To an experienced Musky angler, a bucktail is a lot more than just a spinner. It's an exacting skill. Here are a few personal tips on some of the many variables in the art of bucktail fishing. BUCKTAIL RUNNING DEPTH Picking the right bucktail to run at a desired depth is also a science. There can be a big difference in running depths from one style to another. Sure, you can fish almost any bucktail spinner shallow or deep and anywhere in between, but there are differences that allow one to perform better in a particular situation. Some of the main factors governing running depth are blade style, blade size, weight, and balance, and your retrieve speed. The amount of drag and lift that a blade creates has a big effect on the running depth of a bucktail. Round wide blades like the "Colorado", or traditional "fluted" create the most lift hence are better adapted to shallow situations. Long narrow blades like a "Willow" are better suited to running deeper. They create far less drag and lift. The "Indiana" and ever popular French blade falls in about the middle making it a good choice for mid depth presentations. Also remember that blade style and thickness determine the sound a bucktail makes as well. Round wide blades tend to produce more noise as do thicker blades. WEIGHT AND BALANCE Obviously a heavier bucktail would naturally run a little deeper just as one with less weight would surely run closer to the
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