just a bit of crinkle to it and definitely not hollow.

a good balance of softness, kink and overall straightness

to the time when Pete and I were walking around Sachuest and saw a bunch of dear w/ especially big tails and Pete says:

"That's $8.49 all day long"

then there's the hyperbolic chamber w/ all the "BEST" bucktails that resides in a secret location somewhere at The Edge.

and a bucktail that will forever be known as "The Chartreuse" and every employee instantly knows exactly which one we're talking about.

Needless to say bucktail has become a large part of the culture of The Edge

[zimmjas]

The shop's advantage over all the other shops/websites is your bucktail. I remember meeting Popovics once and upon telling him I was from NPT his response was, "Ask Corey when he's going to send me some bucktail." That's your reputation; I'd be damn proud of that.

Even your bunk stuff is usually of a better quality than that found at other shops in the N.E. I can always get the synthetics, eyes and hooks anywhere else and not worry about consistency. So, if I sound like a bucktail fetishist, I guess I can only agree.

Yeah, I realize great bucktail doesn't roll off the assembly line and that I can tie with any low-grade stuff and still catch fish. However, I really do enjoy tying with it and it's much more satisfying when the materials are exactly what you're looking for.

Keep doing whatever the hell you've got to do to get that primo tail hanging on the wall.

[Pete_G]

Originally Posted by zimmjas

The shop's advantage over all the other shops/websites is your bucktail. I remember meeting Popovics once and upon telling him I was from NPT his response was, "Ask Corey when he's going to send me some bucktail." That's your reputation; I'd be damn proud of that.

Even your bunk stuff is usually of a better quality than that found at other shops in the N.E. I can always get the synthetics, eyes and hooks anywhere else and not worry about consistency. So, if I sound like a bucktail fetishist, I guess I can only agree.

Yeah, I realize great bucktail doesn't roll off the assembly line and that I can tie with any low-grade stuff and still catch fish. However, I really do enjoy tying with it and it's much more satisfying when the materials are exactly what you're looking for.

Keep doing whatever the hell you've got to do to get that primo tail hanging on the wall.

Next time you're at the shop Jason, give us an your review of what's on the wall as it relates to how things were 6, 7 plus years ago.

The reason we bring this up is some people really seem convinced the quality has slipped. As someone who has combed bucktail for the shop for 9+ years I believe otherwise. I think what's on the wall, right now, that customers could walk in and buy, is no different then what was there when we were traveling to Jersey.

I tend to think people look back at when we used to do the Jersey show every year and believe the bucktail was somehow different. Looking back with "rose colored glasses" for lack of a better way to put it.

So to some degree, we're trying to understand where the sentiment is coming from. It occurs far and away, almost exclusively, with people who buy online. I've semi-seriously thought about not offering premium bucktail online anymore. People who walk in naturally always choose exactly what they want. Those who buy online, on the other hand, can't see what they are buying so there's a much higher potential to not get what they want when they open the box.

[DM66]

Its funny that you mention the "Jersey Show". I work part-time for Ramsey Outdoor in Paramus and we have a large booth every year and one of the younger guys from the shop asked me "Does SWE ever come to the show"? I said to him that my 1st year working the show was their last year at the show and that the booth was "Mecca" for bucktail. Lol, so I'm guilty of having the rose-colored glasses as well. The difference is that I thought the quality was great back then and I believe its still great or better now.

IMHO, its all really good quality, just depends on what you're looking for. One man's "less than Premium" is another man's "Perfect". Depends on what you're tying and need. I've tried to get as much long bucktail as possible, but now I need shorter tails for the last 2 ties of all the Hollow Fleyes I've been tying......its wasteful to just trim down all the longer tails.

Anyway, being there in person does obviously make it easier, but I think the guys do a great job of picking out what you're lookiing for if you let them know.

Now......where's the order page!

[rgalante]

I have been buying bucktail from you guys for a couple years now. Most of my purchases are made over the Internet. A few times I have called because I was looking for a certain hair type. I have always been more than happy with what you have sent me. You Premium bucktail offers nice length and texture.

The only regret I have is I don't have enough money to buy one in every color.

thanks

Rob