Wahooooooooo!!!!

[Nauti Natured]

So ... As the fall Wahoo bite seems to be kicking off in full force, I thought I would throw a thread out there to provide an opportunity for some seasoned Wahoo fishermen to share some tips and to provide some info for those who may be thinking of trying to go out and catch their own.

Feel free to throw anything in this thread but lets keep it for those that simply want the best chance of catching a Wahoo.

Lets get some good, meaty, content on this one!

Here is my start... Both tips and questions:

1. Troll faster than usual. I am not talking about high-speed trolling, per say, but even if you bump it up a few knots with your regular spread, I have heard it might entice the 'hoo bite.

2. Wire leaders .... How long? What # wire? I usually run them as long as my mono leaders but dont know if I might be making a mistake here. Someone told me this weekend that they only run a foot of wire and then heavy fluoro for 12 feet or so. I think I will stick with the long wire because of the lure running up the leader.

3. Darker Color skirts .... Black, purple, deep reds, dark blues. All favorites for 'hoos?

4. Planers .... how do you run it? Is yours painted black? Do you run it on a bridle? Inline? Planer rod?

5. Spread?

I look forward to some good stuff on this one. Even if its a little tip .... leave a tip. Its the little stuff that makes the difference!

Thanks in advance for all of those that share. It is what makes this site awesome.

[N2theBlue]

Don't be afraid to throw a 16 or 24oz trolling weight or two out there to get that intermediate depth. Top lines run a few inches down, planers run many feet down, the trolling weight will get you two or three feet down in the sweet spot.

[Nauti Natured]

Don't be afraid to throw a 16 or 24oz trolling weight or two out there to get that intermediate depth. Top lines run a few inches down, planers run many feet down, the trolling weight will get you two or three feet down in the sweet spot.

OK ... good tip!

How do you rig it?

[Double XL]

Get a longer shank hook (10/0) this will heip get the hook further back in a bigger bait. Whoos love to fly through and whack the bait in the back half. Make sure your hook is back there.

I like to keep my leaders under 3' if the lure runs up it will stop at the swivel when running away from you. At 3 feet this should keep the lure beside the fish and less likely to get bit/ cut off.

[Glenn W]

Don't be afraid to throw a 16 or 24oz trolling weight or two out there to get that intermediate depth. Top lines run a few inches down, planers run many feet down, the trolling weight will get you two or three feet down in the sweet spot.

It has been my experience that you are absolutly correct in that some days a planer bait is too deep and a sea witch skipping on the top is too high. Many times just getting the bait not to break the surface and swim just under the water is the ticket.
We have found that running a Jag or Upright Troller (with a ballyhoo of course) works very well on the bridge pole. The weight of these two skirts (lures) is enough to keep the bait under water as long as it is trolled a good ways back. Trolling weights work and work well, but I just don't like getting cut off by having Wahoo attack the trolling weight----- they ain't the smartest fish in the Ocean. Most of all, I just don't like alot of junk in the water anywhere close to my bait.

As far a running a longer hook further back in the bait, I know there are two schools of thought on this. Personally, I know from experience that no matter what you do, some Wahoos (as well as those damn Kings) will see and find that hook sticking down and cut off your bait just behind the bend of the hook no matter where it is---- damnifino how they do it, but they do. As such, I'd much rather have a pretty swimming bait to attract a bite to begin with--- a hook stuck out of a ballyhoo's asshole just don't swim as pretty as one further forward.

[MissSara]

We have had good luck running a 32oz trolling sinker down the middle. If we get a planer bite and miss him, we immediately give the trolling sinker 4-5 long smooth jigs and many times will hook up.

[Nauti Natured]

Some good stuff here! Lets keep it going

[Capt. Lyndon]

One thing that has caught many fish for me is running a lipless swimming plug, such as a braid marauder in the propwash.

[The Codfather]

Think the four 'Ds' for wahoo.

Dark - Contrast, contrast, contrast
Deep - Run the lures under the surface
Depth - 40-60ftms around reefs
Down-range - Put em far back

[rizzoads]

Good stuff guys! Thanks for the info.

I'll add one thing. If you aren't having any luck with the dark colors, wahoos like naked baits too. Last time I was wahoo fishing, we had 1 fish in the boat by 1pm. We yanked the lure and put a naked ballyhoo on the planer and caught 5 more in under 2 hours. We had weight and color on the other planer for a while and they wouldn't touch it. Ended up switching that one too. We ended the day with a double hook-up on the naked planer baits!