# Looking for wahoo and or dolphin....



## Bill (Oct 4, 2007)

I have fished a ton with in 10-12 miles for bottom stuff and kings....want to target wahoo and some dolphin...even some chickens. So the big question is wher do I go? I think I have fished enough to have the right bait, chum stuff and tolling stuff. 
Going to find a break in the weather and give it a shot. Anyone have any info...secrets :whistling: or general directions...:thumbsup:?

Thanks in advance!


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## MillerTime (Jul 6, 2011)

How far do you want to go out or are capable of? Wahoo and dolphin are capable of being caught within 10-12 miles but there isn't an extremely high probability. Weedlines are always a good place to start or anything else floating that you may come across.


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## Tobiwan (Apr 27, 2012)

They are typically "blue water" fish. They can be found in green water but blue water and weeds is more common


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## Bill (Oct 4, 2007)

Weather permitting, and an understanding the things change quick on the water, I have no issues 15 plus or so. If the weather is good farther, I have all the safety gear (famous last words!). I am not locking to put myself or crew in danger, but do want to catch a few fish. 
Thoughts?
Thanks!


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## MissKristy (Dec 1, 2007)

I would say the edge would be your best bet of u dont wantvto go to far or if u want to run farther go to nipple or elbow


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## SnapperSlapper (Feb 13, 2009)

Right now, the place to catch them starts 65 nm south of Pensacola or orange beach.


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

I screwed up on the post next one down.


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

To the East you can troll Ozark to the Squiggles or to the West you can troll the ledge to the Nipple, South to 131 Hole and south to the Elbow. The triangle formed going North from the 131 Hole until the Nipple is due East then East to Nipple then South West to 131 Hole has always produced Wahoo when I fished that pattern. Run your legs at least 500 feet apart from the previous ones and sometimes a lazy "S" pattern on the legs helps. Sometimes you aren't the only one looking for the Wahoo. I'm pretty sure a big Mako chopped this one off in one bite. The short Wahoo pictured hit an Illander Cruiser, black and purple mylar, rigged with a horse Ballyhoo.

Almost forgot, when the other guys mentioned objects floating, small doesn't matter sometimes a small floating object will hold some nice fish under it. Obviously the bigger the better when it comes to floating objects, trees out there are a bonanza. Scattered weed lines will give you lots of practice reeling in lures and clearing weeds. Weed patches 100 - 200 sq feet is where you usually find peanut and schoolie Mahi Mahi. Solid weed lines are what everyone dreams about because the potential for fish is greater. Don't forget to look for tide lines also called a rip. It will have clear water on one side of the line and the other will be "dirty", troll in the clear water close to the dirty edge.

The floating objects out there is the one reason I won't run WOT offshore at night unless it is an absolute emergency, you don't see them usually until just after you hit them.


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Damn, Kim, all he left you was the cheeks and the throat!

Good info btw. That's what I like to see on this board.:thumbup:


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## Smitty81 (Sep 19, 2012)

Bodupp said:


> Damn, Kim, all he left you was the cheeks and the throat!
> 
> Good info btw. That's what I like to see on this board.:thumbup:


I had a huge wahoo do the same thing to a 20lb. red snapper one time.


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## aboutscubasteve (May 13, 2011)

I got that beat- have a king on, taken out by a cuda, with cleanup finished by a bull shark- all in about 10 seconds. John Woo couldn't have choreographed that any better. Catch it on youtube:
http://youtu.be/9A-SvfTyQ2Q


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## scaleskinz (Jul 21, 2013)

*Wahoo lures*

I have been told about lots of different Wahoo lures, but I heard that the Tormenter "Super Smoker" has been catching lots in the area this season. Has anyone here got personal experience with that model??


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## iJabo (Jul 6, 2013)

I've also been interested in how close you can find Wahoo and Dolphin as well. I've heard of Hoo caught as close as 5 miles... never has happened to me though. Anybody know how to increase your odds to catch Wahoo within 15 miles from improbable to feasible? As for Dolphin, I suppose all of this rain will help flush debris out of the Pass and maybe push at least some chickens into shallower water. At least that's what I hope... That sound like a likely theory to y'all?


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## Jefffhrey (Jul 27, 2013)

That's what I like to see on this board.


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## aboutscubasteve (May 13, 2011)

Kim had some good info. Typically, you are probably looking at better chances of finding Wahoo in 100+ ft depths, closer to 15-20 miles out and beyond. They have been caught closer, but the odds are far less likely. I am partial to the Ballyhood lures- like the wahoo express subsurface jets, and I've also been wanting to try a Banchee cowbell. 
I know Chris V likes the Wooly Booger Sugar Drop pink- it's a little rough on my TLD30 compared to the jets at high speeds- but it leaves a heck of a bubble trail and I'm giving it a shot.​ 







 
I hooked my first "hoo" on a dolphin "Snagger Daisy Chain" by Ballyhood on the surface- water was about 250ft depth and we were working a weed line off of Islamorada (great fishing there). After I saw him slam the green/yellow dolphin lure (pictured on the reel above), we just kept on the throttle until I had him close to the boat- otherwise he could have charged and cut the mono leader. We were kinda lucky with that one.​ 
Interesting concept on the rain forcing more debris out in the gulf- I would think the cool freshwater running into the gulf might force those desireable pelagics further out- 
anyone with some firsthand experience want to chime in on that one?


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

I think the heavy rains that leave us with a brown water rip a couple miles offshore does push the fishing out farther than normal because it definitely changes how the bait is running.

I fished yesterday with a C/C customer new to trolling yesterday. Their crew consists of the couple and their son and they want to get into trolling for Wahoo and Dolphin too expand their opportunities for quality family time and fishing. For beginners I normally start them off on inexpensive lures because thats when you tend to lose gear. 

We tries some Wahoo Whackers at a higher speed with no joy. Switched over to a slower troll pulling baits behind Sea Witches and some Williamson Sailfish lures and the day changed. Although the best we could find was some patchy weeds, they held a few fish. Chicken Dolphin preferred the baits behind a Sea Witch but the Wahoo slammed the Williamson Sailfish lures rigged with Spanish baits.

It just goes to show you that sometimes the $5.00 lures work just as well as the $50.00 plus ones. We did have a multiple hook up on chickens that resulted in a massive tangle of three lines which a shark straightened out by eating the offenders thus freeing all three lines. Total cost there was 2 Sea Witches rigged for baits and one Williamson Sailfish Wrecker rigged for bait. If it would have been Chaos lures I would have cried like a girly man for losing them.


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## aboutscubasteve (May 13, 2011)

Kim said:


> I think the heavy rains that leave us with a brown water rip a couple miles offshore does push the fishing out farther than normal because it definitely changes how the bait is running...


How far out were you finding the fish?


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## tailfisher1979 (Jan 24, 2012)

Dont think you should be asking how far but where are the good water conditions. Wahoos can be within 5 miles of the beach if conditions are right. The American Spirit caught a #65 wahoo near the c buoy outside destin pass. Get a roffers report. www.roffers.com


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## tailfisher1979 (Jan 24, 2012)

sorry, www.roffs.com


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

Right now I think the bite is pretty hot around and just off the Edge. Running 200 - 300 feet and if you find the weed patches, troll them. We didn't stop to throw spin baits at any patches of weeds because the whole object yesterday was to learn some of the basics of trolling. I know that the young man with us slept sound last night. He was a weed clearing machine for the most part but he put a couple fish in the box as well, all in all a good day.


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## Chefhryl (Jul 31, 2013)

They can be found in green water but blue water and weeds is more common


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