Slug-go Question

[kubota3130]

First I want to thank tynan19, I know him a little from a snowmobiling website and he as taken me under his wing here with some striper questions.
Thanks Casey

My question is about rigging a slug-go. When would you fish one with only one hook. I've rigged up a few this evening (with the help of Steve MacKennas instructions on You Tube....Thank you Steve) and was wondering if I should rig some with single hooks as well as doubles.

Thanks
Steve

[choggieman]

I only ever fish mine with one hook, but I stay away from the boofish

[beaver]

I've rigged some up with two hooks as well, but would rather use just one hook on the 9in. Any suggestions? I know hogy makes a a single gripped/weighted hook but there pretty expensive. I have used the offset hook they give you in the past and have done well, but I'm looking for something a lil beefier.

[Pete F.]

I have used a 8/0 3407 Mustad but I am a sluggo googan.

[reelecstasy]

All of mine are doubles

[fcap60]

I use both 1 and 2 hook sluggos and have done well with each. For me, its more a matter of fishing them differently vs. "when" to fish one or the other.

I fish the 2 hook sluggs with a faster, methodic, jigging motion..rod pointed slightly to the side. (the way I fish pencil poppers).

On the other hand, I fish the single hook sluggo with slower, methodical, slight snaps of the rod tip, allowing the sluggo to fall in between snaps.


both methods can be deadly.

[Rob Rockcrawler]

I use em with a single hook on occasion. Pretty much when there are smaller fish around. It seems to work better with the 7 inchers. The 9 seem to act and catch better tandem rigged, same goes for the 12".

[whiplash]

1 hook takes the bigger fish. 2 hooks you'll pick up more short fish.

[tynan19]

Thanks Steve, I have seen some big fish come to the 2 hook version as well as small fish. The 2 hooks with the additional 3 weights will provide greater casting distance as well as depth control. Try a couple of each and see what works for your style of fishing. Vary your retrieve as well. Your going to have to go to a different place than the one you have been going to though.

[FishermanTim]

I rig them on 1 oz. jigs for the canal. I found that the Bass Pro shop has 1 oz. bullet head jigs that have REALLY durable hooks. I was using Wallyworld jigs, but they tended to bend on larger fish.

The best method is the old "low and slow" way. The way it was described to me when I first started using them was "When you think you're reeling them slow enough, slow down even more!"

Their only true enemies are shorts and blues.
Shorts because of lack of hookup, and blues because of the resulting lack of a lure when they chomp it off.

[kubota3130]

Thanks for all the responses, Now I just gotta go and fish em...

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by FishermanTim

I rig them on 1 oz. jigs for the canal. I found that the Bass Pro shop has 1 oz. bullet head jigs that have REALLY durable hooks. I was using Wallyworld jigs, but they tended to bend on larger fish.

I use Sluggos like this a ton at the canal. I like the ones at Charlie's. Great price, selection and on my way. Plain, white and black in any weight you could need. Just make sure to clip off the little spike and super glue the Sluggo on. Haven't had a problem with durability.

Their only true enemies are shorts and blues.
Shorts because of lack of hookup, and blues because of the resulting lack of a lure when they chomp it off.

Amen to that. Nothing like rigging them up, waiting for the glue to dry and chomped off on the first cast.

Almost every time they're bit in half, it's when I'm reeling in fast to reset my drift.

[FishermanTim]

JohnnyD:
My arsenal of Slug-gos are White, Crystal (white w/ glitter), black, blueback herring, mackeral and eel colored.

I agree that the bues hit either when it first hits the water, or when I quick reel at the end of the drift.

As for the bass, they will hit with a tapping strike on a slow retrieve, or a slam on a jigging retrieve. One way I can gauge whether it's a blue or a bass is the head shake. Bass shake their heads in a slow, thumping method, while blues have a more rapid-fire, quick headshake. Note: schoolies have been known to shake like a blue, but they don't have the body weight to pull it off effectively.
One plus is that since the fish hit the body and hook most of the time (90% for me) I haven't needed steel leaders for some time.

[JohnnyD]

FishermanTim,

I'm right there with you. Although, I have only been using eel and white - probably going to switch to black/red and white for the fall run. I have had the same experience as you when it comes to the way the bass pickup feels. When in the water column, it's usually a really light pickup. I think it's a similar pick up when I jig though. Most of the strikes when I jig come on the drop or when I let the sluggo tumble on bottom a little. After the pick up when I go to jig, I think that's when the fish feels the pressure then says eff you and blasts off.

What size(s) are you using? I've found 9" to work well for me, but gonna experiment with the 12" for cows on the fall run.

[FishermanTim]

I prefer the 9 inch ones. The 12 inch ones cost too much to risk letting the blues shred them. No offense to the manufacturers, but I can get a bag of 9 inch ones for around $10 and rig them as I need them at a total cost of around (if not less than) $2 apiece, where the pre-rigged ones are more than that.

I can't complain because we all use what we like, and what works for us may not be everyone's preference. The bottom line is that at least we are catching fish, so we're doing something right.

[JohnnyD]

That is one thing I never understood with the Sluggos, the prices don't seem to make sense.
3 12" Unrigged Sluggos $10
8 9" Unrigged Sluggos $9.50
Then the prices for pre-rigged Sluggos are insane.

I agree with you though, no complaints from me overall because I'm catching fish on them.