High Speed Trolling for Wahoo

[Sea Draggin]

Caught 3 fish in 2 hours and came home!

Thats when you break out the jigging stuff and mix it

[Jared D]

Sea Draggin is right... we used to mark spots while high speeding (bait plumes or bottom structure) and then after everyone was tired of that, we would go pound the bottom with jigs to see what was down there. (If we were jigging them up, we would then hit it with bait).

Honestly, for us out of Jacksonville... if your run 50-70 miles to do some fishing, you do all the fishing you can. Plus, its a great way to shut up the cocky people... You reel in 2 or 3 big donkeys, grouper or snapper from 150-200 feet and the mouth slows down!

[gtrfred]

If you have a ball bearing on your mainline, and a ball bearing on your shock cord, the median snap swivel is not that important...The barrel snaps are rated the same as the ball bearings...I've never had one issue on the median barrel snap swivel.

I'm not a big fan with two swivel on a shock cord...I prefer an eye w/ thimble on one end and snap swivel on the other....Everyone has their own idea on how to tweak the system..I get several calls a week on tweaking issues...I've seen and heard it all...double swivels...rigging to take off the trolling sinkers so you can wind on, rubber bands on 20's at HS, etc....If it works, fine...They will have problems in the long run...high speed fishing is just a different game...esp. in rough seas and when the Big Girl hits...We spend to much money on gas, tournaments, time and effort not to have this system perfected.

thats makes a lot of sense about already having 2 ball bearing swivels on the setup, so how much more can a third one add.

i completely agree, if you are going to do it, you may as well do it right.

[striper swiper]

For those that don't own bent butts You can make a harness that you hang the rod with. 2 clips to the reel lugs over the t-top and that will keep it in the water. It works till you make up your mind to get the right stuff. I troll my 23'er at 20(just planing). This is the way we search for stuff. It works we have hooked up at 27mph so don't think your going too fast. At that speed you have to know what to do instantly or your toast btw

[controlled chaos]

OK I think I am about to be ready for a HS trip pretty soon. I went to the Intracoastal Angler in Wilmington and the guys there got me setup with most of the stuff I will need. I bought some 9/0 7691DT hooks and I sharpened the shit out of them. I also got a bunch of 16oz 28oz and 32oz trolling weights. These weights have holes through the middle so I am gonna have to crimp them onto some cable. I got a bunch of 700lb stainless cable for the weights and for stiff rigsas well as some heaty shrink for the stiff rigs. I also got a roll of 400lb billfisher mono for a shock leader and some #12 bright piano wire. While I was caught in the middle of a spending frenzy I went ahead and got some 100lb braid to spool up my 2 tiagras. Now that I can't afford to take my boat out for a month I am gonna rig all this shit up according to wahookings website b/c he has a really good pics and more on how to go about rigging this kind of gear. I have but one question remaining...

Stiff rigs... Do the hooks have to be facing the same way or is it ok to make the hooks face opposite sides when making a stiff rig??? I have seen it a few different ways but I was just wondering about the pros and conns of both techniques. Alright I am off to make some HS trolling rigs!!!

Cheers,

Dave

[cravertosu]

OK I think I am about to be ready for a HS trip pretty soon. I went to the Intracoastal Angler in Wilmington and the guys there got me setup with most of the stuff I will need. I bought some 9/0 7691DT hooks and I sharpened the shit out of them. I also got a bunch of 16oz 28oz and 32oz trolling weights. These weights have holes through the middle so I am gonna have to crimp them onto some cable. I got a bunch of 700lb stainless cable for the weights and for stiff rigsas well as some heaty shrink for the stiff rigs. I also got a roll of 400lb billfisher mono for a shock leader and some #12 bright piano wire. While I was caught in the middle of a spending frenzy I went ahead and got some 100lb braid to spool up my 2 tiagras. Now that I can't afford to take my boat out for a month I am gonna rig all this shit up according to wahookings website b/c he has a really good pics and more on how to go about rigging this kind of gear. I have but one question remaining...

Stiff rigs... Do the hooks have to be facing the same way or is it ok to make the hooks face opposite sides when making a stiff rig??? I have seen it a few different ways but I was just wondering about the pros and conns of both techniques. Alright I am off to make some HS trolling rigs!!!

Cheers,

Dave

Nice!! Looking forward to getting out on the boat and catching a shit load of fish!

Tim

[WahooKing]

Stiff rigs... Do the hooks have to be facing the same way or is it ok to make the hooks face opposite sides when making a stiff rig??? I have seen it a few different ways but I was just wondering about the pros and conns of both techniques. Alright I am off to make some HS trolling rigs!!!

Cheers,

Dave

You have 3 types of hook sets you can use...Single hook stiffy, 0 degree double hook stiffy or 180 degree double hook stiffy....set your bottom hook's point so it touches skirts/hair end...reason being, Wahoo attack tail end first at high speeds...its in their nature to slice and dice their meals...bait trollers are limited on how far they can set their hook rigs back...but not lure fishermen...take advantage of that.

I prefer the 0 degree double hook rig....I've had the 2nd hook save me on numerous occasions...Your hook rigs (0 degree or single) will run in the 12 o'clock position, I do feel that your hook up with Wahoo is better at this position.

180 degree double hook rigs run in the 3 and 9 o'clock position...like airplane wings...Better for fish that feed in a side to side head swing...like a billfish.

[controlled chaos]

Thanks for clearing that up Wahooking!!! You got this wahoo thing nailed and I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. I am making a few of these rigs right now. Should I be worried about using 350lb krok snap swivels or should I just spend the extra few bucks on ball bearing swivels?

Dave

[WahooKing]

Thanks for clearing that up Wahooking!!! You got this wahoo thing nailed and I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. I am making a few of these rigs right now. Should I be worried about using 350lb krok snap swivels or should I just spend the extra few bucks on ball bearing swivels?

Dave

I use the double ring b.b.snaps...I can not say I've put the time into the krok snaps....Not sure the longevity under High Speed pressure...It might work, it might not...its the risk you have to take...which can cost you your whole set up...I will say that most of the failures I've seen were at the snap rather than the swivel...If things aren't broke, I don't fix em.

When your done with your HS rigs, post a pic...Would love to see.

[canyongear]

WK..I use Krocs, mainly due to the size vs # test size of other swivels, especially for the hidden factor up under the skirt. NO complaints. Thus far.

Due to the expense of the Kroc's versus, standards, it boils down to a size issue.

Smaller teasers get the Krocs..largers get the others in the # test appropriate.

Just, my opine.