Built for Big Bait. Tuned for Big Fish. Trusted by Serious Anglers.

Charter Grade XL Dog Walkers

The Hogy Classic Dog Walker is one of our most relied-on and best-selling topwater lures. Designed for precision casting, walk-the-dog action, and balanced presentation, it offers a refined take on a timeless surface plug—built for modern inshore applications and tuned for exceptional control and range.The Hogy XL Dog Walker is the flagship surface plug in the Hogy lineup—our largest, loudest, and most dominant walk-the-dog lure. Designed with a “hot dog” style fuselage and moderately tapered belly, this thick-bodied topwater creates a strong silhouette and smooth, gliding zig-zag action that holds its line even in wind, chop, and current.
The Hogy XL Dogwalker is designed for serious topwater action, ready to attract trophy fish like striped bass, bluefish, and snook. At 8.25 inches and 3.5 ounces, it casts easily on heavy gear, perfect for handling big strikes in challenging environments.
Watch Video

“Thick, Tough, and Tracks True—Like a Bulldog Chasing a Cat.”

Hogy XL Dog Walker:

Optimized to imitate big baitfish like bunker, mackerel, and herring, the XL Dog Walker is made for anglers chasing trophy-class predators inshore and offshore. Rear-weighted for long-distance casting and built with heavy-duty, through-wired construction, it’s a plug you can throw when conditions are tough and fish are mean.

Whether you’re hunting open-water stripers, tuna in the foam, or bluefish slashing bait in a rip, this is the plug that commands attention. It’s not about flash—it’s about presence, power, and performance.

The XL Dog Walker isn’t just another big plug. It’s the culmination of over a decade of Hogy topwater development—designed with feedback from our pro staff, charter captains, and thousands of casts in the field. Every element—from the fuselage shape to the weight chambering—is tuned to offer the ultimate big bait walk-the-dog experience.

How to Fish It:

Power Walk-the-Dog: Rod tip down, steady rhythmic pops. Wide zig-zag motion triggers feeding strikes in fast water.

Pop Pause Method: 2–3 pops followed by a long pause. Mimics a stunned baitfish—often when fish commit.

Structure Swing: Cast across current and allow plug to swing across ambush zones. Slight rod twitches keep action tight as plug swings.

Moderately Tapered Belly

Keeps the plug tracking straight for extended “glides” in each direction of the “dog walk.” Facilitates the best action, even in rough conditions.

Rear-Weighted for Distance and Control

Weighted in the back to maximize casting distance and improve tracking on retrieve. Gets your plug out to far-off surface feeds and keeps control—even in windy or rough conditions.

Conservation-Minded Lure Design

While it comes equipped with two 3X heavy-duty treble hooks, the plug is intentionally balanced to fish with just one belly hook.

Hogy Charter XL Dogwalker:

Charter Grade Dog Walker XL: 3.5oz - 8.25inch
Charter Grade Dog Walker XL: 3.5oz - 8.25inch4.9
Sale price $24.95
Save $19.85
Charter Grade Dog Walker XL: 3.5oz - 8.25inch Bundle (4pc)
Charter Grade Dog Walker XL: 3.5oz - 8.25inch Bundle (4pc)4.9
Sale price $79.95 Regular price $99.80
“With the explosion of pogies in our area, massive dog walkers have become the standard for big striped bass. The Hogy XL Dog Walker is easy to control, casts a mile, and is perfectly balanced for a single belly hook—making it my top choice for catch-and-release fishing on true trophy-class bass.” - Capt. Mike Hogan

FAQ

Quick answers for most commonly asked questions about the Charter Grade XL Dogwalker and fishing applications.

When should I throw the XL vs. the Classic Dog Walker?

When fish are on big bait, or when you’re targeting larger predators in rougher conditions. The XL casts farther, pushes more water, and moves slower with more presence.

TIPS & TECHNIQUE

CHARTER GRADE XL DOGWALKER

Surface Dogwalker Rips Stripers

Capt. Ray Jarvis hosts this exciting topwater-filled video targeting finicky striped bass holding in rips selectively feeding on sand eels and squid using the Charter Grade Dog Walker. When the tide slacks off, Capt. Ray switches gears and shows us how to us the Squinnow Jig to target stripers holding in deep water near the bottom.

Walk The Dog Stripers | Capt. Jamie Simmons

The Salty Cape crew heads out with Capt. Jamie Simmons in search of shallow water topwater bass on Cape Cod. Big noisy walk-the-dog style plugs, like the Hogy Charter Grade Dog Walker, offer a large profile and rattle, perfect for calling in quality stripers.

Early-Season Topwater Stripers & Open Water Feeds

Capt. Rob Lowell of Cape Cod Offshore Charters shares a great early season topwater schoolie bite with Capt. Mike Hogan near the West End of the Canal. The fish were feeding on very small baits, but surprisingly responded best to oversized topwater plugs fished quickly on the surface.

How To: Casting Big Topwater Plugs for Striped Bass

Spring has Sprung! In this video, we join Capt. Cullen Lundholm of Cape Star Charters aboard his beautiful 33' Conch. There's been a consistent topwater striper bite at the West End of the Cape Cod Canal, with lots of fish in the 40"+ range. This gave us a perfect opportunity to fish the new Charter Grade XL DogWalkers paired with the Hogy Hybrid Spinning Rod!

Topwater & Jig Fishing for Giant Striped Bass | Block Island

In this video we join Capt. Ray Jarvis of Salt of the Earth Sportfishing as we steam south towards Block Island in pursuit of large Striped Bass. A mix of throwing large topwater plugs and jigging large plastics resulted in a stellar trip filled with screaming drags, sore arms, and giant Striped Bass! Follow along to get a taste of what Block Island has to offer!

In the Field Blog

Deep Dives

Hook Types: J Hooks vs. Treble Hooks

When choosing J hooks for your lures, it's crucial to understand the various types of J hooks and how their orientation can impact the lure's performance. Here’s a detailed guide that includes factors like hook types, number of hooks, size, wire gauge, and orientation for swimming plugs, poppers, and pencil poppers.

Hook Size and Gap

Matching Hook Size to Target Species: Hook Size: Larger fish generally require larger hooks to ensure a secure hook set, while smaller fish need appropriately sized hooks to avoid injury and increase hook-up rates. Hook Gap: The size of the hook gap is crucial for effective hook penetration. Larger hooks with wider gap

Hook Influence on Lure Action

Weight and Balance: Hook size can affect the weight and balance of a lure, potentially altering its action. Larger hooks might weigh down a lure, changing its swimming pattern, while smaller hooks might allow for a more natural presentation. Optimal swimming the action of the lure.

Performance of 1 vs 2 Hooks On Plugs

First, let’s decompose (one) hook vs (two) hooks in performance terms: One Hook Pros: Efficiency: Easier and faster to release fish, thereby increasing lure time in the water. Improved Action: When rigged properly, or designed for one hook, many lures perform better with a single hook with less hardware to encumber the action.

Plug Casting Rods

Built with a soft, yet sensitive blank, these rods resist accidental breakage due to high sticking but still offer high sensitivity to light bites on smaller presentations, plus they have plenty of backbone in the blank to apply added pressure for larger inshore species. Paired with an appropriately sized reel, these are a pleasure to fish for daily applications.

  • Mod-Fast Action Black For Increased Sensitivity.
  • Premium Grade Cork Grip
  • Heavy Duty Locking Aluminum Reel Seat
  • Premium Ceramic Guides

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