High Speed Trolling for Wahoo

[controlled chaos]

I will take a few pics of the rigs tomorrow and post em up asap. I might go ahead and grab some double ring b.b swivels and re rig with them. I like the krocs alot but they seem like during a high speed situation they may fail before those HD ball bearing swivels. That is just by looking at them though. I don't know first hand so don't jump on me guys...

Dave

[WahooKing]

Here are some pics with different outfits and set ups used on the high speed troll.

Safety lines a must...This team fishes a 5 lines spread...all bent butts




Shorty bent butts in the short corner...Reason being...You can grab your trolling sinker at tip...longer rods may require you to grab trolling sinker with gaff.


Swiveling rod tip on the wire line outfits...Also, notice how the cable shock leader lays on the deck...Mono shock cord can twist and blow around at times.


Wire line outfits...best used in the short corners...highly effective.


notice the colored floss mark...Also, the leather I added for finger protection and "thumbing" the spool


All caught on a Senator...60lb mono...one rod/lure/shock cord/trolling sinker...2 trips...3 fish...on a bay boat called "Winner"......Go Figure.

[gtrfred]

Anthony

those are some killer fish and cool pictures of everyone's setups.

when the guys are using the wire line on the tiagra 80s, do you know if they have any issues with the wire and the aluminum spool?

i thought i had read something about issues with dissimilar metals. Are they doing anything special?

Thanks

Fred

[Captain Fred Archer]

Anthony has this high speed wahoo trolling thing wired (pun intended). I have watched him since his very earliest days as he began to develop his system and worked on and tweaked and modified it to what it is today - probably pretty close to as good as it can get...although since I know Anthony, I know that he will keep trying and experimenting and learning. There's no stopping that special kind of guy! And thank goodness. Without the Anthony's of this world, we'd all still be fishing the same-old, same-old and in this case, catching a lot less wahoo. This high speed thing really works and not just on wahoo.

I have always understood those who get a big kick out of making their own lures and catching fish on them. Heck, I am one of those myself and so most likely is just about any innovative lure developer and manufacturer. But from the practicality, getting it right from the first trip on (fishing time being so precious to most of us), and actual cost as far as time, tools, parts, etc. standpoints are concerned, if it were me, I'd opt for the original, finished deal from Ace and head out and catch fish right from the get-go. And I did.

And yes, there are some alternatives to Ace's lures when it comes to high speed trolling. Heck, I've come up with some myself, but I view them as just that - alternatives, not replacements for Ace's lures. And they do involve acquiring components and the right tools and rigging them one's self, so we are back to square one as far as time, cost, and the quality of the finished product are concerned. And so, in many cases, we arrive back with Ace and his great stuff.

Finally, I have tremendous admiration for the ones like Anthony who go through all of the trials and tribulations and victories and the inevitable failures and frustrations, neither of which those who use his lures will have to go through because he already did and fixed any shortcomings, when actually developing a purely new product like his. Once it is complete and one is only dealing with the end result - an excellent lure like his and the best, most proven ways of using them - it is an easy and understandable matter to forget about and not take into consideration all of the time, effort, and thinking that went into it.

Good stuff, Anthony! And after many years of struggle and work that I was privileged to actually watch you put in, right from the beginning, you have arrived at a special place that few ever get to. I am pleased to see you getting the recognition that you so richly deserve for coming up with a unique product that really works.

Kudos, "Antnee" (Remember?)

Best in Big Game website & online tackle store, www.fredarchersworldoffishing.com

[controlled chaos]

Capt Fred! I am stoked that you joined in on this thread bro!!! I have read a ton of your posts on here and other forums and I can say that you have taught me a lot even though we have never met. I believe that you and Anthony both have this type of fishing down to a fine science. It is pretty damn impressive!!! I just recently got really interested in high speed trolling and it has pretty much taken over at this point. I have got to try it out for myself and that is exactly what I plan on doing as soon as I can get back on the water esspecially since the wahoo are showing up off of NC pretty good right now. I have basically been doing a shit load of reading and I was glued to Anthony's website while I was getting an idea on how to rig up for high speed trolling.

I can say that it is truly amazing how some of you guys have shaped the game to what it is now and I am really glad that there are innovators out there like you, Anthony and other guys on this site that are willing to share information and rigging techniques for those of us who just don't get to fish enough to get dialed in like that. I am giving you guys a ton of props because I might get to fish once a month if I am lucky and not on a deployment. When I do get to fish I have to trailer the boat 3.5 hours to the nearest decent ramp and then we gotta get a hotel and fuel and all that other stuff needed when going 40 miles offshore so when we go fishing we really count on making the best out of it. You guys make it so much easier to get into the fish.

I am still learning as much as I can about high speed trolling and I know I will only really figure it out by going out and doing it but I wanted to post some pics of the rigs I have made so the pros can pick them apart and tell me what I should look at more closely. Here ya go guys!!!

[N2theBlue]

whats up with the light blue octopus skirts ahead of the JAG 3 and the 1 oz bling?.

I would use the heaviest heads I could find......JAG's and Ilander Heavyweights. They will track better in the water.

[WahooKing]

Surfr

If crimped properly, your trolling sinker and shock leader look fine.

I would take any front running octopus skirt off the lure leader...Wahoo hit trolling sinkers at times...they will hit that octopus skirt too.

Attaching the skirt to the hook rig will create tangle issues at high speeds. Instead of attaching the skirt to the hook rig, slide a octopus skirt over a 2 or 3 oz egg sinker....junkanoo style....add a little zap a gap or crazy glue to secure skirt to egg sinker. Next, add pony beads (can get at a craft store) between the hook rig and the skirt/egg sinker. You want to space your rig so the bottom hook's point is just touch the skirts end. This will eliminate all tangle issues.

In order: Lure...egg sinker inside of skirt glued...beads...hook rig

Like this:


I would redo the double hook rig too...No need to make a eye loop with cable...Cable on double hook rig should be crimped from eye of hook to eye of 2nd hook...then folded over to make 0 degree...lure leader should connect to eye of top hook...mo stronger..mo betta

[WahooKing]

Anthony

those are some killer fish and cool pictures of everyone's setups.

when the guys are using the wire line on the tiagra 80s, do you know if they have any issues with the wire and the aluminum spool?

i thought i had read something about issues with dissimilar metals. Are they doing anything special?

Thanks

Fred

If using straight wire, spools should be changed out every couple of seasons...We have been using topshot of wire with braid backing the last couple of yrs...the length of wire equals the marked distance in the spread + 5'...When lures are set to designated spread position, the connections is always a couple of rotations on the spool...no need to mark your lines.

[rarhomes]

If using straight wire, spools should be changed out every couple of seasons...We have been using topshot of wire with braid backing the last couple of yrs...the length of wire equals the marked distance in the spread + 5'...When lures are set to designated spread position, the connections is always a couple of rotations on the spool...no need to mark your lines.

WahooKing,

Thanks for being so generous with all your info.

Couple of questions about wire line rigs.

1. What size and type wire works best ?
2. What connection do you use for wire to backing ?
3. Do you still use the same amount of weight ?
4. At slower speeds can you pull wire in lieu of planner ?
5. Backing type/size ?


Capt Rick

[controlled chaos]

whats up with the light blue octopus skirts ahead of the JAG 3 and the 1 oz bling?.

I would use the heaviest heads I could find......JAG's and Ilander Heavyweights. They will track better in the water.

Those are chasebaits and I saw something similar on Capt Fred Archers site so I thought I would give it a try on a few rigs. They are glued to a 1/2oz egg sinker that was mashed on the edges to avoid slipping on the wire. Fred uses black but all I had were blue ones. I am no pro by any means... I was just using what I had as far as the 1 oz jags. I am going to go heavier but I got to hit a tackle store this weekend. I am kinda far (2 hrs)from any decent offshore tackle shop so I have to make the trips count. I only have a few 30oz jags/islanders and I am going to grab more as soon as I can.

Anthony... thanks for the heads up on the stiff rigs. I am going to re rig using your method today. Thanks a bunch!!!


Dave