Gear: Hogy Mesh Crate Storage System | Inshore Edition
By saltycape
The Hogy Mesh Crate Storage System
This mesh crate was designed to house the best representation of my interpretation of the Hogy System. If you were to look back at 99% of my inshore videos over the last 10 years, you would find each of these lures in the video. I feel very strongly that there is not a single fishery on earth where you would find yourself empty handed with this collection. Many lures in this collection are universal, meaning that they can be fished both inshore and offshore on any gamefish up to 150lbs.
– Capt. Mike
SoftBaits
Soft Baits come in many shapes and sizes, but they can really be broken down into two styles: Action Tails and Eel Tails. Softbaits come “unrigged” or “pre-rigged” at the factory. Unrigged softbaits are customizable, can be rigged weedless are often have more movement in the water than pre-rigged baits. Unrigged baits are less durable. Pre-Rigged baits are easy to use and do not require rigging instruction. Since they are designed from scratch around the rigging that is molded in, they typically have their swimming action built in. They are easiest to use and high-end versions like ours are more durable than virtually all unrigged plastics. Most “pre-rigged” softbaits are not able to be rigged weedless.
What To Look For:
1) Shallow Water: Tail that moves at slow speeds
2) Slow Jigging: Eel or action tail
3) Fast Retrieves: Heavy Duty Paddle Tails and Weight
4) Topwater and Weedless action: Lot’s of action, weed resistance.
The Line Up:
Slow Tail:
Slow tails solve a couple of problems. For starters, they have a a ton of action when fished at the slowest of speeds. This is important because there are situations such as casting to summer tarpon where the lure needs to be very slow to get bit, but also have lots of action. Secondly, a lightly weighted pre-rigged softbait is often too light to kick a paddle tail, so this “lightky weighted version” also an angler to fish in very skinny water in flats and estuaries without snagging bottom. Fish very slowly, rod tip at 45-degree angle.
Unique Feature: This lure’s thin, outward facing twin tails will vibrate and offer exaggerated action at the slowest of slow speeds. The tails are so long and so thin that this lure can be substituted for an “eel tail” design.
Primary Technique: Casting sub surface
Speed: Slow
Style: Attractor
Zone: Inshore
Pro Tail Soft Sand Eel:
Most popular with our Northeast anglers as an imitator for sand eels. Our latest version come in an air brushed two tone olive white pattern, highly imitative of a sand eel This lure will swim with very little action on a straight retrieve which mimics a sand eel’s pattern perfectly. Short rip tip snaps will bring extra “life” to the bait. This lure spends equal amounts of its time in the water as a casting lure and a jigging lure. A medium retrieve is great for casting. Sharpie anglers know this lure is deadly on a slow jigging style.Extremely durable for high volume days.
Unique Feature: The lead weight inside our Hogy Protail Soft Sand eel is long and evenly distributed, resulting in aspiralized decent on the drop which makes for a deadly slow pitch jigging presentation with long slow rod sweeps when mimicking sand eels.
Zone: Inshore, Universal and Offshore Versions available
Pro Tail Paddle:
This simple lure is a well-proportioned paddle tail built tough enough for large tarpon and tuna. Fish this lure with straight medium to fast retrieve at the same 45-degree angle. One tip worth mentioning here is to speed up your retrieve, pause for a few seconds, maybe 2 or 3, then continue of a medium retrieve speed. This deadly technique will draw FOMO induced reaction strikes. Various waits of the Pro Tail Paddle are available for deeper presentations when necessary.
Unique Feature: Perfect paddle tail. Strongest in its class. ProTail plastic durability and variety of weight options,
Primary Technique: Casting
Speed: Slow + Medium
Style: Imitator
Zone: Inshore, Universal and Offshore Versions available
The Original:
This lure was our first design and still much beloved by many Hogy fans old and new.This long and slender top water/shallow water softbait has fooled countless snook, tarpon and stripers. Made with hand poured virgin plastic in Indiana, you’ll quickly understand what this lure is going to behave like in the water as it droops over both sides of your hand. Think a piece of fettuccini in the water and you get the idea. The beauty of this bait is that it can be rigged weedless both lightly weighted and unweighted with our premium swimbait hooks.
Unique Feature: You have to see the action to understand how good it its.
Primary Technique: Casting
Speed: All Speeds
Style: Attractor
Zone: Inshore and Universal Versions available
JIGS
Most Jigscan be casted or jigged. Most anglers fish casting jigs with trebles and vertical jigs with single or “assist style hooks” where a single hook swings freely from the lure. Lure speed is an important factor to be aware of with jigs, your choice to fishing fast (cover range of depths, draw reaction strike) or slow (imitative, sluggish fish, one important depth) will dictate which profile to use. Color is about either “attraction” or “matching the hatch.”
What To Look For:
1) Slow/Medium Top water Presentation: Light weight, narrow design. Will allow “hang time” in the strike zone at slower speeds without sinking. A properly “keeled” (balance with a medium to low center of gravity) lure will swim best.
2) Long Range fast retrieve: Heavy, evenly balanced weight. Punches wind. Covers ground with long casts and speed.
3) Imitative: Natural size, shape and color to match the hatch.
4) Slow Jigging: A profile that somehow offers action when the lure is sinking and retrieved at slow speeds. Allow time in the strike zone.
5) Fast Jigging: A profile that allows for fast descents and fast retrieves. Elicits FOMO reaction Strikes.
The Line Up:
The Epoxy Jig Lure:
This lure literally does it all and is often the “If I only had just one lure” list of expert anglers. The Hogy Epoxy Jig Lure is an OUTSANDING top water casting jig, that can be fished tip down slow and low, medium angle at medium speeds and tip up with a fleeing baitfish skipping action. Rigged with a single or inline hook, the Hogy Epoxy Jig Lure can be jigged on a slow pitch or presentation as the jig will flutter naturally on the descent. In Heavier waits it can be jigged medium fast.
Unique Feature: Painstakingly keeled to accommodate all fishing styles.
Primary Technique: Casting and Jigging
Speed: Slow, Medium and Fast
Style: Attractor and Imitator
Zone: Inshore, Universal and Offshore
The Heavy Minnow:
This jig is all about long casts and fast retrieves. Thick body relatively short body results in superior wind punching and stability at high speeds. The stubbier profile also results in great hook sets and fewer missed fish. The Heavy Minnow makes a great switch hitter for vertical jigging for groundfish like sea bass when the topwater bite is slow. Sinks quickly in current and has the ability to be fished fast.
Unique Feature: High width to length ratio
Primary Technique: Long Range Casting
Speed: Medium and Fast
Style: Attractor and Imitator
Zone: Inshore, Universal
The Squinnow Groundfish Jig:
This bait is deadly on small groundfish like scup, sea bass and snappers. It’s rounded body with a low center of gravity results in a very juicy action when jigged slow.
Unique Feature: Rounded belly, short thick design, Small jigs can be fished in deeper water with good flutter.
Primary Technique: Jigging for groundfish
Speed: Slow Bottom
Style: Attractor and Imitator
Zone: Inshore
The Sand Eel Jig:
The name says it all. This lure is designed to perfectly mimic a sand eel which may me the most prolific baitfish in the world. With it’s long slender uniform design, the lure can be casted and fish at a fast retrieve. The Hogy Sand eel jig is perhaps more popular with tuna and striper jiggers alike to mimic sand eel hungry predators. Sand eels can be fished “twitchy style” and on a slow pitch. Like all jigs, the can be fished fast and slow but this lure really shows off on a slow pitch or rapid twitch when dropped to where fish are marked on the finder.
Primary Technique: Jigging and Casting smaller versions
Speed: Medium and Fast
Style: Imitator
Zone: Inshore, Universal, Offshore
The Peanut Bunker Jig:
Here’s another lure where its name suggests its shape. This lure is a perfect replica of a peanut bunker.
Unique Feature: This lure has a high center of gravity with a tapered slope to the belly of the lure which results in a wobbling action when retrieved at just the right medium speed.
Primary Technique: Casting
Speed: Medium
Style: Imitator
Zone: Inshore
Flutter Pitch:
This fat thin jig is all about the slow pitch! This lure is specifically for vertical jigging and comes pre-rigged with a pro-grade teaser assist hook. The Flutter Pitch Jig is designed with a flat Body with a raised elevation along its lateral line results in a deadly flutter when fish slowly. This lure Is very light relative to its size which means you can have a bigger bait offering without too much weight for the depth. This lure is ideal for commitment phobic fish that need a lure in its face for a long while, with action to elicit a strike.
Unique Feature: The lure fishes as well on the drop as it does on the pick-up due to its “flutter action.
Primary Technique: Slow Jigging to cover a variety of depths.
Speed: Slow
Style: Attractor
Zone: Universal, Offshore
PLUGS
Plugs are an essential component to any saltwater tackle arsenal. Plugs have action “built in making them easy to fish and have actions not found with jigs and soft plastics. They come in a wide variety of sizes from teeny to quite large. In our opinion, plugs make the most sense with imitating large bait. Plugs are light relative to their size, so extra small plugs are difficult to cast on saltwater gear. As casting there they are most often associated with top or sub surface swimming actions. Plugs can be fished in open water and around structure.
What To Look For:
1) Surface Commotion: Splashing and noisy commotion that attracts fish.
2) Area Coverage: Swimming baits like the slider and squid plug are good for covering ground at medium to fast constant speeds. Good search baits.
3) Bait Profile: Match the hatch with size and color.
The Hogy Squid Lure:
These highly imitative hard body baits are designed to closely imitate “lit up” fleeing squid. Available in a floating topwater and long casting slow sinking model in windy conditions. There is no wrong way to fish a squid plug. Tip up with A medium to medium fast retrieve is a good starting point.
Primary Technique: Surface Casting
Speed: Medium
Style: Imitator
Zone: Universal
The Hogy Popper:
The popper is one of the oldest lure designs still used in modern fishing dating back to the 1940s with the introduction of the “hula popper” The popper is the ultimate attractor with its popping action calling in fish from hundreds of feet away.Generally considered a “slow” “surface” “attractor”
Unique Feature: A popper is difficult to make unique by virtue of its shape and mechanics. Our version is “charter grade” in the sense it’s rigged with the “charter captain’s” specifications right out of the package. A feature inherent in all of our lures.
Primary Technique: Surface Casting
Speed: Slow
Style: Attractor
Zone: Inshore
The Hogy Slider:
The Hogy Slider is a modern twist on a classic “lipped” swimming style lure. Instead of a “bill” attached to the front of the lure, the lure is carefully balanced such that the weight distribution inside the lure paired with its hydrodynamics will produce a slow wobble side to side, that in our opinion, is more akin to a wounded fish swimming. The added benefit of the slider is that it slowly sinks horizontally when paused, as compared to floating to the surface. This neutral descent offers three benefits: 1. To get a little deeper by pausing 2. The dynamic of a nervous fish seeking cover 3. And the ability to be cast in the wind, due to its dense length to weight ratio
Category: Long Range medium retrieve, Sub Surface action.
Primary Technique: Sub Surface Casting
Speed: Medium
Style: Imitator
Zone: Inshore, Universal, Offshore
The Hogy Dog Walker:
The Dog Walker can be described as a hybrid between a swimming lure and a popper. it is fished faster than a popper with a swimming action as compared to a popping action followed by pauses of a popper. The advantage of a dog walker is that it allows you to cover more ground while attracting fish since it is retrieved more quickly. Simple math suggests faster retrieve + more casts in more places = more ground covered to locate fish. The best way to fish a dog walker is with your rod tip angled between 25- and 45-degree angle with a medium fast retrieve with intermittent jerks of the rod to impart a “side to side” action of the lure.
Watch Capt. Mike Hogan use a light tackle lead core outfit to jig’n troll striped bass off Tom’s Shoal near wasque. Capt. Mike was fishing the (1) humps in slight deeper water and dropping back to target the Captain Saw on the fish finder.
Capt. Mike Hogan and Sean Ruge of Riptide Charters headed off Provincetown, MA in mid-June to vertical jig and topwater cast for large striped bass to 40″ in length.
When striped bass make their initial push up through Martha’s Vineyard and Buzzards Bay in early May, one of the most surefire ways to find them from shore is to target the boulder fields that dot the area.
Slow tails solve a couple of problems. For starters, they have a a ton of action when fished at the slowest of speeds. This is important because there are situations such as casting to summer tarpon where the lure needs to be very slow to get bit, but also have lots of action. Secondly, a lightly weighted pre-rigged softbait is often too light to kick a paddle tail, so this “lightky weighted version” also an angler to fish in very skinny water in flats and estuaries without snagging bottom. Fish very slowly, rod tip at 45-degree angle.
Most popular with our Northeast anglers as an imitator for sand eels. Our latest version come in an air brushed two tone olive white pattern, highly imitative of a sand eel This lure will swim with very little action on a straight retrieve which mimics a sand eel’s pattern perfectly. Short rip tip snaps will bring extra “life” to the bait. This lure spends equal amounts of its time in the water as a casting lure and a jigging lure. A medium retrieve is great for casting. Sharpie anglers know this lure is deadly on a slow jigging style.Extremely durable for high volume days.
This simple lure is a well-proportioned paddle tail built tough enough for large tarpon and tuna. Fish this lure with straight medium to fast retrieve at the same 45-degree angle. One tip worth mentioning here is to speed up your retrieve, pause for a few seconds, maybe 2 or 3, then continue of a medium retrieve speed. This deadly technique will draw FOMO induced reaction strikes. Various waits of the Pro Tail Paddle are available for deeper presentations when necessary.
This lure was our first design and still much beloved by many Hogy fans old and new. This long and slender top water/shallow water softbait has fooled countless snook, tarpon and stripers. Made with hand poured virgin plastic in Indiana, you’ll quickly understand what this lure is going to behave like in the water as it droops over both sides of your hand. Think a piece of fettuccini in the water and you get the idea. The beauty of this bait is that it can be rigged weedless both lightly weighted and unweighted with our premium swimbait hooks.
This lure literally does it all and is often the “If I only had just one lure” list of expert anglers. The Hogy Epoxy Jig Lure is an OUTSANDING top water casting jig, that can be fished tip down slow and low, medium angle at medium speeds and tip up with a fleeing baitfish skipping action. Rigged with a single or inline hook, the Hogy Epoxy Jig Lure can be jigged on a slow pitch or presentation as the jig will flutter naturally on the descent. In Heavier waits it can be jigged medium fast. 
This jig is all about long casts and fast retrieves. Thick body relatively short body results in superior wind punching and stability at high speeds. The stubbier profile also results in great hook sets and fewer missed fish. The Heavy Minnow makes a great switch hitter for vertical jigging for groundfish like sea bass when the topwater bite is slow. Sinks quickly in current and has the ability to be fished fast.
This bait is deadly on small groundfish like scup, sea bass and snappers. It’s rounded body with a low center of gravity results in a very juicy action when jigged slow.
The name says it all. This lure is designed to perfectly mimic a sand eel which may me the most prolific baitfish in the world. With it’s long slender uniform design, the lure can be casted and fish at a fast retrieve. The Hogy Sand eel jig is perhaps more popular with tuna and striper jiggers alike to mimic sand eel hungry predators. Sand eels can be fished “twitchy style” and on a slow pitch. Like all jigs, the can be fished fast and slow but this lure really shows off on a slow pitch or rapid twitch when dropped to where fish are marked on the finder. 
This fat thin jig is all about the slow pitch! This lure is specifically for vertical jigging and comes pre-rigged with a pro-grade teaser assist hook. The Flutter Pitch Jig is designed with a flat Body with a raised elevation along its lateral line results in a deadly flutter when fish slowly. This lure Is very light relative to its size which means you can have a bigger bait offering without too much weight for the depth. This lure is ideal for commitment phobic fish that need a lure in its face for a long while, with action to elicit a strike.
These highly imitative hard body baits are designed to closely imitate “lit up” fleeing squid. Available in a floating topwater and long casting slow sinking model in windy conditions. There is no wrong way to fish a squid plug. Tip up with A medium to medium fast retrieve is a good starting point.
The popper is one of the oldest lure designs still used in modern fishing dating back to the 1940s with the introduction of the “hula popper” The popper is the ultimate attractor with its popping action calling in fish from hundreds of feet away. Generally considered a “slow” “surface” “attractor”
The Hogy Slider is a modern twist on a classic “lipped” swimming style lure. Instead of a “bill” attached to the front of the lure, the lure is carefully balanced such that the weight distribution inside the lure paired with its hydrodynamics will produce a slow wobble side to side, that in our opinion, is more akin to a wounded fish swimming. The added benefit of the slider is that it slowly sinks horizontally when paused, as compared to floating to the surface. This neutral descent offers three benefits: 1. To get a little deeper by pausing 2. The dynamic of a nervous fish seeking cover 3. And the ability to be cast in the wind, due to its dense length to weight ratio
The Dog Walker can be described as a hybrid between a swimming lure and a popper. it is fished faster than a popper with a swimming action as compared to a popping action followed by pauses of a popper. The advantage of a dog walker is that it allows you to cover more ground while attracting fish since it is retrieved more quickly. Simple math suggests faster retrieve + more casts in more places = more ground covered to locate fish. The best way to fish a dog walker is with your rod tip angled between 25- and 45-degree angle with a medium fast retrieve with intermittent jerks of the rod to impart a “side to side” action of the lure.
