MID-RANGE: SOFT BAITS
1. Hogy Pro Tail Series: “Multi-Purpose Bait Fish”
Paddles: The Hogy Pro Tail Paddles are our best-selling soft baits due to their versatility and general baitfish shaped profile. They come in a variety of lengths, colors, and weights, with all models internally weighted. They can be fished just below the surface by keeping your rod tip up and maintaining a faster, steadier retrieve, while they really excel as a deeper, subsurface lure. The depth at which one can be fished is determined by the weight of the Pro Tail you use and how long you allow it to sink, as well as the speed of your retrieve; a slower retrieve will allow the lure to remain deeper and at a more consistent level in the water column, while increasing the speed of retrieve will tend to draw one up to the surface. An erratic retrieve, featuring pauses and even shaking of the rod, will give a Pro Tail an injured baitfish appearance. The heavier versions, typically from three ounces on up, make good vertical jigging lures as well. Hogy Pro Tails come pre-rigged and feature VMC hooks that are strong enough for inshore and offshore applications.
Eels: The Hogy Pro Tail Eels are excellent imitators of sand eels and squid due to their long slender profile. They are internally weighted like the Paddles and are best suited for a subsurface presentation, whether cast-and-retrieved or vertically jigged.
Casting Retrieve: Hogy Pro Tails can be fished at all retrieve speeds with the rod tip pointed at just about any angle.
Casting Application:
- Open water feeding fish: Try to lead the front fish if possible. A good way to target bigger fish is to let the lure drop under the school. Often, that’s where the big fish are. Be ready for hits on the drop, especially with the Paddle model, since the vibrating tail will give the lure good action as it falls.
- Over Structure: The Hogy Pro Tail is a good search bait when used over structure. The variety of weights they come in allows an angler to select one that will reach the level of the structure and work it effectively while reducing the chances of hanging up.
- Casting in heavy current: The Hogy Pro Tail comes in a variety of weights, up to 6 oz. Select the lure size needed given the current speed and depth, cast uptide and let the bait drop as it swings.
- Distance in heavy wind: The smooth, more aerodynamic inter-phase of the weighted head and soft plastic body helps Pro Tails achieve greater distance. A snap cast will help punch the bait with some extra distance.
- Blind Casting: The Hogy Pro Tail is an ideal blind cast bait: the tail vibrates for attraction, the lure can be fished at all depths and speeds and it’s relatively snag resistant when fishing from shore.
Jigging Applications:
- Vertical Jigging: The heavier versions of the Hogy Pro Tail are designed for jigging. The drop is slower on the Paddles than the Eels due to the vibrating tail on the former, but fast enough to cover the water column on a vertical presentation. You get two speeds in one jig: slow on the way down with the paddle and fast on the way up.
- Slow, Targeted: Drop the bait to the desired depth. Slowly raise and drop the rod tip. This will simulate a wounded baitfish that can’t make much progress swimming.
Colors: Hogy Pro Tail Paddles are excellent imitations of bunker, herring, mackerel, butterfish and scup. Hogy Pro Tail Eels are excellent imitations of sand eels and squid. Our best selling colors are olive, pink and white.
