problems live baiting wahoo

[cayman al]

Hi guys,

Been away for a while but could do with a bit of help with a specific technique and I was wondering if anyone had any bright ideas cause I am completely out. With the water around here being so hot right now - 87 degrees the wahoo are proving very difficult to catch so we have taken to live baiting.

Our technique we are trying at the moment is to catch some tiny 1lb black fin / skipjack tunas on the feathers and fill up the tuna tubes with them. Next we take a fresh one and rig it on a live bait rig which consists of 8ft of 100lb mono to a 6/0 live bait hook (though the upper jaw) then a 12 inch strip of #8 piano wire to a stinger hook (either 4/0 treble or another 4/0 live bait hook) lightly attached to the tail though a finlet.

We then let the tuna go with the clicker on and the reel in free spool and slow troll (1-2knots) or drift for 10-15mins allowing the fish to swim freely.

On our last session - yesterday on the afternoon low tide, full moon, we put out 12 tuna in total and had at least 7-8 runs with zero hook ups. we would allow around 3-4 seconds after the run started before flicking the lever drag up to strike but every time the rod would bend over and then would slack off and we'd reel in an empty rig. We even reeled in the tail of one of the tunas with no head and body!

What are we doing wrong - is it even wahoo? we are fishing just off the wall in water that holds wahoo, marlin, tuna (YF), cudas and sharks. I have caught a few wahoo in the same area before so i know they are around? Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly received.

Al

[WAHOONBOX]

I AM STILL DOING SOME THINKING ON THIS ONE.....
BEAR WITH ME A DAY OR SO.....

[92 feet down]

Very interesting...

[Captain Michael Buffington]

Originally Posted by cayman al

Hi guys,

Been away for a while but could do with a bit of help with a specific technique and I was wondering if anyone had any bright ideas cause I am completely out. With the water around here being so hot right now - 87 degrees the wahoo are proving very difficult to catch so we have taken to live baiting.

Our technique we are trying at the moment is to catch some tiny 1lb black fin / skipjack tunas on the feathers and fill up the tuna tubes with them. Next we take a fresh one and rig it on a live bait rig which consists of 8ft of 100lb mono to a 6/0 live bait hook (though the upper jaw) then a 12 inch strip of #8 piano wire to a stinger hook (either 4/0 treble or another 4/0 live bait hook) lightly attached to the tail though a finlet.

We then let the tuna go with the clicker on and the reel in free spool and slow troll (1-2knots) or drift for 10-15mins allowing the fish to swim freely.

On our last session - yesterday on the afternoon low tide, full moon, we put out 12 tuna in total and had at least 7-8 runs with zero hook ups. we would allow around 3-4 seconds after the run started before flicking the lever drag up to strike but every time the rod would bend over and then would slack off and we'd reel in an empty rig. We even reeled in the tail of one of the tunas with no head and body!

What are we doing wrong - is it even wahoo? we are fishing just off the wall in water that holds wahoo, marlin, tuna (YF), cudas and sharks. I have caught a few wahoo in the same area before so i know they are around? Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly received.

Al

like j hook six inches of single strand treble six more inches and treble. I would also fish with the reel in gear. Wahoo and kings are slicers. They chop it in half and come back for the falling remains. I think they are hitting it between your hooks. If wahoo or kings is the target the reel should be in gear in my opinion.

Mike

[BTH284]

All wire, #5 or #6 bright or piano for the drift/slow troll with trebles no smaller than #4 4x. I would have to agree with the man below #2 4x trebles would probably be the ticket.

[SeaBiscuit]

I too would go to an all wire rig with a nose hook (J) and two trebles (2/0, 4x) for stingers. One pound baits are plenty big for two stingers.
I would fish very light drag and increase it ( to NMT six pounds) as soon as possible after the bite.

Good luck and show us some pictures of the wahoos I know you will catch!

SeaBiscuit

[Bert Rodgers]

Maybe a smaller bait.

Bert

[Tyson]

Something i saw Larry Dalhberg do that we tried.

First..Put the baits out on the out riggers or clips on the flat line if you like, as far out as you like. Use the same technique you use with dink baits for whites by making a loop and twisting the line before you put it in the clip, as to separate the line to the bait from the clip, and the line from the clip to the rod.

Second.. let out 30ft or so of line between the clip and the rod, creating slack and a bow in the line trailing behind your boat. The outriggers are best because they keep the lines from tangling.


So, when the fish bites, you have slack before your get that unwanted tension on the rod you described.It also give you more time to feed the fish the live bait, if thats what you feel like you need.

Also i would use about 12-14inches of wire infront of the nose hook as well as the stinger, just to be safe. Single strand piano 90lb-ish. Just like a beefed up king rig.

[Captain Michael Buffington]

Originally Posted by Tyson

Something i saw Larry Dalhberg do that we tried.

First..Put the baits out on the out riggers or clips on the flat line if you like, as far out as you like. Use the same technique you use with dink baits for whites by making a loop and twisting the line before you put it in the clip, as to separate the line to the bait from the clip, and the line from the clip to the rod.

Second.. let out 30ft or so of line between the clip and the rod, creating slack and a bow in the line trailing behind your boat. The outriggers are best because they keep the lines from tangling.


So, when the fish bites, you have slack before your get that unwanted tension on the rod you described.It also give you more time to feed the fish the live bait, if thats what you feel like you need.

Also i would use about 12-14inches of wire infront of the nose hook as well as the stinger, just to be safe. Single strand piano 90lb-ish. Just like a beefed up king rig.

seems like a decent system for other species, but wahoo dont swim around mouthing the bait or turning it in their mouth...they chop the damn thing in two! You ever taken a pair of scissors and held them open and sliced a piece of paper in half? Thats how mackerel and wahoo feed. Put more hooks on and fish the reel in gear and tell us how many you caught. It is stupid simple, don't complicate it...

Mike

[cayman al]

Thanks Captain - i'm going to amend my rigs tonight and should have a another go this weekend.

Double stinger, trebles fished in gear with a small amount of drag.

I promise a report if (and when) the meat hits the deck of my boat.

Al