Large Nantucket Striped Bass In The Rips | Stemming The Tide | Salty Cape TV: S2025, E4

◆INTRODUCTION
A foggy morning off Nantucket set the stage for big striped bass feeding in heavy rips. Squid were the main forage, with fish leveraging the tide for ambush. By stemming the tide with a large center console, we were able to hold anglers in the strike zone and keep presentations natural. Amber-colored topwater plugs matched the live squid perfectly while the single-hook rigging ensured safe, quick releases.

◆ SPOT & SEASON
◇ Nantucket East Rips | Nantucket, MA
This stretch of rips holds bait all season, with squid dominant in early summer. Strong currents funnel forage across shoals, concentrating stripers. By July, squid and sand eels mix with peanuts, creating a multi-bait setup that keeps predators stacked in the flow.

◆ ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
◇ Heavy fog reduced boat traffic and gave us the rips to ourselves.
◇ Heavy current in the rips necessitated the Capt. Phil to crab walk Infront of the rip with engines in and out of gear.
◇ Strong current gave stripers leverage, requiring heavier gear for quick, healthy releases.

◆ OBSERVATIONAL ANALYSIS
Big stripers were showing tight in the rip, belly-thick from feeding on squid. Although they were feeding placement on the rip was more critical today than other days. Reading the water was important.

◆ APPROACH
We stemmed the tide using twin outboards to crab-walk along the rip line. This let anglers cast uptide into the seam and swing plugs naturally with current. The key was keeping the boat neutral once a fish sounded down-current, drifting back for controlled fights and safe releases.

◆ GEAR AND TECHNIQUES
◇ Hogy XL Dog Walker (Amber, 8”)
• Shape/Color: Amber translucent body perfectly matches live squid.
• Casting: Long distance, tracks clean in wind and chop.
• Swimming Action: Zig-zag “walk-the-dog” action with commotion and hang time.
• X-Factor: Full-bodied “hot dog” profile calls fish from distance and matches squid hatch.
◇ Hogy Classic Dog Walker (Amber, 6”)
• Shape/Color: Ideal for mid-size squid matches and slot fish.
• Action: Finesse zig-zag with easy cadence.
• X-Factor: Great in calm, greasy conditions when subtle commotion seals the deal.

◆ HOW WE FISHED THEM
• Walk-the-Dog Cadence: Rod tip twitching rhythmically with slow reel cadence created a fleeing squid look. Strikes came on the swing across the rip edge.
• Pause at the Rip: Short pauses let the plug stall in the seam, triggering fear-of-missing-out reaction strikes.
• Greasy Calm Advantage: Dog Walkers produced commotion with long hang time, perfect for foggy slicks.

◆ OUTFIT
◇ Hogy Inshore 7’ MH Spinning Rod + 4000 Class Reel
Perfect for Classic Dog Walker, rated 1–3oz. Balanced finesse with backbone for stripers in heavy tide.
◇ Hogy Hybrid 7’ Offshore/Inshore Rod + Van Staal VSS200
Matched with XL Dog Walker. Heavy-duty build shortened fight times, ensuring healthy releases in ripping current.
Leaders: 25lb fluorocarbon for abrasion resistance in strong flow.

◆ CATCH & RELEASE NOTE
Single inline hooks with teaser flags hooked fish cleanly in the upper lip. No deep or gill-hook risk. Safe dehooking and in-water reviving ensured strong releases of overslot stripers.

◆ DINNER DRIFT
With the tide gone slack, the crew shifted deeper to target groundfish. Keeper fluke hit tactical jigs — one fish even coughed up a squid, confirming the day’s dominant forage.

◆ GEAR LINKS
◆ LURES
🌐 Hogy XL Dog Walker (Amber) → https://hogylures.com/products/floati...
🌐 Hogy Classic Dog Walker (Amber) → https://hogylures.com/products/charte...
◆ OUTFIT
🌐 Hogy Inshore + Hybrid Rods → https://hogylures.com/products/7-mh-h...
◆ BOAT
🌐 Filmed aboard a Costa Custom 34SV
◆ CAPTAIN
🌐 Hosted with Capt. Phil Moore, Moore Yacht Sales
◆ SALTY CAPE SYSTEM
🌐 Learn the Salty Cape 5-Part Fishing System → https://saltycape.com