Techniques -- Fishing a Sluggo, Hogy, or similar rubber Eel imitation

[bunkerjoe4]

Several of our newest members have mentioned that they appreciate coming here, but feel somewhat intimidated by our members who have years of experience, and know how to modify their fishing for different situations.

That's a good point. If you are inexperienced, you can be nearby an angler who is using the same setup as you, and outfishing you 5 to 1. I decided to set up a series of threads to help our newest members learn "How" and "Why". The "where" will be your responsibility.

If we can teach you how and why, then we have accomplished our goal of helping people to become better anglers. Anyone is welcome to join in, and give their feedback on what works for them in different conditions.

[rockhopper]

Found this on utube, maybe some of you guys who are good at this can give me pointers, thanks.

rig hogy


swim hogy

[rockhopper]

sluggo

[paco33]

Great video instruction, if you want to go through all that trouble. And the 2nd hook is a fish getter sometimes. I just like to fish with one hook, and run an egg sinker with a bead in the front, maybe 1/2 oz to 1 oz depending on how deep the water is and the current. I like the egg because it gets it down deeper than the weights you stick in, and most bass I get are deep, unless you are fishing in a school of sandeels on the surface.

[cowherder]

Very cool guys, thanks for putting these up.

[skinner]

When the water is warmer, I like to throw them out without any weight. This is good for inlets and rips. As things cool down, like now, low and slow is the way to go.

[bababooey]

Cast out sideways the same direction of the swell, you'll cover more ground. Let em drop through the water. Slow retrieve, occasional twitch.

[ledhead36]

You can also fish a sluggo with a small teaser in the surf. I found that combo deadly last fall.

[storminsteve]

Fishing deeper water? Rig a sluggo behind a Hopkins or 3 oz metal attached by 3-5" of 60# test. Drag it across the bottom. You will hit a home run if the bass are there.

[Monty]

Very limited experience with these (2010 I will use more often).
Used the Hogy 14" at night a couple times, cross current slow, picked up a couple BIG Blues one night, next time there were small blues around and went home with 9" Hogys.
Then early Decembers fished 9" albino and black/silver Slug-Gos and caught a bunch of shorts in close with very eratic retrive (lots of rod action and modrate/fast retrieve). These were all unweighted. Rigging weighted ones up this winter.

[finchaser]

rubber sluggo rigged like an an eel
works great in windy conditions

[clamchucker]

Cast out sideways the same direction of the swell, you'll cover more ground. Let em drop through the water. Slow retrieve, occasional twitch.

Fishing deeper water? Rig a sluggo behind a Hopkins or 3 oz metal attached by 3-5" of 60# test. Drag it across the bottom. You will hit a home run if the bass are there.

rubber sluggo rigged like an an eel
works great in windy conditions

Some good advice here folks, The sluggo rigged to the tin squid is deadly when sand eels should be inshore in another two months or so.

[Monty]

Rigged a few Hogys today.
The last 3 years I fished the 14" Hogy often. Its one of my favorites to fish now.




More of the Stripers caught this past year on Hogys were on the rear hook than years past.

[vpass]

That's a nice Bass There Monty.

I love Fishing the 7 to 9 inch Sluggos on 1 to 1 1/2 oz jig head slowly bouncing back to the beach. Also if you have strong current. Cast out up current let it sink and bounce it with a slow reel only keeping the line tight bass holding to structure will slam the sluggo

[bababooey]

Nice fat striper, monty good job. Another way to use them is to attach a drail to a leader. Slow troll them with the drail giving you the desired depth. Don't do it when bluefish are around or you will go through a lot. Early or late season is best.

[rockhopper]

john skinner fishes a sluggo the man works everything he throws into a striped bass!

[buckethead]

The colder the water is fish them slow. Got some nice bass this morning on rubber eels.

[dogfish]

^^^^ I agree with that for cold water. In the summer when the sandeels move into the Cape we rip them across the water and they smash them. Of course the water is a lot warmer. Love the sluggo it will catch fish in many types of conditions.