# Wahoo and Dolphin lures



## Nat (Oct 10, 2007)

Looking to start building up my tackle with some trolling lures to use for wahoo or dolphin and need some advise of what to start with. I'll be using tld 25's and torium 30's and don't really want to battle with the man in the blue suit.....so we don't need any marlin stuff, just lookin to catch a few mahi or wahoo for groceries

never done it before, i'm just getting ready and thought I might get some lures at the outcast sale, along with a few cobia jigs



I already have some stretch 25's


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## Xanadu (Oct 1, 2007)

Yozuri bonitas and stretch 30s work at the edge, but you may have to tighten the drag way up on the tld to pull them. Shiny chrome head lures like wahoo bombs work great too.


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## Bryan Bennett (Dec 29, 2007)

As mentioned, Ilanders work well for both species. Unfortunately (or fortunately, however you choose to view it), blue marlin will pounce on blue/white ILander/ballyhoo combos, too. If I were putting together, say, five lures for wahoo and dolphin on your tackle, they would be as follows:

(2) Yo-Zuri Bonitas #F52, one in purple, the other in orange. Change the double hooks to 8/0 stainless single hooks. Rig on 6 feet of at least 200 lb. cable. Run them on your flatlines fairly close to the boat.

(1) Blue/White Junior Ilander rigged for ballyhoo. A medium works best. Rig it on 200 lb. mono, about 10-12 feet long, 9/0 7731 Mustad pin rig with bait spring. Run it on an outrigger.

(1) Blue/White Iland Sailure rigged as above. Run it on the 'rigger.

(1) Mold Craft Standard Wide Range color #41, purple/silver/black. Rig on 250 lb. mono, about 10-12 feet long, 9/0 7732 Mustad stiff single rig. Fish it anywhere in the spread.

Since you're fishing light tackle, your hooks will need to be super sharp...not needle-like, but nail-like and able to penetrate on 8 to 10 pounds of drag.

If you need help putting a set together, I'd be glad to help. I work at Sam's in Orange Beach. Just call me (Bryan Bennett) or Mark Russo at (251) 981-4245and we would be happy to assist you. Good luck.


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## mack_attack2 (Nov 24, 2007)

bbennet just got it exactly right on what to use, all those lures are killer, good explanation also


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

wahoo love lures that are black and red, purple and red and they like them off the surface. Down on a downrigger


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## RUSTY (Oct 2, 2007)

> *lobsterman (2/23/2008)*wahoo love lures that are black and red, purple and red and they like them off the surface. Down on a downrigger


How deep


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## PBTH (Oct 1, 2007)

All the lures mentioned above are great, but don't leave out Billy Bait's mini turbo slammer in blue/red, red/black, or green/gold. Sometimes phins just want a bite sized bait.

For downrigger depth 30ft is nice, but even 10ft can make a big difference.


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## RUSTY (Oct 2, 2007)

Thanks for the info


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## Kozman (Jan 11, 2008)

What about boat speed? How fast are you pulling these spreads?

Tim


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

> *RUSTY (2/23/2008)*
> 
> 
> > *lobsterman (2/23/2008)*wahoo love lures that are black and red, purple and red and they like them off the surface. Down on a downrigger
> ...




My buddy caught a 76 lber about 80' down on a big bait behing a red and black sea witch. He was out on the inside edge in 180" of water.


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## mack_attack2 (Nov 24, 2007)

> *Kozman (2/24/2008)*What about boat speed? How fast are you pulling these spreads?
> 
> Tim


8-15 knots is good


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## Reel Rowdy (Oct 4, 2007)

> *mack_attack2 (2/24/2008)*
> 
> 
> > *Kozman (2/24/2008)*What about boat speed? How fast are you pulling these spreads?
> ...




with the exception being the ballyhoo rigged ilanders. the ballyhoo will wash out quickly at 15 kts! At least mine do. I never pull any ballyhoo over 7-8 kts.


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## Xanadu (Oct 1, 2007)

> *Reel Rowdy (2/24/2008)*
> 
> 
> > *mack_attack2 (2/24/2008)*
> ...




And, with a tld 25, we can assume he's fishing standup and you're not going to have much success trollling too fast with a noodle tip standup rod or skipping baits that jump out of the water everytime the tip loads and unloads. High speed trolling is best left for bent butts and heavy tackle. Plenty of fun and plenty of fish to be caught on his tackle at 9kts or less.


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## billin (Oct 14, 2007)

Guys remember they are related to mackerel wahoo are very opportunistic<STRIKE> </STRIKE>feeders Trolling that fast only allows you to cover more ground there are no other benefits to trolling over 7 knots. The key is to be in good clean water and have your baits swiming correctly the rest is up to the fish .


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## Nat (Oct 10, 2007)

Well, I didn't get any islanders or yozuris, they are expensive and I don't know how to rig a ballyhoo? Can you catch fish with naked trolling baits?

I did pick up a few stubby bubblers and a couple of calcuttas all in the $6.00 and less price range, and a couple cedar plugs and a few dorado jigs by williamson

Can we talk about mahi and wahoo on a beer budget?

maybe some day I can buy a $20.00 lure.....and rig a ballyhoo

not yet


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## BlueWater2 (Sep 27, 2007)

At the prices of gas now days,20 bucks on lures that put fish in the box is a bargan. Blue and white islander is the ticket.


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## fishyfingers (Oct 3, 2007)

Yes, unless you're fishing from shore this season you are off the beer budget.

I would rather have spent a little more on lures that will perform and catch fish than drag crap all day with nothing but a sunburn and fuel bill to show.

That said there are plenty of effective lures that will take mahi and hoos. The bonita style lures are tough to beat for the wahoo and you can get the knock-off BPS brand all year for about $10ea . Rig as stated above. I build my own wahoo bombs for about $12 out of various 9-12" jet head lures I get on sale cheap, then add a few 6oz eggs inside with another skirt to give it extra bulk. Rig it on cable with a single hook in rear then clip trolling weight 7' ahead and rip it through the water.

I have had more mahi jump on a cedar plug than any other lure I've ever pulled. Red/white and purple/black are faves. They are hungry little bastards and not too picky so throw whatever you like at them.


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## Nat (Oct 10, 2007)

how do you rig a cedar plug?


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## Downtime2 (Sep 27, 2007)

I don't. And have caught a phin' or three..

I personally don't pull cedar plugs. Each to they own. I will say I have used more than ilanders. But they do produce. rarely do I pull a strandard bl/wht ilander. I prefer different stuff. Like slants or senior moldcrafts. Big bait, big fish....


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## Chris Couture (Sep 26, 2007)

Dolphin like lures that are the same colors as they are from what I have seen! Green and yellow work well as do blue and yellow or white for me. 



For Wahoo, get a lure that stays down in the water, something like a Yozuri Bonita. I like orange and black ones on sunny days or the purple and blacks on overcast days. You can't pull them too fast though with small tackle so be careful.



Just my opinion....


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## Nat (Oct 10, 2007)

Wade

Thanks again for the advise, but I forgot to ask one question......

When do the phins and hoo's start showing up?

I'm green


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## Downtime2 (Sep 27, 2007)

Should be some by mid May on the phin's. 75 degrees or so. Wahoo at about 70-72 along the edge.


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

I love it when Fester talks in secret code!


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

> *Nat (3/8/2008)*
> 
> Can we talk about mahi and wahoo on a beer budget?
> 
> ...



Nat...come to wednesday night dinner in 2 weeks and I'll show you how to rig ballyhoo; unless you want to come over to Orange Beach and I can show you at OBM one day. As for talking about mahi and wahoo on a beer budget; I don't think that's doable.  This sport is rough on the wallet........get out while you still can!


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## Downtime2 (Sep 27, 2007)

> *The Blue Hoo (3/9/2008)*I love it when Fester talks in secret code!


Secret code? Nah, just need the decoder ring..... 

I have openly helped people learn to rig and select lures...the right ones too. Even offered to share brown water with some...


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## N-Reel-Trouble (Oct 3, 2007)

I liked this thread, short, to the point, and informative!


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## Stressless (Oct 2, 2007)

How to rig offshore lure:



http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=14967&posts=1



How to rig Ballyhoo:



http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=17275&posts=12



Really search the old forum - there are literally YEARS of info back there. Doesn't mean we can't learn more but it'll help to ask smarter questions.



:mmmbeer

Stressless


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## Bryan Bennett (Dec 29, 2007)

There is a great mahi lure that works awesome with a medium or small ballyhoo behind it, and it sells for only $2.99. It is called, simply enough, the Ballyhoo Duster, made by Sea Striker. My favorite color is pink. Drag it past ANYTHING in bluewater and it will get munched. We once caught a 170 lb. yellowfin on it at a drillship. Absolutely deadly....and on a beer budget, too! We have them at Sam's in Orange Beach (251) 981-4245.


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## Nat (Oct 10, 2007)

when is a good time to catch you there?


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