CAPE COD FISHING HOW-TO RESOURCE CENTER Everything you need to learn how to catch fish on Cape Cod, including the best techniques, spots and equipment curated by Salty Cape staff. LatestStriped Bass & BluefishTuna & OffshoreAlbies & BonitoGroundfishRiggingLatest Gear: Hogy Best Striper Lures for Casting and Jigging #111-J/BCapt. Mike walks us through the best striper lures for casting and jigging for striped bass in the waters off Cape Cod for boat and shore anglers. How To: Casting to Topwater Tuna with the Hogy Charter Grade SliderWe spent 15 minutes on the phone with Capt. Terry Nugent to discuss casting to topwater tuna with the Charter… Slow Pitch Tuna Jigging with the Harness Pro Tail EelSlow Pitch Tuna Jigging | Harness Pro Tail Eel A couple of weeks ago, Capt. Mike Hogan and the… How To: Fish the Hogy Offshore Sand Eel JigHogy Offshore Sand Eel Jig “The specific jig we’ll be fishing today is the 8oz Sand Eel Jig with… How To: Fish The Hogy Bluefin Tuna Grade Epoxy JigThe Tuna Grade Epoxy Jig The 40z Hogy Tuna Rigged Epoxy Jig is a very large epoxy jig that… Commercial Tuna Fishing Safety Gear ChecklistWith the buzzing anxiety and excitement of the 2019 fall commercial tuna season opener right around the corner, anglers, harpooners,… How To: Vertical Jig Sand Eels for TunaWe spent 15 minutes on the phone with Capt. Cullen Lundholm to discuss vertical jigging Hogy Sand Eel Jigs off… How To: Rigging the Poon HarpoonRigging the Poon Harpoon Gifted to Capt. Mike Hogan over 10 years ago by the late founder and president… How To: Sight Casting Topwater TunaSight Casting Topwater Tuna The season we all have been patiently waiting for is here! Last week, Capt. Mike… How To: Drop Shotting for Cod East of ChathamDrop Shotting for Cod After a long day of either catching tuna or trying to catch tuna, Capt. Mike… How To: Plan B Cod Fishing South of Martha’s VineyardCod Fishing South of Martha’s Vineyard If all else fails when you’re chasing tuna offshore, cod fishing is a… Trolling Terminal Tackle: Line, Leaders and Terminal Connections for Trolling Tuna #501Trolling Terminal Tackle for Tuna Braid: I load my Talica 25 with 425 yards of 80lb. Jerry Brown Hollow Core… How To: Tips for Tuna Fishing South of Martha’s Vineyard #503Tips and tricks for seeking out yellowfin tuna south of martha’s vineyard and what to look for when seeking out active fishing grounds. How-To Find Your Own Tuna Bite #502There’s nothing better than finding a pod of tuna in open water and having it all to yourself. But, I have noticed over the years how focused anglers have become on reports seemingly to a point where it might be counterproductive. Here are a few thoughts on how anglers can ditch the reports on and invent their own bites. Gear Guide: South of MV Outfits and Gear #500Capt. Mike takes us through his favorite outfits and gear for tuna fishing south of Martha’s Vineyard during the peak tuna season. How To: Light Tackle Trolling Tips for Striped Bass #194Light Tackle Trolling Tips 1. Troll with the current (down current): This is the easiest way and will keep your… How-To: Anatomy of a Typical Day Trolling Offshore #507In this video, Capt. Mike Hogan explains how he likes to deploy and troll his SI Squid Bulb Spreader Bars in the productive bluefin tuna grounds south of Martha’s Vineyard. How To: Dog Days of Summer Part 4: Trolling Perfect Tubes Over Structure #193Trolling Perfect Tubes Over Structure Structure – Slow Speeds – Large Lure Offering The Lure: My “go-to” in heavy structure… Load more Striped Bass & Bluefish Gear: Hogy Best Striper Lures for Casting and Jigging #111-J/BCapt. Mike walks us through the best striper lures for casting and jigging for striped bass in the waters off Cape Cod for boat and shore anglers. How To: Light Tackle Trolling Tips for Striped Bass #194Light Tackle Trolling Tips 1. Troll with the current (down current): This is the easiest way and will keep your… How To: Dog Days of Summer Part 4: Trolling Perfect Tubes Over Structure #193Trolling Perfect Tubes Over Structure Structure – Slow Speeds – Large Lure Offering The Lure: My “go-to” in heavy structure… How To: Dog Days of Summer Part 3: Trolling Perfect Squids in Open Water #192Trolling Perfect Squids in Open Water Open Water – High Speeds – Large Lure Offering The Lure: The Hogy Perfect… How to: Dog Days of Summer Part 2: Trolling Plugs in Open Water #191Trolling Plugs in Open Water Open Water – Day Time – Variable Speeds – Medium Lure Offering – Troll Scanning… How To: Dog Days of Summer Part 1: Gear List #190Gear List – Dog Days of Summer Let’s face it, mid-summer is the most challenging time of the year to… How To: Open Water Trolling with Swimming Plugs at the HooterOpen Water Trolling with Swimming Plugs at the Hooter Normally, the Hooter is an end-of-summer fishing spot, known for… Fishing a Rip with Topwater Squid Plugs for Striped BassFishing a Rip with Topwater Squid Plugs for Striped Bass Fishing the rips at Monomoy can get tricky during… How To: Topwater Poppers for Stripers Feeding on SquidTopwater Poppers for Stripers Although it might not be warm and sunny all the time, there’s no denying that… Strategy: Trolling Rips for Striped Bass from a Boat #170Capt. Mike gives his tips for trolling rips for striped bass, including considerations for lure selection, tide, current, depth and daylight. Strategy: Trolling Channels for Striped Bass from a Boat #169Capt. Mike reviews tips and tricks for trolling channels for striped bass, including his preferences for lures, depth, tide and time of day. Strategy: Trolling Boulders and Reefs for Striped Bass (Boats) #168Capt. Mike’s tips for trolling boulders and reefs for striped bass, including considerations for lure selection, tide, current and depth. Strategy: Trolling for Stripers Along a Shoreline (Boat) #167Capt. Mike gives tips and tricks for trolling for stripers along a shoreline, including considerations for tide, boat speed, time of day and tackle. Strategy: Open Water Trolling for Stripers Breaking Surface #166Capt. Mike’s tips for open water trolling for stripers breaking surface, including boat positioning, lure selection and approach. Strategy: Trolling for Striped Bass in Open Water When There’s a Lot of Signs (Boat) #165Tips and tricks for trolling for striped bass in open water when there are signs of life, including considerations for lure selection, tide, and daylight. How To: Striper Trolling Tips for Open Water and Structure #145Capt. Mike reviews striper trolling tips when fishing open water and structure from a boat — including preferred tackle, trolling speed and positioning. Strategy: Troll Scan for Striped Bass #164Capt. Mike explains how to troll scan for striped bass — a popular technique for finding stripers when fishing a large, open area from a boat. Strategy: Search and Drop for Striped Bass #163Capt. Mike explains the steps, benefits and lure selection between the search and drop for striped bass — a technique with rising popularity. Load more Tuna & Offshore How To: Casting to Topwater Tuna with the Hogy Charter Grade SliderWe spent 15 minutes on the phone with Capt. Terry Nugent to discuss casting to topwater tuna with the Charter… How To: Fish The Hogy Bluefin Tuna Grade Epoxy JigThe Tuna Grade Epoxy Jig The 40z Hogy Tuna Rigged Epoxy Jig is a very large epoxy jig that… Commercial Tuna Fishing Safety Gear ChecklistWith the buzzing anxiety and excitement of the 2019 fall commercial tuna season opener right around the corner, anglers, harpooners,… How To: Vertical Jig Sand Eels for TunaWe spent 15 minutes on the phone with Capt. Cullen Lundholm to discuss vertical jigging Hogy Sand Eel Jigs off… How To: Sight Casting Topwater TunaSight Casting Topwater Tuna The season we all have been patiently waiting for is here! Last week, Capt. Mike… Trolling Terminal Tackle: Line, Leaders and Terminal Connections for Trolling Tuna #501Trolling Terminal Tackle for Tuna Braid: I load my Talica 25 with 425 yards of 80lb. Jerry Brown Hollow Core… How To: Tips for Tuna Fishing South of Martha’s Vineyard #503Tips and tricks for seeking out yellowfin tuna south of martha’s vineyard and what to look for when seeking out active fishing grounds. How-To Find Your Own Tuna Bite #502There’s nothing better than finding a pod of tuna in open water and having it all to yourself. But, I have noticed over the years how focused anglers have become on reports seemingly to a point where it might be counterproductive. Here are a few thoughts on how anglers can ditch the reports on and invent their own bites. Gear Guide: South of MV Outfits and Gear #500Capt. Mike takes us through his favorite outfits and gear for tuna fishing south of Martha’s Vineyard during the peak tuna season. How-To: Anatomy of a Typical Day Trolling Offshore #507In this video, Capt. Mike Hogan explains how he likes to deploy and troll his SI Squid Bulb Spreader Bars in the productive bluefin tuna grounds south of Martha’s Vineyard. How To: Jigging Softbaits for Tuna on Sand EelsJigging Softbaits for Tuna Heading towards the BC buoy, east of Chatham, Capt. Mike and the Salty Cape crew… How To: Sight Casting Cruising Tuna with Paddle TailsSight Casting for Cruising Tuna The Hogy Pro Tail Paddle Tail is the perfect half beak imitator, which is… How To: Catching Bluefin Tuna on Paddle Tails (Butterfish)Catching Bluefin Tuna on Paddle Tails Capt. Mike Hogan and John Burns head out to the east side of… How To: Troll Scanning for TunaTroll Scanning for Tuna Capt. Mike Hogan and the Salty Cape crew head to the Dump, a well-known fishing… Problem Solving: Tuna Feeding on Krill #254Bluefin Tuna Feeding on Krill: Sample Situation “The tuna were bucket feeding on krill, they were everywhere. I couldn’t catch… Problem Solving: Bottom Grubbing Tuna on Sand Eels #253Capt. Mike teaches us what to do when faced with bottom-feeding bluefin tuna on sand eels — including which techniques and lures to use. Problem Solving: Small Pods of Breaking and Cruising Tuna Hard to Catch #252Capt. Mike walks through a situation where there is plenty of cruising and breaking fish up top, but the bluefin tuna are hard to catch. Problem Solving: Breaking Tuna Won’t Eat #251Capt. Mike runs through an example situation where the angler has located surface activity, but the breaking tuna won’t eat. Load more Albies & Bonito How To: Open Water Trolling with Swimming Plugs at the HooterOpen Water Trolling with Swimming Plugs at the Hooter Normally, the Hooter is an end-of-summer fishing spot, known for… Strategy: How To – Run and Gun for False Albacore #394Run and Gun for False Albacore Notes: To many people, running and gunning is the name of the game but… Strategy: How To – Blind Casting for False Albacore #393Blind Cast for False Albacore Notes: I wish I kept a log of the methods used for each albie I… Strategy: How To – Search and Ready for False Albacore #391Search and Read for False Albie Casting Notes: The “search and ready” technique consists of cruising around at 15 knots… Strategy: How To – Walk and Gun for False Albacore #390Outline: How to Walk and Gun for False Albacore Notes: The slow approach is the ideal way to target… How To: Jig n’ Troll Soft Baits for Albies at the Hooter #311Jigging and Trolling Soft Baits for Albies at the Hooter When bonito and false albacore are known to be… Strategy: Finding Albies Around Cape Cod #380Finding False Albacore Around Cape Cod I have noticed over the years how focused anglers have become on reports, even to… Retrieves: False Albacore Fishing Tips with Capt. Mike Hogan #370False Albacore Fishing Tips Capt. Mike Hogan joins Capt. Shaun Ruge to cover step by step instructions for targeting Albies on… Gear: Capt. Mike’s Guide to Albie Lures #340The Best Lures for Albie Fishing (SEE CHART BELOW FOR REFERENCE) There are so many options out there, and I… Gear: Line, Leader and Terminal Connections for False Albacores #330Line, Leader and Terminal Connection Combinations when Fishing for False Albacore The only real difference between tuna jigging and casting… The Top 14 Hot Spots for Catching False Albacore on Cape CodWhen it comes to albies, anglers travel far and wide chasing rumors, reports and secret tips. Sometimes they are easy to find. Others, not so much. In any event, here’s a guide to some of the haunts that have produced fish for me over the past 25 years that I have been chasing these funny fish. Problem Solving: Capt. Mike’s Top Tips for Fooling Finicky Albies #382Here’s a list of techniques for this situation that I have put into my arsenal from over the years of fishing for these unpredictable speedsters from the Outer Banks to Cape Cod. Albie Etiquette: 10 Tips for Staying Sane During a Blitz #360When the albies (and crowds of boats) are in thick, inshore captains sometimes lose their calm, get hostile and competitive with these silly fish and make fishing not fun. Here are a few tips to stay sane when things get a little tight on the water. How To: Trolling Metals and Epoxy Jigs #300In early August, bonito fill in around the usual haunts surrounding Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard’s outer shoals. Here are a few tips on how to target them. Gear Guide: Outfits for Bonito and Albies #341Capt. Mike’s Outfit Shimano Saragosssa 5000 SW (Reel) & Terez TZSW-70MH (Rod) Why this outfit? Capt. Mike Hogan To keep… September Albie Fishing in Woods HoleOn this memorable September morning, Captains Mike Hogan, Terry Nugent and Shaun Ruge tied into a solid pod of fish. Gear Guide: Best Lures for Bonito And AlbiesThe most popular lures for bonito and false albacore can be broken into three categories: metals, soft plastic baits and… Pro Talk: Cape Cod Albies (Nobska to Osterville)15 Minutes with Capt. Mike Hogan Tides I like either tide, as long as it’s running. A rising tide runs… Load more Groundfish How To: Drop Shotting for Cod East of ChathamDrop Shotting for Cod After a long day of either catching tuna or trying to catch tuna, Capt. Mike… How To: Plan B Cod Fishing South of Martha’s VineyardCod Fishing South of Martha’s Vineyard If all else fails when you’re chasing tuna offshore, cod fishing is a… How To: Flounder Fishing in Cape Cod BayFlounder Fishing in Cape Cod Bay Cape Cod Bay is home to a variety of different species of fish… How To: Hogy Utility Rig (Ground Fishing for Multiple Species)Ground Fishing for Multiple Species Using the Hogy Utility Rig The Hogy Utility Bait Rig is a simple, high quality… Video: How To Catch Tautog in Buzzards BayCapt. Mike Hogan shows us how to catch tautog in Buzzards Bay on an early May fishing trip aboard the Gray Goose. Using Hogy Tandem Bait Rigs and cut green crabs, the crew has success catching dozens of ‘tog. How To: Scup Fishing off the Dock with KidsCapt. Mike goes back to basics here, giving instructions for the simplest of fishing trips — fishing off the town pier with his kids. Learn the equipment, techniques and everything else you need to know to get your kids hooked on fishing! How To: Bluefish & Sea Bass on the Rips of Vineyard & Nantucket SoundThis time of year, you can expect to find striped bass, bluefish, sea bass, porgy and even fluke on the sandy shoals of Nantucket & Vineyard Sound. Learn how Capt. Mike approaches mixed-bag summertime fishing trips in this video shot before work in mid July on the 243 Everglades CC. How To: Jigging Cod On Stellwagen BankUp your odds with Hogy HDUV soft plastics – the best way to get your baits noticed in the depths…. Bottom Fishing On Cape Cod: Fluke, Scup, Black Sea Bass, TautogBottom fishing around the Cape, especially in Vineyard and Nantucket Sounds and Buzzards Bay can be quite productive. Targeting specific… Video: Drop-Shot Cod on Stellwagen BankVideo: Drop-Shot Cod on Stellwagen Bank Here’s a great video from Hogy on drop-shotting for cod on Stellwagen Bank… Load more Rigging How To: Rigging the Poon HarpoonRigging the Poon Harpoon Gifted to Capt. Mike Hogan over 10 years ago by the late founder and president… How To: Hogy Utility Rig (Ground Fishing for Multiple Species)Ground Fishing for Multiple Species Using the Hogy Utility Rig The Hogy Utility Bait Rig is a simple, high quality… How To: Rigging the Hogy Dancing Diamond JigRigging the Hogy Dancing Diamond Jig It’s as simple as Capt. Mike puts it – when stripers are keyed… How-To: Upgrade Your JigHow To Upgrade Your Jig Due to the versatility of Hogy Lures, many of our jigs can be rigged… Gear: Line, Leader and Terminal Connections for False Albacores #330Line, Leader and Terminal Connection Combinations when Fishing for False Albacore The only real difference between tuna jigging and casting… Gear: Line, Leaders and Terminal Connections to Rig for Striper Fishing #110Capt. Mike talks us through a simple way to rig for striper fishing with line, leader and terminal connections for boat and shore anglers. How To Knot: Uni to UniThis is quite possibly the most popular knot for connecting braid to mono for inshore striper, bluefish, albies and bones…. How To: Fishing with Sand Eel JigsThe Sand Eel jig is a particularly deadly sand eel imitation. It has replaced the classic diamond jig for many anglers in Cape Cod Bay and Monomoy Shoals. It can be fished fast or slow while jigging but it is also an effective casting lure. The jig can be used on tuna, stripers and albies depending on how you rig it. How-To Video: Rigging Hogy Epoxy Jigs with a VMC Inline Bucktail HookThe SI VMC 7266 Inline Bucktail Teaser Jig Hook is perfect hook for Epoxy Jigs, Sand Eel Jigs, Heavy Minnow Jigs and any other metal jigs. Learn how to rig this deadly inshore offering in this instructional video. How-To Video: Rig a Ballyhoo with a Blue Max Joe Shute HeadCapt. Mike gives step-by-step instructions for rigging one of the deadliest offshore fishing lures in the Northeast. How-To Video: Rig Your Own Skirted Swimming JigCapt. Mike gives a quick how-to on rigging (and modifying) your own Hogy skirted jig. How To: Rig Hogy Sand Eels for StripersCapt. Mike Hogan explains how to rig the Hogy Sand Eel in order to imitate the sand eels that are commonly found in numbers throughout the Cape Cod area. How To: Rig A Spreader BarBackground: Spreader Bars are very effective way to simulate a pod of bait fish being chased. Designed to be fished… How To: Make a Soft Bait Squid (Squidbert)The Hogy® Squidbert has been a long time favorite for striper anglers targeting fish feeding on squid. These baits are… Knot Tying: Albright Special KnotThe Albright Special Knot is a popular knot for joining a leader to braided line. It is the most popular… Knot Tying: How to Tie a Loop Knot Offshore Loop Knot – For Lines Over 50lb Inshore Loop Knot – For Lines Under 50lb The loop knot… Technique: How to Tie a Loop KnotWe STRONGLY recommend tying with a loop knot on all lures weighing less than 2.5 ounces, so that is most casting lures…. Load more
