Capt. Mike’s Inshore Tackle Crate & Load Out
Hey folks, Captain Mike here. This is my distillation of my personal approach to inshore fishing where I live by the mantra "Fish Smart. Fish Simple." Inshore fishing for striped bass, bluefish, albies, and groundfish presents a series of micro-seasons within larger seasons, each with seemingly infinite numbers of positive situations to troubleshoot your way through. With this crate system, you can focus on the fishing and not the gear. The idea is simple: if it doesn’t fit in the crate, it doesn’t come on the trip because you don’t need it!
Crate Contents
Lure Collection
Our lure selection might be small, but it’s meticulously chosen to cover every situation. Whether facing heavy wind and current, you can fish all levels of the water column from topwater to 400 feet. You can cast or jig, sight cast or blind cast. This collection ensures that you are prepared for virtually any inshore fishing situation you encounter, making it easy to troubleshoot and adapt to changing conditions. With our versatile selection, you are always poised for success on the water.
Essential Softbaits
- Slow Tail Swimbaits: Perfect for slow retrieves in shallow waters, offering exaggerated action at low speeds.
- Pro Tail Paddle Swimbait: Built tough for larger fish, ideal for medium to fast retrieves with a unique "REEL REEL REEL – PAUSE" technique.
- Pro Tail Soft Sand Eel: Mimics sand eels perfectly, effective for casting and jigging with slow pitch presentations.
- Hogy Original Series: Versatile softbait for various speeds and rigging options, great for topwater and shallow water fishing.
Multi-Purpose Casting Jigs
- Epoxy Jig Lure: Highly versatile, suitable for casting and jigging across different speeds and fishing styles.
- Heavy Minnow Jig: Ideal for long casts and fast retrieves, also effective for vertical jigging.
- Peanut Bunker Jig: Replica of a peanut bunker, effective with a wobbling action at medium speeds.
- Micro Sand Eel Jig: Perfect for mimicking small sand eels, great for finesse fishing.
Striper Vertical Jigs
- Hogy Sand Eel Jigs with Assist Hooks: Designed for vertical jigging, these jigs are effective for targeting striped bass in deeper waters.
Groundfish Jigs
- Groundfish Biki Jigs: Perfect for targeting a variety of groundfish species.
- Teaser Rigs: Effective for attracting groundfish.
- 3/0 and 5/0 Jig Biki Rigs: Specifically designed for scup, sea bass, fluke, and tautog.
Essential Plugs
- Hogy Charter Grade Popper: A classic attractor with a popping action that draws fish from a distance.
- Hogy Charter Grade Sliders: Effective for a variety of retrieves, excellent for targeting fish on the surface.
- Hogy Charter Grade OG Swimming Plugs: Reliable for steady retrieves and maintaining a consistent depth.
- Hogy Charter Grade Surface Erasers: Ideal for topwater action, creating a commotion to attract fish.
- Hogy Charter Grade Large and Small Dog Walkers: Versatile for a walk-the-dog action, great for mimicking fleeing baitfish.
Color Selection for Lures
Our minimalist approach extends to our color selection, offering a streamlined yet effective palette. We categorize colors into three groups: Attractors, Imitators, and Contrasting Colors.
- Attractors: Bright, high-visibility colors like Albie Crack, pink, and glow are designed to catch the eye of aggressive feeders.
- Imitators: Natural colors such as silver, blue, olive, and green mimic common baitfish like herring, menhaden, and sand eels.
- Contrasting Colors: Stand-out options like black provide a stark contrast, ideal for getting noticed in various conditions.
Terminal Tackle
- Swivels, Split Rings, and Crimps: Organized in a dedicated box for quick access.
- Chafe Gear and Hooks: Extra hooks, both inline and treble, for various rigging needs.
- Leaders: Wind-on tuna leaders for both casting and jigging.
Tools and Accessories
- Pliers: Regular pliers, split ring pliers for offshore lure adjustments, and crimpers.
- De-hooker and Scissors: Handy for removing hooks and preparing bait.
- Knives: Short knives for bleeding fish and larger ones for cleaning and filleting.
Approaches This Crate Can Handle
- Walk and Gun to Breaking Fish: This moderate-speed approach is ideal for targeting periodically jumping fish. It combines the advantages of drifting and running and gunning, allowing you to re-position yourself in a fishy area without dramatic RPM changes that could spook fish. Approach slowly when a nearby school pops up. Keep it slow and easy at around 10 knots or less.
- Run and Gun to Breaking Fish: An aggressive, fast-charging approach to get to short-lived feeds. Use lures that can cast far and fast, like epoxy jigs or sliders, to drop in the middle of the feed.
- Tactical Drifts in Heavy Current: Drift over targeted areas while jigging vertically. Deploy vertical jigs to get down quickly and stay in the strike zone.
- Side Scan Search: Use side-scan sonar to locate structures and cast towards them with depth-reaching lures like poppers. Cruise around at 4-8 knots, constantly ready to cast.
- Sight Casting to Cruising Fish: Ideally, approach fish upwind and lead them. Use sliders or paddle tail soft baits for targeting visible fish by leading them.
- Long Drifts Blind Casting: Cast poppers or epoxy jigs while drifting to cover large areas. Continuously cast and retrieve to search for fish.
- Search and Drop: Cruise at slow speeds and drop on fish marked on the fish finder. Use heavy vertical jigs and eel tail soft baits to stop and drop on targets.
- Fishing the Swing: Cast your lure upstream and let it swing across the current, mimicking natural bait movement.
- Casting Over Boulder Fields: Carefully cast over rocky areas where fish hide and use lures that can withstand the rough terrain.
- Drifting Rips: Utilize natural currents in rip areas to drift your lure into the strike zone, perfect for targeting aggressive feeders.
Techniques This Crate Can Handle
- Kerplunk Method: Drop heavy epoxy jigs or eel tail soft baits into bubble feeds.
- Dead Sticking: Let heavy harness jigs rock with the boat, imparting a slow natural action through the tail of the softbait, waiting for passing fish.
- Slow Jigging: Use eel tail soft baits or vertical jigs to entice bottom-dwelling fish with a slow, deliberate action.
- Fast Jigging: Employ vertical jigs or paddle tail soft baits for a rapid, attention-grabbing presentation.
- Slow and Low Cranking: Use slow, deliberate retrieves with swimming plugs to maintain lure depth and action.
- Skippy Retrieve with Epoxy Jigs: Utilize a quick, erratic retrieve to mimic fleeing baitfish.
- Pop Pop Pause: Implement a popping action with pauses to entice strikes from predatory fish.
- Start and Stall Crank: Alternate between fast cranking and sudden pauses to trigger reaction strikes.
A well-organized tackle crate is an angler’s best friend. It not only ensures you have all the necessary tools and lures at hand but also helps in maintaining the gear, prolonging its life, and enhancing your overall fishing experience. By following the setup and maintenance tips outlined in this guide, you can maximize your efficiency and success on your next fishing adventure.
