Hogy FAQs

1.  How can I weight Hogys?
See Weighting

2.  How can I keep my tandem rig in place after catching a fish?
Our basic design philosophy at Hogy Lures is "Big Baits for Big Fish!" and that's why we came up with our patent-pending Hogy Quick Rig tandem hook system, which all but guarantees solid hook ups. But catching those trophy-size fish can be tough on soft baits and after a few fish you may find your tandem rig has moved in the bait. You should realign the rig because in order for your tandem-rigged Hogy to swim correctly, the hooks must protrude from the bottom of the bait evenly and in a straight line. This way the hooks will act as a keel, keeping your bait from spinning and ensuring it will swim with the serpentine motion that makes Hogys so effective. To help keep the hooks in the proper alignment, we recommend Pro's Soft Bait Glue. Just a drop where the hooks enter and exit the bait will extend the useable life of your bait - and give you more time to fish rather than fiddle with your baits.

3.  How can I repair torn soft baits?
This is another reason we recommend Pro's Soft Bait Glue. We endeavor to make the toughest, most durable soft baits on the market but the fact is, ALL soft baits will succumb aggressive fish, sooner or later. You can extend their usable life by repairing small tears and nicks in your soft baits with many types of CA glues but we like Pro's Soft Bait Glue because when used according to the directions on the bottle it will bond and dry almost instantly, remains flexible, is odorless, and best of all - works when the bait is wet. Just a drop in the tear in a bait is all it takes. Apply the glue, press the torn sections together, and you're good to go in seconds.

4.  How do I rig Hogys?
See Rigging

5.  What colors work best?
This is one of the questions we hear most often, and it may be the most difficult to answer! Our basic design philosophy when it comes to colors is based on the premise that an effective bait can imitate any number of forage items. While exact replicas of various baitfish will catch fish at times (and fishermen in the tackle shops!), something that has the right shape, and most importantly, the right fish-like action is in our opinion much more important. This is why we offer our baits in the basic colors of virtually all baitfish in both fresh and saltwater but at the same time make sure our baits swim and have the basic size and profile that predators expect to see.

So which colors work best? That depends on many variables. These include (but are not limited to):

The basic colors of the available bait. For example, in saltwater one of the most common bait items worldwide are squid. When squid are alarmed or in spawning mode they often take on a pink hue, which is when our Bubblegum color is very effective. On a day-to-day basis, squid show an amber color and our amber Hogys are the way to go if you suspect there are squid in the places you're fishing - and there probably are! Amber is also a good attractor color because it closely replicates the basic color of many common baitfish in both fresh and saltwater. Eels are another prime bait in many places so black and wine red are reliable choices too.

Time of day.  We generally subscribe to the fishermen's adage of light colored lures during the day, dark at night. Our bone color is a consistent fish catcher when the sun is up, and after dark you can't go wrong with black. At first light and in the gathering darkness after the sun has set, purple is a good choice because it will take on an almost luminescent glow in low light.

Water clarity. When the water is murky it is generally thought that fish locate their prey by use of their lateral lines, which pick up movement. They are also visually intuitive too, of course, and our job as anglers when the water is less than clear is to make it as easy as possible for the fish to see what they're stalking. With this in mind, we recommend either our chartreuse or bone Hogys when the water is dirty.

Sometimes we do want to come a bit closer in color to very specific baits and that's why we also offer some color combinations. Our new Double Wide Hogy in Rainbow Bunker color was designed to be close in a combination of colors to Atlantic menhaden (also known as bunker or pogies) and for the freshwater largemouth bass angler, rainbow trout - a prime forage species for trophy largemouths in big lakes where both species are found. Our Black Pearl Original Hogys are another great eel imitation.

6.  My Hogy has taken on a different shape after being in my tackle bag too long. Now what??
Although our proprietary blend of soft plastic is formulated to remain ultra flexible and swim in a way that's irresistible to fish, if your Hogys are bent and stored for substantial periods of time they will "set" that bend. To swim best they should be nice and straight, so it pays to take a little time to bring them back to their original straightness.

If you're patient you can lay them out in the sun for a few hours or hang them so their weight will return them to their shape, or if you want to use them sooner, try heating them up with a hair dryer or in warm water and laying them out straight for a few hours. This should eliminate any bends.

7.  What's the best rod and reel to use for Hogys??
If you're going to be casting your Hogys, start by matching the rod specifications to the weight of your baits. Hogys presently in our line weigh from ½ ounce up to three ounces so your rod should be able to handle those weights.

Whether you're fishing a conventional casting rod or a spinning rod, the best choice is something with relatively fast action but with a bit of softness in the tip, which will cushion your casts and result in fewer torn baits compared to a rod with a very stiff tip. Most anglers use rods from 7 to 9 feet in length, with the shorter models more appropriate for our 7- and 10-inch models and the longer rods for our 10-, 14- and Double Wide series Hogys.

The choice of reels is yours; something that balances well with the rod of course, but remember: Hogy's are designed for "trophy hunters"! Make sure your reel has a silky smooth, reliable drag! Line-wise, some anglers like the instant hook-setting ability, small diameter and abrasion resistance of the new "super braids" while others prefer the lower cost, ease of use, and forgiving nature of traditional monofilament.

You can troll Hogys on whatever outfit you prefer, but we like heavy muskie rods over 7 feet in length for use with our Hogy Weighted Trolling Line, set up with medium size conventional reels. These outfits troll all our baits very well and are much more fun when a big fish hits than heavier gear.

8. Does tailweight decrease the wiggle action on hogy's when rigged with or without a swim head?

Tail Weights: They don't impact the action substantially when rigged Texas style or our Hogy Tandem Quick Rig.

9. Does the hook shank length and/or insert length decrease overall wiggle?