Wow Trey thats quite a trip you had there. Nice pics from everybody. I mentioned I would include a few pics of my secret weapons.
Behold the Witch Doctors, varrying in length from 8 inches to 12 inches and 3-6 ounces, the second one is my newest baby at about 17-18 inches and 12 ounces.
Depending on sea's and conditions some would be run on high speed planers and others like the second one have enough weight at times. Other ties they still require some additional weight. Just be sure the weight doesnt become the target!
What we have found is the tinsel is just as durable as skirts, and can be replaced as well. However the tinsel/mylar adds a lot more flash and still allows the head to work the way they were designed, with nice slight cycle for a swimming action. Plus the tinsel/mylar has great action in itself.
On the Pez Machine we primarily target tuna in the NE canyons off NJ. As such I've had most of my wahoo bites on lures and baits intended for tuna.. i never run cable/wire and the wahoo bites result in bite offs(to date anyway). Most of our wahoo bites have been on sea witch/ballyhoo combos or jets.
Part of the problem is obviously the number of fish where i'm fishing.. I'm not sure there are enough around to specifically target them, but they seem to be out there in decent numbers..
When running drails, how far under the surface are you trying to get the baits?
Do you run planers from the cleat with a release clip or on the line?
how far behind the planer do you run the lure/bait? I've trolled with 25 yards between the bait and the planer with no luck.
Do you run a straight running lure from the planer so it doesn't trip? do baits work behind it or do they wash out too quickly?
Lastly, do you feel that the vibrations caused by the planer line and/or cable deter tuna/marlin from biting?
we haven't used planers..although I think we might try a couple of z-wings this season...i'm sure they'll work. we pull two flat lines with big trolling sinkers (cable on both sides of the sinker, because of all the sharks around). Our shock leaders are probably 15-20', then we use a normal 6' leader to our lure of choice. We also usually pull these two flat lines on wire line reels....two big 14/0 senators do the trick...we don't typically run any baits, just lures, as we troll 9-10 knots..much slower than some, but where we fish, you don't have to cover much ground...the structure is in a well defined area.
I personally feel the wire line spooks billfish...just my opinion though. I would venture the same with any kind of planer or z-wing in the water...but I'm guessing here...how would anyone really know? it would take years of statistics to really try to figure that one out, plus when we are wahoo fishing we are wahoo fishing...don't catch much else. When we are marlin fishing, we don't have wire in the water obviously...so who knows...
Ya may get bonus letters cuz I'm posting from my cell phone
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Aloha! Norter 79
Plenty guys have yer problem with wahoo. I would drop a Halco Trembler in yer spread as close to the props or just to the side of the back of the boat hung from an outrodder. it don't need to be back in the spread, keep it really close, easy to clear
or ya could switch out a rig or two to single strand on the fast side of the turn.
Drails simply keep yer bait 1 foot or less which is all it takes to catch wahoo. they like a submerged bait
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