How To: Hogy Metal Jig Retrieves #142

Hogy Metal Jig Retrieves and Methods

Metals come in all shapes and sizes. At Hogy, our line-up is no different. Each lure is designed to have a specific profile and action in the water. Each of our jigs can be cast or jigged. Here’s an outline on how to fish each of our metals.

Heavy Minnow Jig for Striper
Hogy Heavy Minnow Jig for Striper Fishing

Hogy Heavy Minnow: The Hogy Heavy Minnow Jig is designed to imitate small baitfish and have a high weight density relative to its overall size making this lure a long distance caster. The best way to fish this lure is at a medium to fast jig retrieve. If on a boat, the rod tip should be in a horizontal position when you are casting and retrieving this lure. The Hogy Heavy Minnow Jig can be vertically jigged and is best suited for shallow water conditions. From shore, your rod position should be pointed upward, again, with a medium to fast retrieve.

Sand Eel Jig for Striper
Hogy Sand Eel Jig for Striper Fishing

Hogy Sand Eel Jig: The Hogy Sand Eel Jig is true to it’s name as its shape perfectly imitates a sand eel. It is a complete copy of a sand eel. The lighter versions (1.25oz and 2.5oz) respond to rod tip action on a retrieve. In shallow water, the Hogy Sand eel jig is a medium to fast retrieve lure with the rod tip pointed slightly upward. In deeper water, pauses can be imparted into the retrieve. The lure will have a flutter on the drop, which often induces strikes. The sand eel jig can be vertically fished at all depths and fishes well at the slowest of jigs and all the way to a true fast jig. The 2.5oz version is popular with surface anglers with heavy outfits looking for heavy weight with a slender profile.

Squinnow Jig for Striper
Hogy Squinnow Jig for Striper Fishing

Hogy Squinnow: The Hogy Squinnow is a funky little jig and has a natural wobble built in. The Hogy Squinnow jig fishes best at a slow to medium retrieve with the rod tip position or angle not as important as it is with other style jigs. On a vertical jig, a slow jig will leverage its natural fluttering action the most.

 

Peanut Jig for Striper
Hogy Peanut Bunker Jig for Striper Fishing

The Hogy Peanut Bunker Jig: The peanut jig has the same body profile as the herring jig, only scaled down. This bait has a deadly wobble built in on light tackle and also a natural flutter on a drop. A slow to medium retrieve is ideal with horizontal rod positioning from a boat and in a tip up position from shore.

Dancing Jig for Striper
Hogy Dancing Diamond Jig for Striper Fishing

Hogy Dancing Diamond Jig: It’s hard to beat the effectiveness of this lure. The real action is in the tail, which is a rigged Hogy Soft Bait Sand Eel on a Crazy Sharp Siwash hook. All you need to do is cast and reel and the tail will do the rest; make sure to alter your retrieve speed until you find the one that works best. On the jig, it’s the same scenario; let the lure drop and the Soft Bait Sand Eel will “dance,” as the name suggests. Be prepared for hits as the rig drops and try different jigging motions until you get the correct one “dialed in.”