12 inch sluggos
 

a few questions on rigging.

does anyone use the lunker weights on these hog sluggos? if so are you doing one in the tail and 2 on each side of the shank like the 9 inch?

is the tail hook essential or can you fish em with just the head hook? similiar to the tandem hook on a rigged eel as it keeps an even keel?

I only use the 9" because of the insane added cost of the 12", but I've found I use them with and without the tail hook. I start out with just the front hook and if the bite is really slow and I'm only getting tugs, then I'll go to the two-hook setup. The two-hook setup will result in more smaller fish. If I want to weed through the schoolies, I'll go back to the single hook.

thats what i have noticed too... u want that whole thing sucked down by the big mama :cheers:

I use 9" slugos on jigs. But if I want to swim plastic 12", you can't beat a Hogy on a wobblehead. I don't like the big sluggos, Hogy has more realistic action IMHO.

That may be true that you avoid schoolies but you're also potentially missing big fish. I've seen many good fish taken on the rear hook. I think a friend that has landed his share of 30# fish has commented that the big ones always come on the back hook for some reason. He is fishing them fast like Steve's articles recommend which I think has alot to do with it.

I agree that the cost of the 12" sluggos is rediculous.

Not only is the cost rediculous, but they have an entirely different and in my opinion, inferior action compared to the 9".

But last year when I was messing arround with the 12" I put a weight in the tip of the tail in attempts to get it kicking a little better.

I typically only fish unweighted rubber when things are really slow and the fish are real finicky - only a slow, jerky retrieve. Picked up two 40" fish almost back to back this past Saturday using that method with a 9" GotStryper - both on the pause.

I keep an assortment with some tandem rigged/weighted for quicker retrieves, single hooks unweighted for slower retrieves in the upper-water column, and single hooks weighted to sift through the schoolies when getting down deeper.

What hooks have you been using on your 9" Got Strypers? I need to rig mine up.

John D's plug bag is about 55 pounds

I second the Got Stryper.

The best way to combat the high price of the 12" Sluggo is with an 11" Got Stryper. Or if you're into going really big on your plastics, the 13".

how are you guys working got strypers and hogys? similar to a pencil and switching to sidearm halfway through like steve in the youtube video? im guessing a few different responses but that action on the hogys on the website looks great, pete. I like the 9" sluggo but i should try something else too

I've been throwing the 11" Got Stryper with a single Owner 11/0 Longshank Ballyhoo hook.

The long shank gets the hook back a bit, and keeps the action of that tail - nasty top water.

Fish at Block Saturday were all over the Olive color.

its cheaper to rig eels than rig 12" sluggos

pretty sure the former has produced and will continue to produce alot more cows too

I use the supposedly "new and improved" lunkercity offset hooks.
These:
http://www.lunkercity.com/miscgraf/ultimate.jpg
http://www.lunkercity.com/tph.html

The hard right angle lies nice and tight to the body when rigged tex-sposed.

With my rodtip off to the side, pointed almost down at the water. I've had the most success working them with short quick jerks of the rod tip, using the reel only for picking up slack. The design seems to shine with that type of retrieve, sometimes giving nice pops and splashes off the surface.

I don't typically swim them, but I haven't used them enough to really form a solid opinion... as many will say, work it however the fish want them that day.

You're probably pretty close. I'm glad I got the one with only 3 tubes in it. I told you I hadn't changed it over from my last canal trip.

those hooks remind me of the freshy eagle claw light wire hook

sluggos are meant to be stopped and with the right hook

they appear to suspend and glide forward just right...

but that hook looks like it could be straightened out with ease.