Easy instructions from the Salty Cape Crew on how to target Mackerel using the Hogy Diesel Mack Sabiki Rig. Best way to catch your own fresh live bait for striper & tuna fishing on Cape Cod.
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Fill the livewell. Double as a deep-water teaser.
The Diesel Mack Teaser Rig:
The Diesel Mack is your mackerel machine and offshore utility rig. Drop-and-crank for multiple hookups, fill the livewell, confirm what bait is in the area, and double it as a groundfish teaser when you pair it above a jig. It’s the support tool that makes the rest of the system work — and it’s fun enough to hand to anyone on the boat.
Key Features & Benefits
- Heavy-Duty Sabiki Construction: This isn’t a flimsy imported sabiki that tangles on the first drop. The Diesel Mack is built on 60lb premium mono with plated hardware. It’s designed to handle fast-paced mackerel fishing where you’re hauling in multiple fish per drop, trip after trip.
- Crystal Flash Red Tube Teasers: Each dropper features a red tube teaser with crystal flash — a proven mackerel attractor profile. The tube style offers chafe resistance and a larger visual profile in the water compared to hair-style teasers. The flash component draws fish from a distance, even in low-visibility conditions.
- Dual-Purpose: Bait Rig + Groundfish Teaser: The Diesel Mack can be fished above a jig or above a sinker. When paired with a heavy Squinnow or Sand Eel Jig on the bottom, the 4-dropper rig transforms into a teaser system for cod, haddock, and pollock. The tube teasers present a larger profile than the Jig-Biki Crystal Teaser, making the Diesel Mack effective as a cod attractor in deep water.
"Diesel Mack rigs are used to catch and assess forage, primarily mackerel. While not a groundfish jig, they support the broader system by confirming bait presence and providing utility fish when bottom fishing is secondary."
DOCK TALK
Quick answers for most commonly asked questions about the Diesel Mack Bait Rig and fishing applications.
What weight do I use on the bottom?
Can I slow-troll the Diesel Mack?
Can I use it for groundfish, not just bait?
How is this different from a standard sabiki rig?
Is this good for kids and beginners?
What’s the difference between the Diesel Mack and the Jig-Biki?
Salty Cape System
Detailed Applications For the Diesel Mack Rig
Environmental Factors (E)
- Surface to 150’ — anywhere mackerel school or where you need bait-zone assessment
- Moderate to strong current (the rig’s weight and profile hold in drift)
- Over banks, ledges, shoals, and open water where bait congregates
- Both inshore harbors and offshore tuna grounds
Observational Factors (O)
- Birds working the surface — mackerel schools below
- Marks on the sounder showing bait columns
- Need to confirm what species of bait are present before rigging
- Livewell is empty and you need fresh bait for tuna
- Kids or guests on the boat who need action while you scout
Structure + Approach (S + A)
- Open water over marked schools (bait-making)
- Offshore banks and ledges (mackerel staging, cod/haddock teaser application)
- Harbor mouths and jetties (nearshore mackerel, spring/fall)
- Tuna grounds pre-fishing (livewell filling, chunk prep)
Techniques (T)
- Drop-and-Crank — Primary bait-making technique
- Slow Troll — Locating and intercepting spread schools
- Groundfish Teaser — Paired with jig for cod/haddock on bottom
- Forage Confirmation — Quick-drop scouting for bait identification
TIPS & TECHNIQUE
JIG-BIKI TEASER SYSTEM
How To: Mackerel Fishing In Cape Cod Bay (Hogy Diesel Mack Sabiki Rig)
Seabass Fishing Cape Cod | Hogy Jig-Biki Teaser Rig
Offshore Jigging Cod | Haddock | Pollock with Hogy Jig-Biki Rigs
Seabass Jigging Cape Cod - Hogy Squinnow Jigs + Jig Biki
Biki-Jig Storage
Keep all your Biki-Jigs carefully stored in one place with easy to rinse and store marine grade mesh storage bags.
- Easy-rinse marine grade mesh.
- Holds up to 12 Jig-Biki Rigs.
- Hassle free multi-pouch storage.
- Sturdy and durable locking wrap.
Groundfish 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
