The Hogy Holy Mackerel and Other Creations

by Andy Nabreski
On The Water Magazine & TV

Any angler worth his salt has seen it at some point in time. You’re surrounded by what seems like miles of breaking fish, they’re big, they’re everywhere, and they won’t bite a single thing in your arsenal of lures. You throw big lures, little lures, red lures, blue lures... it doesn’t matter. These fish know exactly what they want, and you don’t have it.

This scenario happened to me last June, but with a magic marker, a pack of Hogys and a little Yankee ingenuity I was able to break out of the rut and turn it into an epic day. The striped bass were keyed in on mackerel, and anything that didn’t look exactly like a mackerel would be followed, but not bit. So I took a few chartreuse DoubleWide Hogys out of my bag, and the Hogy Holy Mackerel was born.

I’ve been experimenting with magic markers and soft plastic baits for a number of years now. Different plastics will react differently when they’re dressed up, but most of them can be enhanced into more lifelike creates with a few artistic touches with a magic marker. The plastic used in Hogy soft baits seems to work particularly well, and it will slowly absorb the ink over time, blending nicely into the bait. By using several different colored markers, you can get some very interesting and effective results.

For best results you want to decorate your soft-baits at least a few days before using them. It takes a while for the ink to get fully absorbed by the plastic. If the ink hasn’t had time to set, it can rub off onto other baits in your tackle bag, making for some funky techni-colored creations. For best results store your finished creations separately to avoid cross-contamination. When I’m creating my master pieces, I’ll wrap them up individually in wax paper or paper towels and then place them in a plastic bag. In a pinch, however, you can get away with making them on the fly and using them right away.

Let’s Make a Mackerel

Here’s how I make a Holy Mackerel when I have plenty of extra time on my hands. This is the deluxe model. I happen to have a bachelors degree in fine art, so I tend to get a little carried away. If you are artistically challenged or if you only have a black magic marker, no worries. Do the best you can with what you have. As Bob Ross would say, “Any way you want it to be, that’s just right.”

Step One:

This step can be skipped, but it’s a nice detail that will help create a very realistic mackerel pattern. Use a blue or green marker to cover the tops of each side of the bait.

Step Two:

Roll your hogy in paper towels to absorb any excess ink. You should repeat this step after every application of ink.

Step Three:

Now use a blue marker and cover the entire top of the bait. Over time the blue and green will mix together to make a smooth gradient. Don’t forget to wipe the excess ink with a paper towel.

Step Four:

Use a black marker to make a center line down the back of the bait.

Step Five:

Using a black marker, make a series of curved lines along the top of the bait. Don’t put them too close together, or they will all bleed together over time.

Step Six:

Now turn the Hogy on it’s side and begin making the mackerel pattern. Notice how I’m working with the Hogy on a paper towel, this helps keep things tidy and absorbs the excess ink.

At the top of this article is a good photo of a mackerel I took underwater, it’s a good reference.

Step Seven:

No mackerel is complete without a set of eyeballs and a pair of gill slits!

Step Eight:

Notice how the tail of the mackerel is dark in the underwater photo above? Use a black or blue marker to “create the illusion of tail.” (sorry for another Bob Ross reference)

Step Nine:

Now set your masterpiece on a paper towel and let it sit and set for a few days. Over time the ink will be slowly absorbed and blend into the plastic.

Step Ten:

Go fishing! Cast it out give it an erratic retrieve. I prefer to rig mine on a 10/0 offset worm hook. When worked fast, the bait will occasionally break the surface and drive big stripers crazy! Here are a few variations: