The Hogy® System - Techniques

Walk the Dog

Unlike a  hard plastic or wood “spook” style surface bait, soft baits can both “walk the dog” and dance, wiggle and dart all in the same retrieve- an unbelievable presentation. A soft-jerk bait combines the fluid action of a soft-bait with the tantalizing dancing patter of a hard top water bait. A deadly combination.
Keep in mind that the action of your Hogy® soft-bait is derived as much from short rod twitches as it is your retrieve. Point the rod tip toward the water and twitch your soft-bait as you reel, using short jerking motions to add action to the lure. Give it a pause every so often to simulate a severely wounded baitfish. You will often find that you’ll get hits when you start reeling again.

Step 1: After casting out, quickly regain any extra slack line created by the cast with a few quick turns of the reel.
Step 2: Keeping your tip POINTED TOWARD THE WATER, impart a few short twitches as you begin to reel.
Step 3: Pause periodically in your retrieve but always keep you tip pointed toward the water. Short starts and stops with your retrieve will really enhance the action of your bait.
Step 4: Change retrieve speeds until you find the speed “they” want.

Blind Casting

If you know fish are holding in an area, don’t be afraid to blind cast. Due Hogy’s large sizes and super lifelike action, big game fish will swim great distances to strike! Don’t be afraid to fish these baits FAST! Splashing and popping will call them in!

Sight Casting to Laid up, Cruising, and Breaking fish

You want to “lead” the fish. In doing so, bring your favorite Hogy® soft-bait into the fish's field of view thereby simulating the effect of the “predator” and the “bait” having a “chance” encounter.

If you’re casting to breaking fish, approach slowly so not to spook the school. Try to determine the direction the school is swimming and get ahead of the school. “Lead” the fish with you cast. Oftentimes, larger fish will be holding underneath. Try sending a Hogy Jiggn’ bait under the school in search of larger fish.

Fishing "The Swing" in Moving Water

Fishing “The Swing” in Moving Water:
Whether you’re fishing from shore or from a boat, you’re presentation in moving water will be the same. Often the best places to find fish in moving water is around structure where large predators can stem the tide and ambush their prey. Identify where fish are holding. Cast up tide (or current) and work your bait as it swings over your target.

Fishing Moving Water: Start by casting the lure slightly up current of the desired target area, be it an inlet, rip, hole, a cut bank, or piece of natural or man-made structure. Once it hits the water, lock in and engage the reel, (if unable to cast up-current, try feeding out some extra line to help keep the lure on target). As the lure descends, hold the rod in a stationary ("dead stick") position of about 10 to 11 o'clock. Be sure to keep the line tight as the lure drifts and free-falls down through the water column, standing ready for any small taps or sudden strikes. As the lure descends, the built-in action of the Hogy soft-plastic bait resembles a fast-diving, darting baitfish, swimming and fluttering as the lure swings with the current. The angler need not provide any action at all, the real work is done by the bait itself. And that's the beauty in both the design and the technique.

Dead Drift: When fishing in an area with strong currents, the dead-drift can be an awesome technique for finicky fish that are stemming the tide. It's very important to keep the line connected to the bait with as little belly in the line as possible while also letting the tide carry the bait. Start twitching the bait as it begins to swing inward toward your rod.

Casting a Rip (Saltwater):
I recommend casting perpendicular to the rip, and like dead drifting, I make very certain I am connected to the lure with no slack in the line. And then, changing retrieves, I'll work the bait as it gets sucked into the rip. The twitches are more assertive in this mode than in a traditional jerk bait retrieve.

Fishing Soft Baits Low and Slow

Fishing Soft-Baits Slow and Low
Fishing Soft-baits “slow and low” was probably the first retrieve method for fishing soft-baits when they were designed to imitate worms. As a result, this retrieve is most commonly used by fresh water bass anglers, even today. That said, this technique is effective in salt water.

Fishing soft baits slow and low is an effective technique for fishing weed-less baits over structure.

Step 1: Cast toward your desired target and let your bait sink all the way the bottom. This may take a minute or two if you’re in deeper water.
Step 2: Once your bait has settled, raise the tip of your rod and slowly take a turn-two-or-three. Pause and let your bait sink to the bottom.
Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 for entire retrieve. Be ready, you will find many of your hits come from on the fall.
Step 4: A hit using this technique will be very subtle regardless of fish size. Let the fish take the bait for a few seconds before setting the hook.

Fishing Structure:

If fish are holding on structure, be sure to work all levels of the water column. Deep jigging is an excellent way to target structure in deep water. Vary your retrieve and presentation.

Fishing Soft Baits on Light Jig Heads

Soft-baits have come a long way in terms of their design, application and targeted species. Though soft-baits entered into mainstream fishing as a “worm” imitation to be fish slowly on the bottom, they have evolved into a genre of lures that can be fished at any level in the water column at any speed.

Soft-Baits are very effectively fished on jig heads and this method serves as an excellent technique for a deeper water presentation, especially if there is moving water caused by river flow and/or tides. The can be effectively cast or vertically jigged.

Step 1: After casting out, quickly regain any extra slack line created by the cast with a few quick turns of the reel.
Step 2: Keeping your tip POINTED UP, impart a few short twitches as you begin to reel. This motion will cause your jig head to swim up on the twitch and drop on the fall.
Step 3: Pause periodically in your retrieve but always keep you tip pointed toward the sky. This will allow you jig head to sink toward the bottom.
Step 4: Change retrieve speeds until you find the speed “they” want.

Fishing Soft Baits on Swimming Tins

Fishing with swimming tins is a plug and play method. Simply cast and reel! Keep your tip at a 30 degree angle to the water and reel SLOWLY. The swimming tin will do the rest as it wobbles the bait seductively through the water, typically a few feet below the surface.

Why Swimming Tins?

• Plug and play retrieve, No extra rod action required.
• Imparts a deadly “wobble” action.
• Great for trolling
• Easy to re-rig

Deep Jigging

Deep jigging has become extremely popular in recent years, especially in salt water. Though deep jigging with soft baits is not as popular as other “metal” style jigs, they are extremely effective due to their natural action, feel and size.

Step 1: Drop your bait to the desired depth. Often, anglers will start with the bottom, but if you’re marking fish on your finder, start just below the target.
Step 2: Start by imparting a few jigging motions followed by a number of turns on your handle to bring your jig up a few feet and repeat jigging motion.
Step 3: Repeat steps 1 and 2 for entire retrieve. If at any point, you’d like to “drop” you bait down, go for it. Be ready, you will find many of your hits come from on the fall.
Step 4: Change retrieve speeds until you find the speed “they” want.

Drop Shotting Big Soft Baits

Originating in Japan, this soft bait bottom fishing technique first arrived in the United States on the West Coast, and made quite a splash in the largemouth bass scene. While "Drop Shotting" is popular in many freshwater bass fishing scenarios, it is largely under-utilized in salt water.

What is a dropshot rig?

In a nutshell, you could say a drop shot rig is a terminal tackle configuration used in bottom fishing (typically with soft plastic baits) where the hook is tied (in-line) above a sinker. Why is this important? Basically, by tying the hook directly "in-line," any movement in the line will transfer directly to the soft bait.

Natural Drifting: Assuming you're in a drifting situation, each time the sinker skips over the bottom and consequently any structure, the vibration in the line will transfer upward all the way to the rod, which you feel in your hands. Each time you feel the bump… bump.. bump… as the sinker ticks along the bottom, the soft bait will literally quiver due to the movement in the line.
Rod Action: As an angler, you can impart similar motion in the bait by adding your own rod action. By adding short twitches with the rod your bait will dance.

The major point to take away here is how important it is to have that hook attached "in-line" to the leader. Any time anything alters it's path in the water, your soft bait will move too, as opposed to using a dropper loop or a three-way rig, where the line could move up and down and have no effect on the bait. The slack in the loop or the leader portion of a three-way may dampen some of the movement - or even disguise a hit. Not a desired effect.

Inshore Trolling

Jiggn’ Troll:
“Jigging” while trolling is a popular technique here in New England and other parts in the North East.  It’s a great technique because you have some sense of angler control while trolling which is often associated with a “hands off” approach.

Jiggn’ Trolling allows an angler to maximize the action of a soft bait as opposed to having the soft bait just trolling through the water. If you miss a fish, you can quickly drop back to it.

A variety of depths can be fished on the Jiggn’ Troll. Many anglers use Lead Core or wire line to achieve greater depths. In weedy water, a “Texas” or Simbait Hook Rigged soft bait can be trolled using the same jigging motions.

The Hogy Jiggn’ is perfectly paired with the Hogy xStrong Jig Heads and Deep Darter Heads.

Troll Swimming Tin:
The beauty of the Hogy Swimming Tin is that the action is built right in. Hogy Swimming Tins can be trolled on braid, mono and wire lines to achieve greater depths.

The 9” Skinny is deadly when paired with the 1oz Hogy Swimming Tin.

Troll Naked!
An un-weighted soft-bait has the most deadly action. So the savvy angler will try fishing an un-weighted soft bait behind an inline trolling sinker or on lead core or wire lines.

The 14” Hogy Original is a favorite on the troll in the mid Atlantic.

Umbrella Rigs:
The soft bait umbrella rig simulates a small school of baitfish being chased by a bigger predator. Hogy Soft baits have such a natural quiver and make perfect teasers. We recommend the 14” Hogy as a stinger.

BlueWater Techniques:

Though soft baits are most commonly associated with inshore casting baits, they very much have an effective spot in your arsenal offshore. Their soft, fluid action presents an extremely lifelike action that I argue is even more natural than rigged dead-bait. Don’t forget that mother-nature builds in the action to a real baitfish. Soft-baits are ergonomically designed to swim as the pull through the waters.
Soft baits come in a multitude of colors, allowing an angler to quickly dial in custom color combinations to suit any situation. In darker conditions, I’ll troll darker baits such as purple black or red wine and on bright bluebird days and inversely on bright days, you find bubble bug, chartreuse and white in my spread.
And lastly, from a pragmatic perspective,  soft-baits are simply easier and faster to rig than real bait. They don’t go bad, wash out or need salting. In short, they offer more action and less maintenance!

Bluewater Soft-Baits: Using Pitch Baits
Big are deadly in Blue Water situation. Below is a high level overview of what we recommend throwing.  Detailed rigging instructions for each method are found in the General Rigging Category.

Rigged and Ready:

Often you will find a “follower” coming in with a hooked fish. So for that reason alone, we recommend a heavy casting outfit “rigged and ready” with a 10” Hogy. We like this size because it is not too big for say, a 10lb Mahi Mahi, but not too small for a 100lb class tuna. Rigging with a Hogy

Top Water Tuna, Jacks, GT and other large Game Fish:
Casting to Tuna is growing in popularity with the somewhat recent explosion of outfits that can handle 100plus lb bruisers. When targeting fish in this size class, we recommend a wider profile bait such as the 10” Hogy Double Wide that creates extra commotion while also offering extra casting distance. A super 4X Strong Hook such as our Hogy Weighted Grip Hook, size 8/0 will offer a confident connection between you and the fish.

Billfish Drop Back

In many locales, circle hooks are required when targeting billfish. Though not always the case with artificials many tournaments require the use of circle hooks for all applications. In that tone, we strongly suggest using our soft bait circle hook rigging method. Not only will you be compliant in any fishing situation, harming fewer fish but also, your hook up ratio will increase with this method. Since there is so little “hook” in the soft-bait, you’ll be amazed by its action.

The Soft Bait Trolling Head
Though soft baits are most commonly associated with inshore casting baits, they very much have an effective spot in your arsenal offshore. Their soft, fluid action presents an extremely lifelike, possibly even more natural than rigged dead-bait. Secondly, soft baits come in a multitude of colors allows an angler to quickly dial in custom color combinations to suit any situation. And lastly, they’re easier and faster to rig than real bait. (Cheaper too!)

The Skirted Ballyhoo Alternative:  So simple yet so effective… The skirted ballyhoo has been catching fish for decades. While I’m not saying that it’s time to retire the oldie but goodie, I will argue strongly that taking a look at this rigging method will put big smiles the face of your crew. The soft nature of a trolled soft jerk bait allows for the bait to seemingly “hum” in the water and they don’t spin. And once hooked, trolled soft-baits will continue to offer deadly action even at the slowest speeds. The bait will “quiver” it descends in the water column, often resulting in additional hook ups. Even putting their fish raising action aside for a moment, I’m a huge fan of this trolling method with soft-baits. They will save you so much time and money over the course of a season. They don’t wash out and they can be re-used. They can even last over a number of fish. Here's how to rig it!

Dredge Bars:

Soft-Bait Dredge bars:  Fishing with dredge bars (Both with soft-baits and real baits) has been popular with billfish anglers for sometime now. The whole idea is that the “school” of baitfish that the dredge bar simulates draws the predator in to your spread that will then take a trolled or pitch bait. While they can be a bit pricey, they are very easy to make, which can save you a bit of $$. Here's how to rig it!

Why Blue water Trolling With Soft-baits?

1. Soft-baits can be fished at all trolling speeds (2 to 12kts).
2. Deadly Action!

 Easy to rig, awesome action, can be trolled all day and re-used. 

The Soft Bait Daisy Chain
A soft bait daisy chain offers life-like teasers in conjunction with your favorite trolling bait. Each soft-bait will wiggle, dance and dart as if being chased by a larger predator. In this case, you’re quarry will instinctively go for the largest offering, you’re stinger! The teasers on your soft-bait daisy chain are easy to change, offering you the quick ability to change colors or replace war-torn baits.

Why Soft Bait Daisy Chains?

1. Mesmerizing Action-more commotion than a single trolling lure or bait.
2. Less drag to pull with hard plastic or metal teasers
3. Effective at wide range of trolling Speeds
4. Easy to rig and re-rig.

Getting Started:
Begin by deciding on what size your stinger will be and work backwards. Your teasers should either be smaller or a different color than your stinger to give your quarry a better target. Basically you want to promote your stinger as the preferred target!

One of the many advantages of soft plastics is the availability of colors, so try any you like. You certainly can't go wrong with the old adage that suggests: "dark colors for dark conditions and bright colors for bright conditions." Translucent colors are especially effective for two reasons: 1. both squid and sand eels are translucent in their natural environment. 2. If lighting conditions change, your baits will change accordingly. Here's how to rig it!

The Soft Bait Spreader Bar:
Due to their relatively long and slender profiles, soft jerk bait style baits are excellent imitators of sand eels or any pint sized bait for that matter, including juvenile squid- all of which find their way into the diet of just about every blue water game fish in our waters.

Once deployed, Soft jerk bars are great for creating a tight bait ball effect, giving pelagic species a reason to join you, with all that "protein" behind your boat. Furthermore, the soft baits dancing in the water look particularly real. Their slender design is so similar in profile to a sand eel or small squid while their flexible movement in the water is more natural than a traditional skirted lure. I also enjoy the fact that soft jerk bars are so easy to rig, modify, change and/or repair which makes them very adaptable to changing conditions.

Why Soft Bait Spreader Bars?

1. Easy to match the hatch with small baits
2. Less drag to pull
3. Effective at wide range of trolling Speeds
4. Easy to rig and re-rig.

Getting Started:
Generally speaking, they larger the bait, the fewer I'll attach to the bar. Overloading the bar will result in poor swimming action and increased tangles. One of the many advantages of soft plastics is the availability of colors, so try any you like. I stick to the basics: Black, Bone, Amber and Chartreuse.