'Hoos on First

While the exciting tactic of high-speed trolling is both popular and wonderfully effective when targeting wahoo across the ‘Stream, local pros swear the most efficient means of tempting local striped sensations is by slow-trolling natural bait/skirted lure combinations directly in the strike zone. They do this by staggering a pair of baits at depths varying between 30 and 60 feet below the surface with the use of #3 planers. Depending on sea conditions and depth of water, speeds vary from four to eight knots. Keeping in mind that wahoo are structure oriented - or at least their primary forage is - maintaining a controlled zigzag trolling pattern over ledges and drop-offs provides the greatest opportunity for success.

One major benefit over high-speed trolling which requires heavy bent-butt tackle and extreme drags is that local wahoo whackers can get away with nothing more than a pair of 30 lb. class medium/heavy trolling outfits. Plus, gone are the days of bulky wire line loaded on heavy duty Senators. Today’s new super braids have quickly gained popularity because of their ultra-thin diameter and now dominate the planer scene. For year’s I have been fishing the same pair of International 30s loaded with 80 lb PowerPro and have never experienced any sort of tackle failure.

WARNING:
It only takes one creaming wahoo strike to catch a serious case of wahoo fever.

For shock leader, I suggest 40 feet of 100 lb. mono. You can’t go wrong with Momoi Hi-Catch or Yo-Zuri Disappearing Pink. Crimp one end of the shock leader to the business end of the planer and the other directly to a heavy duty ball-bearing snap-swivel. This is where you will be connecting your rigged bait. My all time favorite wahoo rig, and one that I’ve taken more wahoo on than any other is an easily obtainable ballyhoo skirted with an Ilander. Another highly effective dead bait rig is a split tail mullet combined with a purple/black Sea Witch. Of course, either must be rigged on wire or serrated toothed wahoo will be heading back into the depths with a souvenir.

Some anglers go as far as using stinger hooks to insure solid connections. If you choose to do so, a simple stinger can be made by using a haywire twist to connect a short shank hook or 3x treble to a piece of #7 or #9 single-strand wire. At the other end of the wire, make a small loop just large enough to slide over the barb of the primary hook. After your usual rigging, slip the loop over the point of the primary hook and haywire the loop tight. Now you have a simple but effective stinger that greatly increases your odds of a solid connection.

Similarly to other game fish, there are many different techniques and tactics used to target wahoo. Slow-trolling skirted ballyhoo with planers is just one of many, but it is one that gives southeast anglers a highly effective and economic approach to capturing these impressive game fish.